Martin Engineering
There are many definitions of ‘Data Collection Systems’ ‘IoT’, but we can briefly define “IoT in everyday use” as “the interconnection that allows electronic devices integrated into objects to send and receive data over a wireless network online without requiring human intervention”. Most people are familiar with examples of smart devices in everyday life. The same technology creates revolution in many areas of business and commerce.
IoT solutions are being produced for at least 10 years. However, adoption of technologies that potentially changes the rules of the game in sectors such as quarry operation and materials handling has a very slow pace. When we began developing our N2® remote monitoring mobile tracking solution as Martin Engineering to enable condition[1]based maintenance on conveyor belt cleaners, part of our mission was to find out why there was such reluctance in the market for the adoption of innovative technology.
We soon became aware of the fact that we would need to overcome five key challenges, none of which are related to the IoT technology itself, but are more about the approach often adopted by proponents of technology, combined with the innate skepticism of operations executives in the conventional approach.
As Martin Engineering, we became aware that a brand new approach would be required to create a true ‘win-win’ business model, in which smart equipment suppliers deliver tangible values for material manufacturers. When our proposal for utilizing new technology is attractive for everyone involved, including site operations teams, company owners and service partners, it will create sufficient drive for our customers to adapt to new methodologies of working. We analyzed five different areas in this respect:
- Address the actual ‘problem points’
We first started to work on the actual ‘problem points’ that the operations teams experience in our sector. The issues leading to everyday problems and waste of time. We already work closely with our customers and understand their challenges well. But we’re also fortunate that many Martin colleagues have years of experience working as operations executives in mines and quarries.
It was clear from our exploratory efforts that many technological solutions falter as they fail to address actual problem points, or developers fail to explain how they address problem points or, even worse, they cause new problem points to emerge! Technology is of little value for technology in the absence of a beneficial application in the real world. Therefore, what is critical for us was to challenge ourselves to ensure that the available technology truly addressed the problem points rather than merely hiding the problem or shifting it elsewhere.
- Being affordable and scalable
At Martin Engineering, we know that our belt cleaner systems are successful at controlling spillage and carry-back, minimizing clean-up and down time, ensuring savings on maintenance costs, and helping to improve health and safety and that our products deliver a solid return in all these areas over time.
Yet we are also aware that the belt cleaners themselves need managing, especially in the presence of numerous variables during initial installation, combined with the need for regular servicing and timely replacement. We do not address the variables such as the material properties, the condition of the belt, condition and age of the processing plant, etc. We know that all of these must be understood and monitored to maximize the primary benefits of having belt cleaners installed in the first place.
Although our technicians and approved contractors know this inside out, they can’t be available everywhere all the time, and accommodating regular site visits can be troublesome at busy production plants. Similarly, the in-house maintenance teams of material processing companies can be in a busy schedule. Therefore, inspecting belt cleaners with regard to technical service necessity may not be among the top priorities. Unless something goes wrong.
So we needed to come up with a convenient and inexpensive way to eliminate the perception of extra burden and instead be able to monitor remotely and predict when service work may become a necessity. Our solution is extremely simple and cost-effective for all parties, thus bringing out the ‘win-win’ business model we have been seeking.
- Providing utilizable information
It’s easy to forget that what matters is the outcome while in the midst of developing an innovation no matter how impressive any technology may be. However, what IoT technology can only really deliver is data, and data alone doesn’t harvest better results.
While the century-old mantra ‘If you can measure it, You can manage it’ is true, any measurement data needs to support clear decision making and not lead to new question marks or debates. In fact, data needs analysis and too much analysis can lead to paralysis. Businesses can become obsessed by analyzing data rather than acting upon it.
Being concerned about this challenge, we have invested time and effort to ensure that the data from our N2® system is not only analyzed in real time, but also automatically, and interpreted and presented in a way which renders decision making straightforward. Hence, with the Martin mobile app and customer portal dashboard, we make a series of clear charts with actionable information available for you. The approach we have adopted can be summarized as “The easier to measure, the easier to manage”.
- Adapting to the change
The companies face a barrier to advancement set by the change when they need to change for the sake of adopting IoT solutions. This change comes in two main forms: Firstly, business processes can be strict and customary ways of working may have become ingrained over decades. Secondly, people may strongly resist to changing the daily routines they are familiar with.
However, introducing any technology in reality is an exercise in change management. The easy part of the work is the technical and mechanical installation! The trick here is to ensure that benefits that the change yields are understood well. Ultimately, the new way of working must be less burdensome than the existing regime.
In our case, the technology featuring N2® virtually eliminates the need for belt-by-belt physical inspections; ensures less downtime of moving belts even in a large quarry and also hours of savings each week. In order to convince others that the change is worthwhile, even if it is a modest one, it is helpful to compare the impacts of installing N2® with the effects of not installing N2® in an area where we have worked.
Finally, if people are asked to change or required to learn something new, encountering resistance to a certain extent and failure is probable. Resistance can also be minimized by ensuring that any new technology is designed to be easy-to-use, intuitive and even enjoyable. It is possible to overcome it. So, N2® is a Martin app that clearly shows blade life and only sends a notification when servicing is needed, providing a true gain for the user.
- Using the existing technology and everyday language
We knew from the right beginning that no company would desire to make more upgrade expenditures to purchase a new device like N2®. Even a minor cost could mean the difference between adoption and non-adoption. Therefore, it was essential that the N2® position indicator was able to be retrofitted, without causing additional cost and upgrades to the plant. We designed our device to be scalable across processing plants of all sizes, types and ages without requiring additional cost, and to run with any number of conveyors in any plant.
In addition to the ease of manual installation, – once our central Gateway is installed and powered-up, each N2® position tracker can be fitted, calibrated and paired with the Gateway in just a few minutes. All the smart technical units – the data analysis and feed to the app and dashboard – are carried out off-site with the support of leading technology providers such as Amazon Web Services. So nobody at the processing plant needs to become an IT expert to use N2®. This way of working satisfies everyone who witnesses the system in action.
Listening to understand
In summary, we have taken the views of the materials producers and approached the market with a change management mindset. We didn’t listen to our customers solely to record their feedback. We listened to understand them in order to solve their problems. We’ve tried to eliminate the potential barriers that might otherwise be encountered with new technology. And instead, we addressed each potential challenge with a solution.
Whilst the recent trials of N2® have been a huge success, what shows whether we have got it right will be the adoption of this system. But the global pandemic we experienced in the recent years has taught all of us that success will not be achieved only through remote working, but achievement can be possible in very efficient and effective manner by utilizing the right technology.
We believe we have this right technology and we are at the forefront of the movement that evolves towards a conditional generation change based on mobile monitoring and prediction. The remote revolution is here for good and we say “It will be well worth getting on board, for everyone!” if you have confidence in our experience.