UGL has deployed a world class Asset Information System (AIS) as part of the RailConnect joint venture established to maintain the New Intercity Fleet. The fleet will be maintained at the purpose built Kangy Angy Maintenance Facility near Gosford on the NSW Central Coast.
The AIS enables UGL and our partners to work from the same playbook, making decisions based on a single source of truth. This modular enterprise system was developed by UGL for the storage, processing, management, and review of information related to assets. It will be the main system used by a wide range of UGL and partner business users engaged in asset management activities, supporting related processes such as operational and maintenance data management, materials management, financial management and cost control.
Using the AIS
UGL’s AIS will be used to support the delivery of the following services performed at Kangy Angy:
- preventative maintenance inspections
- train presentation
- corrective maintenance
- damage repair
- graffiti removal and bio-wash.
The Kangy Angy depot is state of the art and contains equipment which allows for a full-service provision to the trains, including:
- underfloor wheel lathe
- automatic wheel detection
- train lifting system
- automatic train wash
- weigh bridge.
The integration provided by the AIS will eliminate manual processing of data and human error as the actionable maintenance related information is directly available in the AIS from the equipment, ready to be assigned as jobs to our team.
The AIS in practice
As a train enters the Kangy Angy maintenance facility it will traverse over the strategically positioned Automatic Wheel Detection (AWD) equipment. The AWD equipment takes measurements of the wheel conditions and a flag is set in the AIS alerting maintenance personnel that action needs to be taken.
These AWD measurements are captured against the wheelset and are used by the underfloor wheel lathe as part of an assigned maintenance activity to correct any defects. As a final step, the underfloor wheel lathe sends the re-profiled wheel information directly back into the AIS to be recorded against the wheel.
The benefits of using a fully integrated AIS
It is common for businesses to provide maintenance services using several disconnected platforms. This creates risks, for example due to human error. At UGL, we leveraged what was already built within our systems, such as SAP, and focussed heavily on integration. Forty-nine interfaces were built to integrate systems including interfaces from the operator, joint venture partners, other business critical systems and billing. Results included an increase in efficiency of information flow between assets, operations, and maintenance functions.
The result is a single source of truth. One system, accessible by 100% of the workforce, containing all information and enabling tactical and strategic decisions to be made from real time data. This will drive efficiencies over the 15-year maintenance contract.
Other benefits include a fully traceable equipment history that is available for compliance and regulatory requirements.
The AIS is used to provide and enable:
- The supply of a Software as a Service solution to the client: UGL uses the AIS to provide asset management as a service.
- Leveraging of a core enterprise resourcing system SAP: the AIS includes proprietary UGL technology and newly developed technology on SAP BI - Business Intelligence for reporting.
- A condition monitoring system: based on our partners’ supervisory control and data acquisition system, real-time communications to fleet, allowing alerts and alarms to the Help Desk and the ability to see what the driver is seeing in the cab on their train management systems.
- Financial management of the performance contract: daily tracking of asset performance, KPIs, tight integration with Sydney Train’s core systems for timetabling and fleet management, and client operations systems allow all staff visibility on train status and defect management.
- Operational support: live streaming CCTV systems from trains, energy usage monitoring, timetable updates, passenger information messaging, 24/7 Help Desk co-located at the rail operations centre in Alexandria.
The AIS deployment was completed in December 2020 and is currently in operation in a number of UGL’s maintenance contracts.