#Japan #Tokyo #Hitachi Solutions #Plant Maintenance #Safety Assurance

Enhancing Plant Maintenance with Cloud Solutions

Hitachi Solutions, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, has unveiled a new option for its plant maintenance progress management service, aimed specifically at addressing the challenges faced in routine maintenance operations. This service, titled the "Plant Maintenance Progress Management Facility Map," is set to enhance the efficiency of work coordination and ensure safety among plant personnel.

Background on Plant Maintenance Challenges

The chemical and energy industries often struggle with securing qualified personnel for maintenance tasks and dealing with aging equipment. During the maintenance periods, coordination of daily construction schedules and safety management is crucial. Traditionally, plant layout diagrams were adjusted manually, leading to complications such as overlapping work areas and difficulty in identifying potential hazards.

The new facility map integrates geographical data with plant layouts and construction progress information, all displayed in a consolidated manner. This allows for improved visualization of work zones and related risks, significantly facilitating the coordination of activities and ensuring safety throughout the maintenance process.

Key Features of the Facility Map

1. Visualization of Construction Information
Utilizing advanced spatial information technology, the facility map overlays geographical data with plant layouts and equipment information, including construction permits and applications. This visualization makes it easy to identify hazards and locations of heavy machinery, enhancing smooth coordination and reducing adjustment times previously spent on manual processes.

2. Time-Series Management of Construction Data
The progress management service maintains a real-time chronology of construction activities, allowing users to visualize up to five days' worth of data in conjunction with plant layouts. This significant feature streamlines coordination efforts in planning and executing maintenance tasks.

3. Mobile Application Support
The facility map is accessible through a mobile application that can operate in both indoor and outdoor settings, enabling real-time communication of heavy machinery locations and safety alerts to site supervisors and workers, thereby fostering enhanced operational safety.

Future Developments

Looking ahead, the facility map will undergo further enhancements, including the gradual incorporation of heavy machinery and workforce movement tracking functionalities. By acquiring real-time, precise location data, Hitachi Solutions aims to offer an even more detailed view of site conditions, improving both safety management efforts and the overall productivity of routine maintenance activities.

Industry Context

Within the chemical and energy sectors, plants must comply with periodic inspections every two years, as stipulated by the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act. This entails stopping production for maintenance, which generally lasts from two weeks to two months, encompassing internal inspections, replacing outdated infrastructure, and enhancing systems for improved safety and efficiency.

In collaboration with Mitsubishi Chemical, Hitachi Solutions developed the progress management service to comprehensively manage the entire maintenance process—from planning and approvals to progress reports and construction applications—addressing the operational challenges faced by thousands of personnel involved in such routine repair work.

Mitsubishi Chemical's Perspective

Masaki Morii, from the Technical Department at Mitsubishi Chemical's Tokai facility, expressed enthusiasm for the development, stating, "The preparation and coordination for daily construction meetings have long been a challenge in routine maintenance. We are thrilled that our partnership with Hitachi Solutions has led to the creation of the Facility Map, effectively addressing this issue. With enhanced visualization of construction information and heavy machinery positioning, we have experienced improved efficiency in work coordination. We look forward to expanding this initiative across other sites and exploring new possibilities for real-time operational and equipment management with Hitachi Solutions."

Online Seminar Announcement

An online seminar titled "Shifting from Paper to Digital Plant Layouts! Supporting Safety and Efficiency with Construction Information Visualization through the Facility Map" is set to take place on February 26, 2026, from 14:00 to 14:40. For more details, visit this link.

About Hitachi Solutions

Hitachi Solutions is committed to delivering various solutions based on collaboration with customers, utilizing cutting-edge digital technologies to facilitate digital transformation. The company operates globally, addressing societal and corporate challenges through coordinated efforts across offices in Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, and India. Hitachi Solutions continues to contribute towards creating a society where people can live safely and comfortably, while ensuring sustainable growth.

For further inquiries about their offerings, visit Hitachi Solutions.

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