In the ever-evolving landscape of asset management and maintenance, the integration of advanced technologies is not just a trend but a necessity. One such groundbreaking innovation is IBM's MVI, part of the Maximo Application Suite.  

Let's talk about how MVI is set to revolutionize the field of asset management and maintenance, bringing unprecedented efficiency and reliability. In this blog, we will also explore Naviam’s innovative solution for seamlessly integrating MVI and Manage, providing a comprehensive approach to streamline your processes.

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What is IBM's Maximo Visual Inspection?

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IBM's MVI is a next-generation cognitive infrastructure platform that leverages deep learning-based image and video analytics services. These services include classification, object detection, and anomaly detection, which are crucial for maintaining the integrity and performance of assets. Additionally, MVI has given us the ability to automate the inspection of assets and obtain a reliable understanding of whether an asset is degrading.  
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IBM's MVI uses deep learning that can be trained with very little technical knowledge of its underlying mechanisms, making it accessible for users without extensive expertise.

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Enhancing Asset Maintenance

One of the most significant impacts of MVI on asset management is its ability to enhance the identification of needed asset maintenance. Traditional maintenance strategies often rely on scheduled inspections and reactive repairs, which can lead to unexpected downtime and increased operational costs. MVI changes this paradigm by enabling large-scale inspections using remote control cameras that can gather extensive data quickly and efficiently. This data can then be analyzed by MVI, saving time and streamlining the entire process.
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For instance, a solar power company could use drones to capture videos and images throughout a solar farm. These could then be processed through MVI, which will inspect the individual parts of each asset for issues. From there, the information can be passed into Manage with the relevant details needed for a field technician to address any issues that have arisen. This approach saves field technicians time by eliminating the need to inspect individual assets manually and allows the organization to focus on maintaining the assets rather than conducting inspections.
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This proactive approach not only extends the lifespan of assets but also significantly reduces downtime and maintenance costs by enabling large-scale inspections that save valuable time.

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Real-World Applications

The potential applications of MVI in asset management are vast and varied. In industries such as manufacturing, energy, and utilities, where asset reliability is critical, MVI can play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth operations. In a manufacturing plant, MVI can monitor machinery for signs of wear, detect potential issues before they cause breakdowns, thus allowing the relevant maintenance to take place saving both money and reducing the potential downtime that could occur.

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In the energy sector, MVI can be used to inspect infrastructure such as pipelines and power lines, identifying potential hazards and preventing costly failures. The ability to perform these inspections remotely and in real-time also enhances safety by reducing the need for manual inspections in hazardous environments.

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Improving Operational Efficiency

An integration between MVI and MAS Manage would ensure that all asset-related data is consolidated and analyzed in a unified platform, facilitating better decision-making and operational efficiency. For example, the system could automatically generate maintenance tasks based on insights derived from visual inspections and predictive analytics. This could streamline workflows and ensure that maintenance activities are prioritized and executed efficiently. This is where Naviam’s solution comes in.

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Naviam’s Solution

At Naviam, we have streamlined the integration of MVI into Manage systems. This seamless integration ensures that once your models are trained, they can be instantly utilized to significantly enhance the efficiency and reliability of your asset health and maintenance processes. By leveraging our approach, you can experience a smoother transition and immediate benefits, ultimately leading to improved operational performance and reduced downtime. Our solution not only simplifies the integration process but also allows your teams to make data-driven decisions with greater confidence and accuracy.
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Our solution includes an application where deployed models in MVI are fetched automatically. This allows users to add assets to each model for inspection and set site-specific settings to determine the actions taken based on the information received from MVI, such as creating a work order or adding a meter reading. The images to be inspected are ingested from local or cloud storage systems such as Egnyte or AWS S3 Buckets and passed for inspection to MVI. Once Inspected they will be sent to Manage with the information on whether they have passed or not. If something is found, the confidence level and location of each detected fault in the image will be passed to Manage. Notifications can then be sent out to relevant parties, or records such as Service Requests, Work Orders or Incidents can be raised in Manage based on the setup in our Naviam MVI Configuration application.

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What's Next?

Looking ahead, we envision MVI integrations continuing to progress, significantly enhancing the field of asset management and maintenance. One such development could be the integration with our mobile solution, Fingertip. This integration would enable field technicians to send pictures and videos in real-time to MVI, instantly logging responses against assets and saving both time and effort.

Another promising advancement is the use of automatic drone inspections, which we believe will become more prevalent in the near future. Drones could capture videos and pictures of a wide range of assets and automatically upload these inspections into Manage systems via MVI. This would help reduce risks and boost efficiency by minimizing the time constraints associated with human-led inspections.

If you are interested in hearing more about MVI and Naviam’s integration solution, contact our team today!

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