Last week, some of industry’s leading voices in maintenance technology came together online for Maintenance Heroes Congress 2024, a two-day digital summit held on October 16 and 17 that discussed the future of digitalization in maintenance.
The event was organized by Fracttal, an innovative technology startup that is revolutionizing maintenance and asset management through cutting-edge technology, and was supported with collaboration from Gohub Ventures, Seas Campus Seas, PMM Business School, Chile’s Asociación de la Industria Eléctrica – Electrónica, manufacturing publication Manuractura LATAM Metal Mecanica, and and the Chilean Mining Directory (Direcmin), among others.
“For a third year, our congress will be a place where leaders and innovators in our industry meet to share and learn together. In a world where new technologies, such as AI, are revolutionizing asset and maintenance management, it is crucial to stay up to date,” said Christian Struve, co-founder and CEO of Fracttal.
“It’s an opportunity to discover the latest in technology, learn from experts, and transform your approach to maintenance. It is time to lead the change and become a true Maintenance Hero,” he added.
The congress was split into two days, with the first day focusing on technology, risk management and sustainability. The leaders discussed how to use technological tools to simplify tasks, reduce operations and improve safety through the use of real-time monitoring systems — including through sustainable practices such as energy optimization and reducing carbon footprint for a more responsible work environment.
The first day saw roundtable discussions with industry experts including:
- James Reyes-Picknell, co-founder of AI Job Planner
- Jim Fitch, founder and CEO of Noria Corporation
- Alejandro Pérez – General Director of Grupo MTF
- Tibaire Depool, Lead Auditor, Asset Management ISO 55001
- Pedro Cousseau, General Director at Optymux
- José Páramo, President of Grupo Techgnosis
Some of the main takeaways for professionals was the cost-savings associated with pre-planning the maintenance budget based on 80% of the planned project, and energy-savings associated with better understanding the energy loss caused by faulty equipment such as ball bearings.
On the second day, the focused shifted to Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), exploring how digitization and AI redefine maintenance skill requirements. Attendees saw how to make the most of robotics to ensure that maintenance practices stay relevant in this digital era.
Speakers for the second day of roundtable discussions and presentations included:
- Paula Sánchez, CMI Consultoría S.A.S.
- Dr. Ludivina Facundo Flores, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at the Centro de Innovación Industrial en Inteligencia Artificial
- Dr. Luigi Amendola – Ph.D, Growth Hacker Innovation
- Santiago García, Technical Director of RENOVETEC
- Jean Rosales, Mechanical Engineer and Content Manager of Fracttal
- Patricio Radeijak, Vice President of Iquant
- Antonio Ortega Tello, Engineer at the Escuela Universitaria Politécnica de La Almunia
As maintenance technology improves, the market keeps getting more valuable. According to market analysis firm Allied Market Research, the predictive maintenance market was valued at $10.1 billion last year, and is tipped to surpass $160 billion by 2033.
Attendees who joined the experts for the two-day industry summit received certificate of participation and the opportunity to connect and network with the host of international experts featured during the sessions.
Speaking of the conference, presenter Dr. Tibaire Depool said, “In 2023, we were already more than 8,000 members of this great community. In this conference, we will discuss many topics that may be of interest, like automation, good maintenance practices, cost optimization, new technologies, and trends.”
Disclosure: This article mentions a client of an Espacio portfolio company.
