Possibilities and challenges of maintenance digitalization in plant intensive companies with a focus on the Austrian pulp and paper industry

Abstract

The paper manufacturing industry has evolved alongside every major industrialrevolution since the 18th century. As the industry has developed, so has the manufacturing of paper. The digitalization of communication and media has critically reduced the global need for graphic paper. However, at the same time, there is an everincreasing growth in packaging and hygiene paper products. New production conceptsto produce more, faster, and cheaper at a customer satisfying quality have led to highly automated machines and high-tech products. The industry is decidedly automated maintenance in pulp and paper has yet to realize significant advantages from automation. According to the Central Pulp & Paper Research Institute, 10% of salesare maintenance costs, substantially higher than in other plant-intensive industries e.g..the chemical industry. A significant factor of unexpectantly rising maintenance costs is unscheduled downtime. The machine must be in excellent condition to prevent that from happening, as most paper machines operate 24 hours, 365 days a year, excluding planned downtime. With such high availability rates, maintenance faces a significant challenge to act preventive and not reactive. Over decades also, maintenance procedures have changed alongside the production processes. Maintenance has tochange from acting on failure to predictive maintenance, and with emerging technologies such as the internet of things, the next revolution is already in the pipes.Maintenance departments must step it up and adapt to their digitalizing surroundings to keep up with the pace. This thesis investigates the current situation of digitalization of maintenance departments within the industry and gives an outlook on what changes need to be done and what is to come.