AI for Predictive Maintenance in Industrial Systems

Abstract

Predictive Maintenance (PdM) has emerged as a transformative paradigm within industrial systems, addressing the inherent limitations of traditional reactive maintenance approaches. In today's hyper-connected and data-driven world, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques has revolutionized the way industries manage their assets, improve operational efficiency, and minimize costly downtimes. This paper delves into the pivotal role of AI in predictive maintenance strategies for industrial systems. It offers an extensive exploration of the background, technologies, tools, data collection, preprocessing techniques, machine learning, deep learning applications, case studies, benefits, challenges, and future prospects in this dynamic field. Maintenance in industrial systems has traditionally been a costly endeavor, driven by unplanned equipment failures and routine, time-based servicing. However, as technology advanced and data acquisition capabilities expanded, the limitations of these approaches became apparent. Predictive Maintenance, as the central focus of this paper, leverages the capabilities of AI to analyze vast streams of data generated by sensors and equipment. This analysis allows for precise predictions of equipment failures, enabling timely and cost-effective maintenance interventions. To comprehend the magnitude of this transformation, it is crucial to understand the rich history and evolution of maintenance strategies. From the rudimentary 'fix-when-broken' approach to the 'prevent-before-fail' preventive maintenance, and finally, to the predictive maintenance era, this paper provides a historical context that underscores the significance of the present technological advancements. The heart of predictive maintenance is data. Sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and other data sources continuously gather information about the health and performance of industrial assets. This paper explores the types of data collected, the challenges of data acquisition and management, and the vital role of data preprocessing in ensuring the quality and reliability of predictive models.