An intelligent maintenance system is a system that uses data analysis and decision support tools to predict and prevent the potential failure of machines. The recent advancement in information technology, computers, and electronics have facilitated the design and implementation of such systems.
The key research elements of intelligent maintenance systems consist of:
With evolving applications of tether-free communication technologies (e.g. Internet) e-intelligence is having a larger impact on industries. Such impact has become a driving force for companies to shift the manufacturing operations from traditional factory integration practices towards an e-factory and e-supply chain philosophy. Such change is transforming the companies from local factory automation to global business automation. The goal of e-manufacturing is, from the plant floor assets, to predict the deviation of the quality of the products and possible loss of any equipment. This brings about the predictive maintenance capability of the machines.
The major functions and objectives of e-manufacturing are: “(a) provide a transparent, seamless and automated information exchange process to enable an only handle information once (OHIO) environment; (b) improve the use of plant floor assets using a holistic approach combining the tools of predictive maintenance techniques; (c) links entire supply chain management (SCM) operation and asset optimization; and (d) deliver customer services using the latest predictive intelligence methods and tether-free technologies”.
The e-Maintenance infrastructure consists of several information sectors:12
Moore, W. J.; A. G. Starr (August 2006). "An intelligent maintenance system for continuous cost-based prioritisation of maintenance activities" (PDF). Computers in Industry. 57 (6): 596. doi:10.1016/j.compind.2006.02.008. hdl:2299/2247. http://uhra.herts.ac.uk/bitstream/2299/2247/1/902342.pdf ↩
Baldwin, Robert C (2001). "Enabling an e-Maintenance infrastructure". Maintenance Technology. 12. http://www.mt-online.com/december2001/enabling-an-e-maintenance-infrastructure ↩