OSIsoft, an operational intelligence provider, recently announced that Caterpillar has integrated its Connected Services into the Cat Asset Intelligence platform, a suite of subscription-based AI services for analyzing fuel consumption, equipment health and other critical operations in real time.
Cat Asset Intelligence services can be used to optimize the performance of diesel generators and other equipment from multiple brands, not just Cat equipment. Caterpillar also integrates OSIsoft’s Connected Services into Cat Asset Intelligence services for many land-based equipment lines as well. The announcement was made at PI World, which recently took place in Barcelona, Spain.
Shipping companies are entering an era where fine-tuning operations will be absolutely critical for their success and sustainability. Fuel alone can be 50 percent or more of the total lifetime cost of a vessel: reducing it by even a few percentage points can mean millions in savings a year. New safety and environmental regulations, such as the International Marine Organization’s requirement that sulfur content of fuels be lowered to 0.5 percent mass/mass from 3.5 percent by 2020, will further require shipping and port operations to improve their situational awareness.
“Our goal is to give people across the shipping industry highest uptime at lowest total ownership costs by providing better insight into their operations so they can make better decisions,” said Ken Krooner, GM, Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence.
Some of the early success stories of combining Cat Asset Intelligence and OSIsoft technology for marine customers include:
- Caterpillar advised a company with RoRo vessels, massive ships used to haul heavy equipment like bulldozers, on the optimal time to clean its hulls to reduce drag. By shifting from scheduled cleaning, the company is slated to save $450,000 in fuel per vessel per year in reduced fuel consumption.
- Cat Asset Intelligence notified an inland tugboat operator of problems with its diesel engine from a third party manufacturer seven, four and two days in advance by analyzing fuel pump supply pressure, engine performance and other data.
- A cruise line is expected to save $1.5 million per ship in reduced fuel consumption through Cat Asset Intelligence.
“The one thing predictions about the Internet of Things have in common is that they all underestimate the scope and scale of changes we will experience. Every industrial company and every equipment manufacturer will fundamentally transform the way they do business in over the next ten years,” said Dr. J. Patrick Kennedy, CEO and founder, OSIsoft. “We’re extremely proud to be working with Caterpillar to develop the foundation for a new chapter in the history of shipping.”
Ken Briodagh is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.Edited by
Ken Briodagh
