Strategies to Successfully Implement Industry 4.0 Concept for Predictive Maintenance in Facilities Management

Abstract

Maintenance management is an important function in Facilities Management (FM). Industries moved to preventive maintenance to counteract the inefficiencies of reactive maintenance, and further evolved into predictive maintenance (PdM). The demand for Industry 4.0-enabled PdM for FM has risen as a result of the industrial revolution and the dynamic nature of the FM industry. There are technology, investment, data, employees, integration, standardization, communication and security-related challenges in applying the Industry 4.0 concept for carrying out effective PdM under FM, which needs proper solutions. Thus, the study aimed at identifying strategies to successfully implement the Industry 4.0 concept for effective PdM in FM. The qualitative research approach was undertaken to accomplish the aim. A comprehensive literature review followed by 15 semi-structured interviews was carried out with experts in the maintenance sector who have Industry 4.0 knowledge. The data was collected from experts in Australia, Qatar, Dubai, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, and analyzed through code-based content analysis using NVivo 12. The research identified strategies to overcome technology, investment, data, employees, integration, standardization, communication and security-related challenges faced by facilities managers in applying the Industry 4.0 concept for carrying out PdM. Integrating Industry 4.0 along with PdM could be a game-changer for maintenance practitioners in the FM sector, allowing them to implement a real-time and failure-free maintenance approach that improves overall maintenance effectiveness and retains them ahead of the competition.