Herrenknecht, based in Schwanau in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, manufactures tunnel boring machines. "Maintenance is essential for systems as complex as tunnel boring machines. If we manufacture them properly, we have no downtime and our job is much easier," explains Hugh O'Hagan, maintenance technician at Europe's largest infrastructure construction site in London. A rail link (called High Speed Two or HS2) for trains travelling at up to 360 km/h between the north of England and London is being built. Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) from Herrenknecht are being used. Their reliability is thanks to, among others, the digital maintenance and servicing software AX Smartenance from Festo.
With lengths of up to 150 metres and diameters of up to 17 metres, Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines are true giants. They are involved in advancing tunnels quickly and efficiently in many infrastructure projects around the world, from the Brenner and Gotthard Base Tunnels in the Alps to metro lines in China, Qatar and the USA. Tunnel boring machines consist of a large number of components, mainly driven by hydraulics due to the large forces required. They also carry out important tasks outside the tunnel, where, for instance, the removed gravel is automatically removed and crushed at the same before being reintegrated into the tunnel construction process as encasing. Tunnel boring machines are exposed to extreme forces and therefore to wear during the drilling process.
If complex systems such as tunnel boring machines have to function smoothly and expensive failures must be avoided, it is essential to have in-depth insights into the internal condition of the machines and to ensure seamless maintenance and servicing. However, this is time-consuming and involves a huge amount of effort. There is also another dimension to maintaining tunnel boring machine, and that is about maintaining their value. Tunnel boring machines are often repurchased as part of new business models. For example, customers could receive discounts if the machines are properly and continuously maintained (and this maintenance is documented correctly), as parts of a tunnel boring machine can be reused. However, maintenance work often led to very long and expensive downtimes. In addition, documentation on paper was slow, difficult and complex. "We weren't happy with this, which is why were looking for software for optimised maintenance and improved maintenance management," explains Maximilian Vollmer, System Engineer IOT at Herrenknecht.
Herrenknecht is driving digitalisation forward with their Herrenknecht.Connected digital platform, ensuring innovation and digital transformation in the tunnelling sector. This platform provides Herrenknecht customers with insight and data into almost all systems on a construction site, from the tunnel boring machine during operation to wastewater treatment. Customers benefit from this innovation because they can get digital performance reports and insight into the cockpit monitors of their machine operators using web-based visualisations and analysis tools. The core function of this software is to allow construction site and project managers to monitor all data relevant to tunnelling from any location and at any time. This includes a wide range of automated analysis functions, clear dashboards and detailed sensor data analyses. Herrenknecht wanted to integrate modern and user-friendly maintenance management software into this platform.
"However, we rejected the idea of developing our own CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management System) software after a few tests," adds Vollmer. CMMS is a computerised system that helps companies to plan, track and document maintenance tasks in order to maximise the efficiency and service life of their systems. While researching the market, the IT specialists at Herrenknecht came across AX Smartenance, the maintenance software from Festo. The software meets the specific functional requirements and enables access to data via the mobile app or web application. It is a CMMS software for the entire team that enables paperless maintenance management for production managers, technicians and plant operators. Maintenance tasks and schedules can be flexibly created, copied and then evaluated. Intelligent machine management speeds up teamwork and increases the efficiency of maintenance management.
"What impresses us is the fact that Festo developed the software AX Smartenance itself for its own production processes and systems and also uses it," says Vollmer, adding: "That means the CMMS software AX Smartenance was not developed by software developers from a non-specialist computer company, but specifically where it was needed."
At the tunnel construction site in London, people are also impressed by the CMMS software. Carlos Plata from Herrenknecht Field Service says: "Operation is intuitive and simple. In fact, users really only accept simple solutions in the long term." It was precisely this simple and intuitive operation that was a major advantage and the reason why Herrenknecht decided on AX Smartenance. Just a few minor adjustments to the special features of the tunnel boring machines and Herrenknecht corporate design were necessary. Integrated into Herrenknecht's customer service platform, the CMMS AX Smartenance is responsible for the maintenance management of tunnel boring machines and all other maintenance-relevant machines and systems at large construction sites.
For construction site and project managers, the Herrenknecht.Connected platform offers location- and time-independent monitoring of all data relevant to tunnelling. This includes automated analysis functions, clear dashboards and detailed evaluations of sensor data. Thanks to the integrated CMMS software AX Smartenance from Festo, it is possible to transparently monitor and react quickly to maintenance and servicing problems. This improves processes, reduces downtime, minimises the time required for maintenance and significantly lowers costs. With the right data and information, the company can make well-founded decisions, which increases efficiency.
For Herrenknecht itself, AX Smartenance offers in-depth insights into the condition of the tunnel boring machines. This enables maintenance managers to identify problems at an early stage and rectify them. Functions such as improved remote diagnostics lead to more efficient maintenance and servicing. In addition, this type of digital platform opens up the integration of new software-as-a-service business models. "Maintenance staff and machine mechanics also benefit from AX Smartenance. The teams on site can now process, report and track routine tasks and incidents directly using the CMMS software. All maintenance-relevant documents such as circuit diagrams and drawings are available in one central location. This makes the work of the maintenance teams much easier and increases productivity," concludes Carlos Plata (Herrenknecht Field Service).
Overall, the digital transformation in tunnelling offers considerable benefits. It enables improved and transparent processes, makes work easier for employees and increases machine availability. By integrating maintenance software, it is possible to act proactively and develop new strategies for business models in order to increase efficiency and competitiveness.
However, identifying the opportunities of the digital transformation and taking appropriate measures to benefit from new technologies and tools is not just important in tunnelling, but in many other industries and sectors too.