MAN ES digital chief expects digitalisation roll-out to accelerate

Puckett noted that MAN ES intends to continue to focus on developing digitised solutions around predictive services. One of the advantages of the recent deal to select Amazon Web Services as MAN ES’ preferred cloud provider was that it would provide the foundation for advanced analytics, machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities for MAN’s CEON platform.

“To give you a concrete example, we have recently introduced a Health Score Algorithm in our Industrials segment. It is an AI based anomaly detection algorithm, which monitors incoming data 24/7 and therefore provides a holistic machine train supervision. The Health Score allows to check the train status at a glance and guides the domain expert to the critical component via different hierarchy levels: train, sub-asset, sub-component, sensor.

The deal with AWS is likely to help MAN ES accelerate the roll out of the solution to the maritime segment “within the next 12 months”, simply by shortening the development cycle of the machine learning models.

The Motorship notes that identifying upcoming replacement component requirements with long lead times is also likely to create opportunities for PrimeServ to minimise downtime by scheduling maintenance around operational requirements.

Edge-based services

A second area of development included extending the scope of MAN ES’ existing digital services. In addition to its monitoring and advisory service (PrimeServ Assist) MAN ES can offer data services for customers who prefer to integrate raw, or enriched MAN data feeds into their own systems.

“And finally, MAN-ES digital, engineering and automation teams rapidly developing Edge-based services on board a vessel,” Puckett adds. The initial focus is on using AWS services like GreenGrass or IoT Core to provide insights – or “Advice on Vessel” – around engine performance monitoring and operational optimisation.

However, the range of MAN ES’ digital offerings is set to expand even further in the future, meeting increasing customer demand for solutions around their emissions footprint. Decarbonisation was one of the key focuses of MAN ES’ recent MoU with DNV, Puckett added, along with digitalisation.