Druck 4Sight2 Calibration Software

4 Reasons why your plant
needs calibration & asset
management software

Nigel Scoggins, Global Product Manager: 4Sight2™

bhge.com

Typically implemented
to increase operational

eciencies, calibration & asset

management software can

also increase protability.

Across industry, manufacturers are
challenged with optimizing their
return on investment, streamlining

processes and increasing eciencies.

A key way to achieve this is via the
implementation of calibration and
asset management strategies.

The eective monitoring of

your assets and calibration
instrumentation across your sites

requires two signicant components.

Firstly, the availability of data from
your equipment and, secondly, the
reliability of that data.

Calibration management software can

oer the complete system solution

to many of a site’s maintenance,

process eciency and compliance

concerns. This article will cover the
main reasons why site and engineering
managers are increasingly turning to
software solutions to manage their
instrumentation, data analysis and
maintenance actions.

As we begin to unpick this challenge, we recognize
the obstacle we face is not how to store our data,
but rather the accessibility, optimization and
utilization of data. This refers to whichever process
is used to interpret and pass relevant calibration
and asset information to the applicable person at

the appropriate time. The eectiveness of which can

be measured in relation to reductions in unplanned

downtime, increases in eciencies and cost savings.

02

Current industry standards

and processes

For those not currently using calibration and asset management software,

in some cases alternative processes can be used to fulll certain aspects
of the same role. Outside of eciency concerns, these other processes

often come with a number of unforeseen implications, with some of the
most common examples below:

Paper-based systems

Typically, this process involves engineers manually
logging calibration results. While relying on paper
checklists sounds like an inexpensive measure, in
practice it’s highly labor-intensive, time-consuming
and prone to inaccuracies. Accordingly, a manual,
paper-based system, generates a lot of paper and

makes nal calibration data dicult to aggregate,

access and analyze.

Spreadsheets

Although an improvement on paper-based systems,
spreadsheet software still requires manual data
entry, meaning human error remains a key concern.
In addition, the data entry process takes up valuable
time. Using this method inhibits the automization
of calibration scheduling and aords limited
data analysis.

DCS management system

Some plant managers do their best to stretch the
capabilities of their DCS to manage plant assets.
While these systems conform to certain reliability
and security standards, their intended use does not
directly relate to calibration and asset management.
The implication of such limitations in terms of the
functionality of DCS management systems results
in an obvious consequence – the absence of
scheduling and reporting features.

Hiring an outside service

Outsourcing is often a useful ‘stop-gap’ and provides
a quick resolution in the early stages of a plant’s
operational cycle. However, as a long-term solution
this mode of management can prove costly and may
make a plant reliant on an external service with
availability concerns at critical times.

03

While any of these methods can be used across

a plant, they do not oer a complete system solution.

The ideal solution is one which positively impacts both
asset management and asset optimization.

This being said, what really are the core reasons a site
needs a calibration management software solution?

4 reasons why a plant
needs calibration & asset

management software

1. To be fully compliant and audit ready

No matter the size of your installed base of
instrumentation, calibration can pose a challenge.
A software solution that seamlessly integrates
with existing calibration equipment can provide
automatic task downloads and direct uploads
of results, removing the need for manual
workarounds. This in turn delivers simple
control over calibration and maintenance
workow and data, as well as automated
worksheets and insights into performance
management, ensuring easily accessed,
audit-ready data.

2. To take a predictive approach
to plant maintenance

Comprehensive asset analysis, such as data
derived from a historical trending module,
allows a device’s performance to be monitored
over time. This feature is a key tool in improving
eciency and maintenance, helping to plan
preventative actions, choosing the most
cost-eective and reliable equipment, extending
calibration intervals and optimizing processes.

3. To have the exibility to grow with operations

The ideal software solution is one capable of
growing with a plant, oering multi-license
packages that can expand alongside operations.
As the number of technicians and equipment
increases, so can the licensing. As the number
of plants grows, plant managers will have the ability
to share insights as software provides a common
‘cross-plant’ language with consistent reporting
and veriable compliance. In this context, the ability
to install software directly onto a company server

is of additional benet, as is a range of supported
installation options if required. As a further benet,
there are signicantly lower investment costs and

minimal IT requirement costs in terms of server
support of server support, upgrade management
and data backup.

4. To increase operational eciencies

Plants will become more ecient as managers
gain the ability to predict maintenance and act
proactively, before unexpected repairs impact
operations. Unnecessary paperwork and ling
will be minimized, and record keeping for audits
and compliance will improve. The software
undertakes a variety of tasks on behalf of the
plant manager; overseeing calibration schedules,
generating certicates and applying historical
trend analysis to monitor devices and extend
calibration schedules.

04

So, when choosing the right calibration

& asset management software for your

operation, what key challenges should your

preferred software solution address?

Calibration Software Checklist

Easy to use and accessible

Scalable

Cost eective

Purpose-built

Custom installation support available

Accessible from mobile devices

05

Visibility of your assets and resources

Compliant, audit-ready, real time management

Integration with existing calibration equipment

Smart asset management

Historical trend analysis

Predictive maintenance tools

The next-generation
solution for calibration

and asset management

4Sight2, from Baker Hughes, a GE company, makes

calibration management easy to use, cost eective

and scalable. Purpose-built with custom installation
support available, 4Sight2 is designed to deliver
actionable intelligence and transformative insights.

Equally eective for single use or global multi-site

operations, this bespoke software solution is designed
to empower your organization to operate simply and
securely, connecting people to instruments, data,
and enhanced analytics.

4Sight2’s historical trending module allows an asset’s
performance to be monitored over time. This powerful
feature is a key tool in improving eciency, oering
a predictive maintenance strategy for your asset base.

06

A predictive
maintenance
strategy enables:

50%

Reduction in
maintenance cost

55%

Reduction in unplanned
machine failures

30%

Increase in
machinery availability

90%

Reduction when process data
was combined with predictive
maintenance data

40%

Reduction
in downtime

60%

Reduction in Mean
time to repair (Mttr)

30%

Increase in plant
machinery life

25%

Increase
in production

30%

Reduction in spare
parts costs

70%

Reduction in
machinery breakdowns

4Sight2

Your complete
system solution

Conclusion

A great majority (77-94%) of assets within a plant experience a variety
of unexpected problems throughout their life cycle underpinning the
need for a solution. Calibration management software enhances the
visibility of these assets along with the data they provide. The complete
software solution is one which ultimately helps you plan resources

that impact eective maintenance, process eciency and regulatory
compliance, keeping your plant running eciently.

07

For more information please contact

your local BHGE representative, or visit:
www.gemeasurement.com/test-calibration/

4sight2-calibration-asset-management-software

bhge.com

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