Milling machine tools use case: Aurrenak pilot line

The Predictive Maintenance (PdM) strategy exploits data coming from sensorized equipment to determine when a processing resource is approaching the point when it will no longer be fit for purpose and, in doing this, allows to reduce the cost associated with corrective maintenance activities up to 50%. However, complex equipment like the FIDIA milling machine tools present in the Aurrenak facility is made up of tens to hundreds of components that must be monitored (depending on the granularity of equipment decomposition). PROGRAMS DSS analyzed maintenance data from both FIDIA and Aurrenak DBs to decide, for each component of the pilot machine tool, which maintenance strategy should be applied to reduce the overall maintenance cost.

PROGRAMS combines data coming from machine tool controller, additional sensors installed on it during the project and any available legacy maintenance data to perform an LDA analysis of the components, estimate their life distribution, simulate the overall machine tool availability and LCC under different applied maintenance strategies and finally provide the computation of the RUL for the components for which the PdM was finally selected (spindle, gearboxes, linear guideways). Furthermore, the ideal time for performing preventive maintenance is associated with the RUL information and the production plan, to create a comprehensive activities schedule.

PROGRAMS solution reduced the overall cost associated with the maintenance of the machine tool by 20%. Furthermore, the machine Life Cycle Cost was lowered by 15%÷20% in the short-medium term and by 25%-30% in the long term.