Machine learning systems, often marketed as 鈥榓rtificial intelligence鈥� or AI, can be used to identify hard-to-spot patterns. They are typically understood to be more useful, the more data is available to them. With the right on-board sensors, an approach like this may allow early indicators of wear鈥攐r combinations of these鈥攖o be identified sooner. Systems can be retrained as new data is available, potentially improving their performance.
The service analyses live machine data and combines it with Metso鈥檚 OEM knowledge, delivering, Metso says, reliable recommendations directly through聽its聽digital platform. Predictive recommendations are聽immediately聽available for machines with existing Metso Metrics connectivity hardware. Convenient upgrade kits are available for older machines.聽聽
Announcing the launch, as part of a broader upgrade to its digital offering, Jaakko Huhtapelto, VP, technology and digital business of aggregates at Metso, said, 鈥淏y combining proven digital technologies with decades of Metso crushing and screening expertise, we can make equipment easier to operate, maintain, and optimise.鈥�
The launch was announced at ConExpo, currently taking place in the USA. The country is famous for its enthusiasm for litigation, and adoption of data loggers by European manufacturers in the 2000s met with fierce resistance from US equipment owners, concerned that irrelevant data, potentially misleading to juries, could be shared with rival parties, increasing their legal risk.
In a world where data is fuel, owners will want to know how this resource will be held and shared. And since the adoption of data loggers of twenty years ago, new EU rules on personal and employee privacy could further compound the challenges.聽
We approached Huhtapelto for comment. He sought to reassure customers on how their data would be held and protected, explaining this is covered in the customer's contract, and is optional: customers can choose not to use these telematics features.
Sensor data such as pressure and聽temperature, crusher settings and GPS location is stored on EU servers,聽and processed in compliance with privacy and data protection legislation. He explained the company's policy on releasing data to third parties: "If the data were asked to released to a third party, Metso would require either customer鈥檚 consent or a court order. In general, data, insights and predictive maintenance recommendations are shared with relevant parties only, and access is limited to need-to-know basis by default. As agreed in the contract between Metso and the customer, data, insights and recommendations may be shared with Metso distributors or other contracted third parties that provide services to the customer."