Digitalisation: theory and practice

We learn new things about Artificial intelligence and digitalisation every day. Enormous quantities of data are being generated and processed. One could get the impression that it’s no longer possible to do anything without them.

We want to monitor lifts digitally to reduce the on-site maintenance effort – a seductive idea in view of the current shortage of skilled labour. But what do things look like in reality?

COMMENTARY BY HORST SCHICKOR

Many lifts are in a technically desolate condition. In addition, they are increasingly messy and dirty – from the machine room to the shaft pit. At the same time, maintenance and care only takes place in many cases on paper. Many service technicians are also out of their depth with the technology installed. This is because these fitters often come from different professions. They have completed an apprenticeship but not in the field of lifts.

Furthermore, many companies are not afraid of working on every make. However, practice shows that they often lack the knowledge of the manufacturer-specific installed systems. Even when it just comes to tests and troubleshooting, their service technicians are often faced with insoluble problems. This phenomenon exists in almost all businesses, even in major companies. On top of this, almost all lift companies are searching desperately for personnel.

Very thin ice …

Horst Schickor. Photo: © LIFTjournal/Bernd Lorenz

This is where digitalisation comes in: there are many different systems on the market for it. Several major manufacturers provide solutions that can provide a great deal of useful data on their own products. The data quantity is then so great that Artificial intelligence has to be used to evaluate it. But however much data can be identified, there will always be a grey area that cannot be recorded or monitored. This is not without risk and defects can also emerge out of this in the event of a test.

Moreover, many systems only record accelerations. These parts are glued to the doors or attached to the car. But anyone who thinks this establishes a reduction in the need for maintenance is venturing out onto very thin ice. This is because normally only trip counts and door movements, etc. can be recorded.

This is in the best case an expanded error message or, to be more precise, a potential forecast of possible failures. At most, we can speak here of remote monitoring of individual functions. But such systems already existed 30 years ago. Back then, we called this visualisation.

Fair game

In the course of this development, ever more data is being recorded, forwarded and processed. And this is where cyber security comes into play: as a result of this development new defects (not hazards!) can once again creep in here, which will then be fair game for the testing organisations and result in dramatic statistics in the lift safety report.

Conclusion

Irrespective of whether with or without digitalisation – digitalisation as such does not make lifts safer or better. Practice in the field provides enough examples for this statement. The actual risks arise from service technicians in various companies who have not received adequate training and further education for their tasks.

These days, there is no longer enough time for this. The situation is not made better by the increasing lack of skilled labour either. Anyone who sells digital monitoring systems should as a result consider what promises they are making and how they can counter potential liability claims.

The author is the managing director of Lift Consulting, has worked in the lift sector for 43 years and among other things is a member in the VDI and in DAfA. In addition, he is deputy chairman of the VDI Guideline Committee, "VDI 4702 Page 1 Support of maintenance processes in lifts – adjustment of service intervals". He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the LIFTjournal.