In modern industry, every minute counts. Especially in the food industry, where production facilities operate 24/7, an unplanned downtime can quickly become costly. This is precisely where the strength of OT360, our digital portal for providing transparency of electronic components, comes into play.
The Case: A Small Part with a Big Impact
Our customer, a corporation in the food industry, faced a typical but critical problem: An 8-channel digital input card was defective. The component had been discontinued, and purchasing had already ordered a supposedly higher-quality replacement product – a so-called “high-feature” version with extended analysis functions.
What sounded like an upgrade on paper turned out to be a challenge in practice: A one-to-one replacement was not possible. The new card required an adjustment to the hardware configuration – and thus a plant shutdown. A very unfavorable scenario in a 24/7 operation.
The key question was: How often is the affected card installed in the company? Is the effort of a changeover worthwhile, or is there a better solution?
The solution: OT360 provides answers in seconds
With OT360, the answer was found in less than five minutes. A search for the article number revealed that the affected card is installed 350 times in the company. A comprehensive replacement and adjustment of the control system would therefore involve considerable effort.
But OT360 could do even more: The portal recommended the replacement product specified by the manufacturer – compatible for a 1:1 replacement, without a long plant shutdown. And best of all: This product was already in use 42 times in the company and was also in stock in the spare parts warehouse.
The advantages of OT360 at a glance
- Fast decision-making: All relevant information was available in under five minutes.
- Avoiding production downtime: By selecting a 1:1 compatible successor, a lengthy plant shutdown was avoided.
- Efficient resource planning: OT360 shows how often an item is installed – ideal for evaluating retrofits.
- Expert support: Interpreting item numbers requires specialist knowledge – OT360 provides the right basis for decision-making.
Conclusion: OT360 – More than just a simple information portal
This example impressively demonstrates how OT360 not only supports lifecycle management but also facilitates other strategic decisions in maintenance management. For companies that value efficiency, availability, and well-founded decisions, OT360 is the key to digital maintenance.
