ATS teams up with Nikola Labs
08/04/2021
Illinois-based Advanced Technology Services (ATS) Inc, a provider of technology-driven industrial solutions and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) asset management, has announced an investment and partnership with Nikola Labs Inc, the provider of rapidly deployable end-to-end remote monitoring products and a spin-off from the Ohio State University. This partnership combines over three decades of reliability excellence with the latest in remote monitoring technology to help digitally transform the maintenance strategy of manufacturers.Harnessing data from production assets via sensors and related technologies to achieve improved data-driven performance is what many manufacturers strive to accomplish, but lack the time, internal resources and expertise to implement and scale across their multiple plants.
Sensor technology is at the core of Reliability 360, a remote monitoring and data analytics technology centre located in Greenville, South Carolina, USA. This ATS command centre combines the latest in data-driven analytics, reliability engineering and maintenance best practices to provide technology-based improvements directly to the production floor.
Manufacturing operations also benefit through reduced dependency on localised labour, eliminating the need for expensive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) field services and leveraging the knowledge and expertise of ATS to increase efficiency, speed and breadth of troubleshooting while lowering costs.
“There is a fundamental transformation happening in maintenance and reliability organisations that will unlock significant value for global manufacturers,” said Brian Graham, CEO of Nikola Labs. “We are excited about the investment and building a long-term partnership with ATS, an experienced leader in delivering innovative reliability solutions for manufacturers. Working together, we will be able to rapidly expand our offering and accelerate the value we deliver to all customers.”
The scalable solution delivers professional on-site installation connecting to a secure cloud-based platform that can be seamlessly integrated with various computerised maintenance management systems (CMMSs). The interconnected platform provides prescriptive asset alerts at a rate of 240 times that of traditional monthly route-based sensors, it is claimed. Experienced ATS and Nikola Labs reliability engineers and data analysts monitor machine assets in real time, providing the reliability focus needed for sustainable improved uptime. Intuitive and interactive dashboards detail alerts and allow for proactive maintenance before a machine fails.
“I am delighted that ATS and Nikola Labs are partnering to offer robust Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions unmatched in the market today,” said Bill Lutz, President and Chief Operating Officer of ATS. “Our collective expertise will provide the manufacturing sector an all-in-one solution of sensors, remote monitoring, analytics and actionable insights to power smart factories of the future.”
