SKF and Amazon Web Services to reinvent machine reliability solutions

SKF and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) have announced a collaboration to reinvent the field of industrial-machine reliability and predictive maintenance with a joint solution. The engagement will deliver an easy-to-use and easy-to-scale condition monitoring and analysis solution that makes the ability to collect and analyze data using machine learning technologies available to a wider range of applications and customers, the partners note.

As a first step, SKF will combine its knowledge of rotating machinery and predictive maintenance with AWS’s industrial AI services that bring industrial expertise, AI and machine learning technologies together. The solution is comprised of sensors, gateways and a machine-learning service that is easy to install, commission, and scale, they claim. SKF and AWS will also collaborate on the next generation of SKF’s data-analysis platform.

By adding this solution to its current portfolio of condition monitoring products, SKF promises to help large manufacturing sites increase the number of rotating assets in the end user’s predictive maintenance programs by several thousands. SKF’s solution aims to provide these sites with machine alerts and alarms, enabling smarter, better decision making, and more efficient maintenance planning and scheduling. The same solution can also be utilized by entry-level users and small to mid-sized manufacturers, making the ability to use AI-driven analysis available to a larger portion of the industrial market segment.

John Schmidt, president Industrial Region Americas of SKF, says, “The key to maximizing the business value of machine data lies in scale. With more condition-monitoring tools available for a wider variety of their assets, end users will gain more insights leading them to improved machine performance.”

Vasi Philomin, vice president of AI Services at AWS adds, “AWS's engagement with SKF spotlights how machine learning technologies, combined with scalability of the AWS cloud and condition monitoring expertise, can come together to improve operational efficiencies for industrial customers. Together with SKF, we are excited to deliver scalable, easy-to-use industrial solutions that will accelerate the pace of operational innovation for industrial customers of all sizes.”