Once an asset-intensive company has mastered the basics of Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)—ensuring the people, processes, and data are in line—it allows for the exploration of what can be done in the future. The latest technologies, such as machine learning and predictive analytics, are being built into EAM software. SAP Intelligent Asset Management (IAM) incorporates these technologies in products such as SAP ASPM (Asset Strategy and Performance Management).

Here at Rizing, we have worked with customers that have mastered the basics and want to make the leap into IAM. One such customer, a European chemical company, looked to implement SAP ASPM, a cloud product that helps organizations find optimal maintenance strategies. The company is implementing ASPM as part of a project that also includes adding Asset Central Foundation (ACF) and SAP Predictive Maintenance & Service (PdMS).

Creating an SAP ASPM Proof of Concept

Before embarking on any new software journey, it’s crucial to ensure your organization has the technical capability to utilize the latest technologies. For the chemical company, we set up a Proof of Concept (POC) with the following goals:

  • Build knowledge on the technology of SAP ASPM – This was to help the customer and Rizing develop a better understanding of ASPM’s capabilities and how the tool could help find the best maintenance strategies. We attended specific sessions at SAP’s offices to gain insight into what ASPM has to offer.
  • Prototype ASPM Risk and Criticality Assessment – Risk and Criticality Assessments are one of the functionalities within ASPM that help measure the effectiveness of maintenance strategies. In building this prototype, we set up all the relevant data and the criticality matrix to perform the assessment.
  • Prototype ASPM Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) – Same as with the Risk and Criticality Assessment, we set up the necessary data infrastructure to perform the FMEA.
  • Proofing the Reception of Sensor Data in PdMS – Sensor data is a critical component of predictive maintenance.

Building a Roadmap to SAP ASPM, ACF, and PdMS

The six-week POC stage, including the knowledge building and prototyping, gave the chemical company insight into its SAP ASPM adoption path, as well as insight into implementing ACF and PdMS. We helped deliver them a scope on what functionality they could expect to deliver in the pilot phase and a set of recommendations on what needed to change in the existing technical setup to implement ASPM.

Additionally, the POC helped provide documentation on how to set up ASPM, ACF, and PdMS, including the technical integrations required with the company’s existing SAP ERP and MII (Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence).

Finally, we documented all required authorizations for the ASPM tool, as well as identifying how to create the functional location/equipment sync with SAP Asset Central.

Next Steps in the EAM Journey

While a POC helps identify the technical requirements of an SAP ASPM implementation, it only touches the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the functional side of the technology. Get end-users involved in the project early by including them in the explanation of the technical integration side of the project. This helps them understand how new tools will specifically apply to their jobs.

Ultimately, Intelligent Asset Management is about enabling your people with the latest user-friendly software that utilizes cutting-edge technology. Before that happens, it’s important to explore the future to ensure your organization knows what needs to be done to deploy the newest software and the road to adoption.

For more on how your organization can set itself up for the latest SAP EAM technologies, watch the on-demand webinar, “Get the Basics Right and Explore the Future.”