Intelligent Asset Maintenance Can Improve Asset Performance in Hazardous Environments

Excerpt from the Aegex Webinar, "Intelligent Asset Maintenance in Hazardous Environments," Feb. 28, 2019, featuring Ventureforth, Inc.

Increased adoption of cloud-based asset performance management (APM) systems is resulting in improved safety, efficiency and accuracy in industrial operations. Asset intelligence is being used to develop better maintenance strategies that can boost overall performance. But how much more effective could those APM systems be if they were deployed first-hand by technicians at the point of production? Mobile asset maintenance applications are now enabling field technicians to manage all assets, even those in high-risk areas such as combustible oil and gas environments, through the use of new mobile technologies, like intrinsically safe certified tablets.

Ventureforth Inc. is a mobile app developer whose cloud apps are bringing APM capabilities into even the most hazardous areas of production via Aegex Technologies’ intrinsically safe tablets. Ventureforth recently joined Aegex for a webinar to discuss the benefits of employing intelligent asset maintenance systems, including their vWork maintenance application, in hazardous environments where only specially certified mobile devices are permitted.

The below question and answer session from the webinar explains how enabling field technicians with Ventureforth mobile apps on aegex10 tablets can help increase efficiency and safety to improve overall asset performance.

Q: What does Ventureforth do?

A: Ventureforth CEO Charles Farnell (paraphrased)
“Ventureforth is a cloud software company that delivers applications for asset-intensive businesses with a laser focus on asset lifecycle management, supply chain and field service. Ventureforth provides cloud-based solutions on the Oracle public cloud, but they are compatible with any cloud vendor, like Microsoft, Amazon, etc. And in all cases, the data is encrypted and secure, whether in transit or at rest on a mobile device like an Aegex tablet. Our maintenance app, vWork, handles the entire lifecycle of work, making available the contents of all work packets on mobile devices, so technicians can increase “wrench time.” vWork records all work, like doing meter readings, submitting work requests and work orders, searching for asset descriptions, serial numbers, attachments, images, work history, etc. And functions are available offline as well. Technicians can start using vWork right away, with just a quick 15-minute web-based training.

Q: What are the advantages of cloud deployment of APM tools?

A: Cloud deployment reduces upfront costs with a ‘pay-as-you-go’ subscription model. You don’t have to purchase middleware, storage or bandwidth because it’s all baked into the subscription cost. Also, with cloud, we cut deployment time from months to weeks. The onboarding is simple, and we can provision apps with an MDM platform. We provide a consumer-grade app experience, whether connecting with WiFi, cellular, satellite, or even using the apps offline.

Q: What is the most common use case you’re seeing for vWork?

A: We’ve moved from simply filling a work order to tracking a whole work order from creation through to completion. With vWork, you can access materials, instructions, location information and historical asset data for any work. The most common use cases we are seeing are performing planned work and the ability to capture reactive work and emergency work, all while in the field and even disconnected.

Q: What is the term you use, ‘disconnected mobile’?

A: Disconnected mobile means working offline. Many customers don’t have a reliable network at all locations – whether a pipeline in east Texas, a platform in the Gulf of Mexico, or a well pad in Oklahoma, they may have no cellular, no WiFi or no method of connectivity, or it is too expensive, like satellite on a ship. The ability to perform all work disconnected is what it’s all about.”

View the full webinar broadcast with Ventureforth here. Browse this and other Aegex webinars here.

Want to learn how Ventureforth mobile apps on Aegex tablets can help improve your hazardous operations’ asset performance? Contact us today!