Justin Hatfield
Ad Hoc Committee on Emerging Technologies Chair
HECO - All Systems Go!
In 2019, the EASA International Board of Directors approved the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Emerging Technologies to address the impact of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industry 4.0, remote condition monitoring and whatever associated “buzz words” you can think of.
The committee’s purpose is simple: to research IIoT as it applies to the electric motor and rotating apparatus industry and determine what role, if any, EASA should take. The committee also works to determine the best ways to keep members up to date on this topic.
Since then, the committee has regularly met (via Zoom, before it was popular) to discuss various emerging technology topics and trends. Committee members have led presentations and open forums at EASA conventions to help guide members down this developing path.
Over the summer, the committee considered next steps and decided to conduct a survey. We felt this was the best way to get feedback directly from EASA members.
Survey Results
Overall, the survey showed that many EASAns are involved with or looking into these emerging technologies. In fact, 53 percent of respondents said they are paying attention to it, and 40 percent have made specific investments in IIoT. Only about seven percent said they do not believe IIoT will impact their businesses (Figure 1).
Which of the following statements best describes your company's current position about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)?
Figure 1
To guide the committee’s future actions, the survey addressed the most significant challenges to integrating IIoT in the business. According to 32 percent of the respondents, customer demand (or lack of) is the biggest challenge. Twenty-four percent said selecting a solution is the biggest challenge, while 17 percent said analyzing the data is the largest challenge (Figure 2).
Please rank your challenges to integrate and leverage IIoT emerging technologies in your business.
Figure 2
When asked how EASA can help members build an equipment monitoring/IIoT strategy, 65 percent of the respondents said EASA should provide specific education and training. Sixty-two percent said EASA should demonstrate to both end users and providers that our industry uses this technology, and 50 percent said EASA should present informational content (Figure 3).
Above all, these survey results demonstrated that the Ad Hoc Committee on Emerging Technologies should continue developing education efforts regarding these trends.
How can EASA support you in building your equipment monitoring/IIoT technology strategy?
Figure 3
That’s exactly what we are going to do. In recent weeks, the committee has worked tirelessly to develop a plan to meet the educational needs around IIoT. With that, I am proud to announce two new initiatives inspired by your feedback.
Emerging Technologies Resource Center
The Emerging Technologies Resource Center will be a dedicated place to curate relevant articles, presentations and other valuable content. The Resource Center will provide a variety of information so you can stay up to date on these technologies as they continue to evolve. This hub is expected to launch next month.
VISIT THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES RESOURCE CENTER
Interactive Workshop Series
The committee will host a series of interactive workshops to educate members and facilitate in-depth conversations around remote condition monitoring and IIoT. Each of these workshops will include the same content and will be offered on various days so members can select the one that best fits their schedules.
Each workshop will start with a brief presentation reviewing the topic, and then attendees will be invited to participate in an interactive discussion. We encourage all members to participate in one of these workshops, even if an emerging technology has not yet been implemented in their businesses. This is an opportunity to learn, ask questions and hear what others are doing. Attendance will be limited to keep the discussion open and productive. Find more information on these workshops on page 8 of this issue.
We look forward to seeing you at the workshops and helping us continue to refine EASA’s involvement in these rapidly changing technologies.
Related Reference and Training Materials
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