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INDUSTRY 4.0 TO TRANSFORM MINING OPERATIONS NACIP FAYAD Industrial Sales Director of SKF
Q: What is the largest barrier to implementing Industry 4.0
conservation of the equipment. We are integrating all of the
in the Mexican mining sector?
elements of industry 4.0. Our Industry 4.0 services combine
A: Mexico is a follower in terms of technology and it is
services and technologies to provide our clients with a well-
difficult for Mexican companies to become early adopters of
rounded offer. The market is advancing quickly and new
technology or innovation. The culture in Mexico is to integrate
technologies are being created constantly. Mexico, however,
technologies slowly but when something goes wrong, they
is adopting these technologies very slowly in comparison to
toss it out. This complicates the advancement of technology
other countries. We have visited plants where concepts such
and innovation. Compared with other Latin American
as IoT are not understood completely, and many processes
countries, such as Brazil, Argentina and Chile, Mexico is far
are still being done manually. We have decided to create
behind in this regard, even though the country has strong
a showroom in our Puebla plant to be able to illustrate to
purchasing structures, and is the most robust of the Latin
our clients how their processes could be streamlined and
American markets. What we have noticed is that most large
improved. At our plant, we are able to monitor specific
companies separate their innovation departments from the
processes and machinery to constantly identify new ways to
rest of their operations. There are some that include it in
improve maintenance and prevent downtimes. The cloud is
their production department but it remains independent. It
used to store the data gathered throughout all processes and
is difficult to sell technologies because you have to pitch to
from the machines, but there still continues to be distrust
many departments, instead of approaching one single director
from our clients as to where their information goes and is
who can make the decision to implement it. Negotiating and
being stored.
selling the added value of the product has become more difficult.
Q: How quick is the ROI when investing in new technologies and can you elaborate the success story at Fuerza Eรณlica
Q: What companies have decided to invest in transforming
del Istmo?
their processes with Industry 4.0?
A: When implementing these services, the ROI can be as
A: Our technology is already being used by the largest mining
fast as six to 15 months, depending on the type of project.
groups. Nevertheless, there is a gap between purchasing the
At Fuerza Eรณlica del Istmo, we are monitoring its 32-turbine
technology and actually evolving into Industry 4.0. We have
wind farm, which is difficult to inspect. Whenever there is an
not been able to convince all our clients that these types of
issue, it would have to stop all turbines, which costs a lot of
changes take time. That said, we have developed successful
money. The client made the investment and in eight months,
projects with Fuerza Eรณlica del Istmo. This is the closest we
we were able to detect a malfunction in the main gearbox
have come to a complete Industry 4.0 project. Another barrier
in one of the transmission cogs. The alert was given and
we encounter is that to enter into Industry 4.0, it is important
the maintenance was programmed. Monitoring can be done
to establish partnerships with other companies. We have
online with people or offline. Online is designed to retrieve
observed that most clients already have their strategies for
and monitor in remote or insecure areas. Industry 4.0 allows
an ERP already divided into the different modules needed
for preventive action. It extends the life of machinery and
and to follow the processes. What is missing is the equipment
plans for maintenance and replacements. It facilitates the
itself that allows for continuity in the processes.
circular economy by reusing raw materials and parts.
Q: How does SKF combine its products and services to transform mining companies into Industry 4.0 adopters?
SKF is a Swedish company that operates across different
A: We have a remote monitoring system that not many
industries. In the mining sector, the company has several
companies have. People in the field with predictive
platforms, including sealing solutions, lubrication systems,
technologies and the technology itself allow for the
mechatronics, power transmission and services
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