Telefónica, Grupo Álava partner to offer predictive maintenance solution

Telefónica Tech and Grupo Álava have signed a strategic agreement to jointly launch a predictive maintenance solution that will provide industrial companies with an advanced data platform with which to optimise their activity by being able to anticipate possible faults or defects in machinery through a predictive maintenance plan.

The solution will allow industrial companies to digitise their maintenance processes by mass wireless and/or traditional sensing of all their assets in the production chain, not only those of high value (rotary engines, reciprocating machinery, electrical transformers…).

The data generated will be collected by sensors, connected through Telefónica Tech’s LTE and 5G mobile networks, stored and processed in Industrial Edge Computing technology, and will be accessible through a platform, from which operators will have indications based on artificial intelligence capabilities to better manage the health of production process machinery, extending its useful life and optimising maintenance costs.

Simple and massive sensorisation and monitoring of the assets in these processes is a fundamental step in the digital transformation of industrial companies. The solution is designed to integrate other technologies and makes it possible for the company to have its production plants in a single interface.

In addition, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data capabilities are integrated to enhance the predictive maintenance plan, leveraging specific Machine Learning models to improve the efficiency, opportunity cost and performance of the facilities.

The solution developed by Telefónica Tech and Grupo Álava, whose demo is currently available at the Telefónica District Innovation Centre in Madrid, will contribute not only to boosting the safety, efficiency and competitiveness of the sector, but also to guaranteeing sustainability by avoiding many of the trips required in unscheduled maintenance.

According to Andrés Escribano, Director of New Business and Industry 4.0 at Telefónica Tech, “the agreement with Grupo Álava will allow us to extend and massify our predictive maintenance capabilities and help all companies in the industrial sector to avoid long downtime and reduce costs thanks to 5G, IoT, Edge Computing and Big Data technologies. Digital transformation plays a key role in the development of a more sustainable and resilient industrial activity”.

Yago Sanchez, Director of Alliances at Grupo Álava, points out that “the combination of 5G technologies and predictive technology allows different industries to take a giant step forward in the digitisation of industrial processes. Thanks to this agreement, the market has a unique solution that improves the productivity and profitability of its business. We understand that this union offers guarantees to our current and future customers to improve their competitiveness in the international market, thanks to the adoption of process digitalisation solutions, predictive maintenance of assets, digital twins, improvement of end product quality and a large number of other contributions that we can make to their business”.