Siemens, IBM Partner on Service Lifecycle Management Solution

Siemens and IBM have announced  a new solution designed to optimize the Service Lifecycle Management (SLM) of assets by connecting real-world maintenance activities and asset performance back to design decisions and field modifications. This new solution establishes an end-to-end digital thread between equipment manufacturers and the owner/operators of that equipment by leveraging elements of the Xcelerator portfolio from Siemens Digital Industries Software and IBM Maximo, the companies said.

“The combined capabilities of IBM and Siemens can help companies create and manage a closed-loop, end-to-end digital twin that breaks down traditional silos to service innovation and revenue generation,” said Peter Bilello, President & CEO of industry research and consulting firm CIMdata. “Only by closing the loop between product design and development decisions, accurate product configurations and service operations, can companies hope to run a profitable and effective product-as-a-service business model.”

The combined solution helps owner/operators improve performance and reliability of equipment by enabling improved data sharing among engineering, operations, and maintenance processes. According to the companies, this joint solution creates a single source of information designed to help OEMs and equipment owner/operators improve many aspects about how they design, maintain, and service their assets. In addition, the solution enables OEMs to now provide valuable after-market services to their clients.

“This new collaboration combines two industry-leading offerings into a unique solution for the industry,” said Kareem Yusuf Ph.D., General Manager, IBM AI Applications Business. “OEM’s and owner/operators can leverage the new solution to help them reduce operational costs and increase up time of their equipment.”

The integration of asset management and product lifecycle management (PLM) technology can help owner/operators to stay up to date, the companies said. The solution also enables OEMs to receive critical data about asset performance, maintenance and failures in the field. Leveraging IoT technology, manufacturers can gain insights on wear and tear, operating conditions, parts failures, and other patterns that lead to design or manufacturing updates. This data can be used to help manufacturers lower maintenance costs, reduce risks, and improve asset resiliency.

“IBM’s Maximo Enterprise Asset Management software provides key technology to further extend the capabilities of the Xcelerator portfolio,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, CEO for Siemens Digital Industries Software. “By leveraging the world-class product configuration management capability within Teamcenter, companies can bring product design, manufacturing and service together to maximize their software investment, while also minimizing downtime, improving quality and reducing inventory costs.”