Emerging technologies continue to give industrial maintenance processes the potential to be more efficient from cost and productivity standpoints. As facilities face critical decisions in 2024 to maintain profitability, it’s imperative to remain aware of the industrial maintenance trends that are expected to have an impact throughout the year and beyond. These leading-edge tactics can often provide unprecedented and unexpected process and margin improvements. Read on for our forecast of the industrial maintenance trends for 2024.
The top 10 trends in maintenance for 2024
We expect these trends and technologies to drive the face of manufacturing maintenance in 2024.
1. Advanced condition monitoring. With the advent of smart factories, many facilities are gradually becoming exposed to the benefits of sensors and adding them to their critical assets. These track performance and provide insight into red flags such as abnormal vibration, heat or noise, all of which can foretell an eventual machine breakdown. This enables the issue to be addressed before it creates a service disruption. With sensors becoming more commonplace, 2024 signals the next phase of their implementation. Condition monitoring enables more accurate root cause analysis as well as effective and proactive maintenance.
2. Additive manufacturing. 3D printing means it may no longer be necessary to take equipment offline for days while waiting for replacement parts. In many cases, it may be possible for repair techs to print a new component on the spot. It’s easy to see how this could dramatically reduce downtime and improve productivity. Although additive manufacturing is not new to the industry, the coming year should see it become an even greater element of maintaining machinery.
3. Even more data collection and analysis. Data is the backbone of today’s most effective and efficient manufacturing facilities, and this year promises even more uses for that data. Additional sensor implementation is only “Step One” of this trend. Facilities are also always building upon their data repository, enabling more accurate modeling, effective forecasting and innovative ways of using and analyzing data. It all adds to the latest maintenance practices such as predictive maintenance, which stops problems before they start and provides heretofore unseen benefits for the facility.
4. Downtime increasingly in the hot seat. Establishments understand that equipment downtime is one of the biggest resource wastes that can occur in manufacturing. That reality is starker than ever in the face of a pressing need to be as efficient, lean and agile as possible as supply chains continue to experience disruptions around the world. This means that manufacturers are expected to focus heavily on reducing downtime — expected and unanticipated — as much as possible in 2024. Predictive maintenance, enabled by the factors described above, is one of the most effective ways to eliminate unplanned downtime. This allows personnel to identify issues and schedule maintenance when it is most convenient and least disruptive.
5. Renewed focus on uptime and profit margins. Hand in hand with a downtime reduction is the drive to improve uptime and thus profit margins for the facility, driving equipment ROI and resource value. In light of the difficulties they have experienced over the last few years, process profitability will be a key focus for manufacturers. The most effective way to drive margins is to keep equipment running as much — and as efficiently — as possible.
6. A critical eye on storeroom management. With the benefits of data analysis, inventory management improvements go hand in hand with maintenance efficiencies. The ease with which facilities can track things such as MRO part needs and availability, means that more manufacturers will be aware of the inefficiency of their current inventory practices. They will also be mindful of the benefits that they can gain from implementing a technology- and data-driven inventory plan. Just a few of the benefits include accurate ordering and forecasting, easier location of spares, more control over storeroom management and faster, efficient maintenance.
7. Increased use of virtual technology. No forecast of maintenance industry trends would be complete without addressing the impact of advanced virtual reality technology, and maintenance is no exception. Virtual technology is poised to fast-track its way into a more commonplace method of carrying out maintenance diagnostics and troubleshooting. Condition monitoring and other new technology in maintenance can provide a near “hands-on” experience for offsite personnel, enabling accurate, real-time processes from anywhere. The use of AR and VR in maintenance also includes training, giving technicians the chance to practice regular procedures without risk of damaging actual equipment.
8. Sustained emphasis on maintenance staff safety. Keeping workers safe as they carry out maintenance should always be of the utmost importance. We believe this trend will continue to bear itself out over the coming year as more companies invest in training and establishing effective programs.
9. Increased adoption of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices. Communication is critical in manufacturing, and now that applies to machines as well. Connectivity between equipment enables manufacturers to achieve greater efficiencies and more-effective maintenance plans, thanks to the data their machinery provides. This technology also makes it possible for operators to monitor machine health and performance from a distance, allowing them to schedule maintenance tasks without necessarily seeing the equipment’s condition in person. We expect IIoT to continue growing in terms of influence and adoption throughout the manufacturing sector as more companies discover the benefits.
10. Sustainable maintenance practices. Conserving resources isn’t just good from a PR perspective — it’s also a solid business practice. This is why many in the manufacturing sector are adopting sustainable maintenance protocols and using eco-friendly technologies. By reducing the impact these activities have on the environment, manufacturers also can lower their energy consumption, becoming leaner and greener.
As you can see, ongoing trends such as predictive maintenance, industrial internet of things (IIoT), and data-driven processes comprise the basis of almost every major 2024 trend. As a technology-driven leader in outsourced industrial maintenance, ATS is ready to answer any questions you may have about how to take advantage of the latest in predictive maintenance trends and technologies. We’ll work with you to enable the maximum benefit to your operations. For more information on the latest industrial maintenance news, contact us today.