EcoCare integrates digital technologies to help customers accomplish decarbonization goals, optimize maintenance: Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric, a leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, recently announced EcoCare, a new level of access to electrical system expertise.

EcoCare membership is for customers who demand proactive management of their systems to drive higher performance, resilience and safety, and a smaller carbon footprint. EcoCare gives its members fast and exclusive access to the best experts. Its members receive an optimal service level, deep insights on asset conditions, and world class expertise to unlock safety, efficiency and sustainability improvements.

Ramesh Kumar Jha, VP, Services Business, Schneider Electric India, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview:

DQ: Please highlight the key technological trends anticipated in 2024, especially those relevant to industrial enterprise operations and maintenance.

Ramesh Kumar Jha: We see two key trends for 2024, first is the accelerated transformation from traditional calendar-based maintenance towards condition-based maintenance by continuous monitoring of equipment parameters through digital and IoT sensors, and applying data analytics to predict when the maintenance is needed or not needed, also predicting faults and breakdowns before they happen.

Second, industries are increasingly embracing the transition to the fourth industrial revolution, emphasizing the imperative of bridging IT-OT integration. This shift necessitates leveraging advanced analytics to enhance efficiency, reliability, and agility in day-to-day operations.

DQ: Can you elaborate on emerging technologies such as advanced data analytics, predictive maintenance solutions, and the integration of IoT for enhanced efficiency?

Ramesh Kumar Jha: Digital capabilities like advanced data analytics and predictive maintenance based on IoT technologies empower customers to deliver insights derived from connected technologies, thereby users with a in depth understanding of their systems. Making the right choices at right moments emerges as a pivotal catalyst towards enhanced economic and operational advantages

Unexpected breakdowns and downtimes are major hurdles affecting the efficiency and productivity of an asset. This can take a heavy toll on operational costs. Therefore, strategic investment in efficient maintenance and high-quality systems becomes pivotal for deriving strong business value, both from a capital expenditure (CapEx) and operating expenditure (OpEx) perspective.

This principle underscores the foundation of Schneider Electric's EcoCare Services Membership in India. Through our EcoCare services, we are dedicated to empowering Indian businesses to innovate without the encumbrance of maintenance concerns.

DQ: How does EcoCare align with the identified technological trends for 2024?

Ramesh Kumar Jha: EcoCare's cutting-edge digital capabilities empower us to deliver insights derived from our connected technologies with the help of these advanced digital capabilities, EcoCare stands out as a proactive solution at a time when operations must be robust, efficient, continuous, and sustainable.

The solution immediately responds to the growing need for real-time insights and predictive analytics in facility management with its emphasis on condition-based maintenance, faster reaction times, and 24/7 remote monitoring. EcoCare gives companies special access to experts, and integrates the latest digital technologies to help them accomplish their decarbonization goals, optimize maintenance, and enhance system efficiency.

Furthermore, in an age of customized and scalable solutions, EcoCare's tiers of products, which span from Essential to Advanced and +Advanced, demonstrate a thorough grasp of a variety of client needs. As a result of Schneider Electric's commitment to efficiency, sustainability, and digital transformation, EcoCare is well-positioned as a vital partner for companies looking to navigate the rapidly changing technological landscape without any breaks.

DQ: What are the specific features within EcoCare that leverage advanced technologies to address challenges in industrial operations and maintenance?

Ramesh Kumar Jha: Schneider Electric's EcoCare service membership leverages advanced digital technologies to minimize downtime by up to ~75% and reduce planned downtime by 40%. With EcoCare's round-the-clock remote monitoring capabilities, you can see the whole picture of critical infrastructure and take proactive steps to identify and address possible problems before they become serious enough to cause downtime.

This is complemented by unique EcoCare offer of guaranteed SLA of being on site in case of any emergency. Overall, by minimizing unscheduled downtime, this ongoing surveillance guarantees business continuity and continuing operations right from Day 1 of the equipment.

EcoCare makes traditional maintenance procedures proactive by leveraging data-driven insights and predictive analytics to shift them from reactive to proactive. In order to anticipate probable breakdowns, it evaluates the health data of the equipment. This enables dynamic maintenance scheduling, which targets problems precisely when they arise.

With this approach, assets have a longer lifespan, downtime is decreased, and resource allocation is made more effective.

Further, EcoCare provides access to a unique personalized digital experience through the mySchneider portal with visibility of assets under management and membership benefits like priority support, complementary trainings, and discounts on spares.

In summary, our EcoCare membership goes beyond simple equipment upkeep and monitoring, enabling businesses to maximize the efficiency of their systems. Expert suggestions based on real-time data analysis and insights from Schneider Electric's vast knowledge base help companies increase operational effectiveness, save energy, and meet their sustainability goals. Businesses can deal with changing industry demands in the face of more intricate and interconnected activities by utilizing EcoCare's innovative solutions.