“How can I keep up with a machine?” 

Are concerns about the impact on your workforce holding you back from transitioning to a smart factory?  

Your maintenance team’s expertise has always been the backbone of your manufacturing equipment’s upkeep and longevity. But right now, many of them are watching artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) transform their workplace and wondering where that leaves them. We get it, a recent surveys show 30% of workers fear technology might eliminate their roles within three years, while 39% worry they won’t get the training they need to keep up with all this change.  

First, it’s important to acknowledge the truth: Automation will reshape and eliminate some maintenance roles, just as technology has throughout history. However, history shows that it will also create new jobs and opportunities for teams eager to embrace digital transformation. Rather than resist this transformation, forward-thinking organizations are focusing on how to evolve their workforce alongside these technologies. 

Embedded intelligence and IIoT: Bringing power to the people 

For some maintenance professionals, the initial fear about smart factory transformation is about maintaining their sense of value and professional identity. While automation will eliminate many routine tasks, technology is transforming traditional “soft skills” like communication and teamwork into “power skills”, making these distinctly human capabilities more crucial in an AI-driven workplace. 

These skills include strategic thinking to prevent problems before they occur, ethical judgment to make tough calls about safety and resources, and the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly across teams.  

To thrive in IIoT-integrated manufacturing, maintenance professionals need to develop key technical capabilities that complement their power skills. These are skills like data literacy to interpret sensor readings and maintenance predictions, foundational knowledge of predictive machinery to understand when to trust or question automated recommendations, practical experience with digital twin technology for remote diagnostics and training, and a solid understanding of IoT systems to ensure reliable connectivity and accurate data collection. 

This upskilling requires commitment from both leadership and employees. Reports show that companies are planning to invest 9% of their collective reskilling efforts specifically in big data capabilities.  

Professionals need training that goes beyond just learning new software, they need opportunities to develop and practice their power skills. Let’s explore what’s possible when maintenance professionals develop their skills to operate on a smart factory floor.  

They become strategic decision-makers 

Remember when your maintenance team spent hours logging temperature readings and jotting down equipment data? Manual data entry used to consume maintenance professionals’ time, but in a smart factory, automation can handle those routine tasks. With IIoT integrated systems, IoT devices handle the manual work, streaming real-time data straight to your team’s dashboard. When IIoT devices collect better data more efficiently, your maintenance team can flex their expertise in entirely new ways. 

Picture this: your team gets an alert flagging temperature patterns outside the normal range in several motors. Instead of rushing to check each one manually, they’re now analyzing this data alongside vibration readings and power consumption trends. They’re applying their years of experience to decide which alerts need immediate attention and which ones they can monitor. 

This is where technical knowledge meets critical thinking skills in a way that intelligent machines alone can’t match. This powerful blend of technical insight and human judgment helps them make smarter decisions about when to schedule maintenance or simply adjust operations to extend equipment life. 

Their workplace becomes safer 

Making smarter decisions is important, but making safe decisions is essential. That’s where digital twin technology adds another powerful layer to your maintenance team’s capabilities. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical system, such as a machine, a process or even an entire factory. Using real-time sensor data, these digital replicas accurately mirror the current state, behavior and performance of their physical counterparts.  

Take the example of a chemical processing plant. When troubleshooting a problem with a high-temperature processing unit, instead of immediately suiting up to investigate an issue, maintenance professionals can now examine a detailed virtual replica of the equipment from every angle, analyze thermal sensor data, and pinpoint potential problems from a safe distance. When physical inspection is required, they’re empowered by precise data about what they’ll find and AI-validated predictions about equipment status. 

They grow their skills  

The educational potential of digital twin technology extends far beyond basic safety improvements. New technicians can now practice complex maintenance procedures in a virtual environment before touching physical equipment.  

For example, they might simulate the replacement of a critical pump component, using the digital twin to visualize internal parts and practice the procedure while receiving real-time feedback on their technique. This requires both technical proficiency with simulation software and problem-solving skills to handle unexpected scenarios that arise during training. 

Maintenance professionals can also use these tools to transfer their knowledge more effectively. For example, an experienced technician can use a digital twin to show new team members how equipment sounds indicate problems, using acoustic sensor data to visualize these subtle changes. This knowledge transfer helps newer team members develop both technical understanding and intuitive recognition of potential issues. 

They maximize the value of their work 

With predictive maintenance, your team are strategic partners in resource management. When an organization utilizes predictive maintenance, technicians combine real-time sensor data with their understanding of the equipment to make decisions about which equipment needs attention.  

While the system automatically checks inventory and can trigger parts orders, it’s your maintenance professionals who make the difference. They’re using their critical thinking skills to validate these automated decisions, considering things algorithms might miss, like that upcoming scheduled maintenance window or those equipment upgrades you’re planning next quarter.  

A traditional maintenance approach based on time-based service intervals might flag a bearing for replacement based purely on age, but your team’s analysis of the sensor data provided by intelligent devices shows it’s still performing perfectly. That’s saving unnecessary maintenance costs and shows how human expertise can work together with smart factories to keep your operation reliable and efficient. 

Empowering tomorrow’s maintenance team today 

As intelligent machines work in the background to automate routine tasks, they create new opportunities for skilled professionals who can combine their hands-on experience with data-driven insights to make better decisions about equipment health and maintenance timing.  

Digital transformation is about embracing a new mindset where human expertise and IIoT capabilities enhance each other. By achieving this vision, your maintenance team are industry leading. Connect with our team to begin your digital transformation journey. 

Additional Resources 

• Find out how Blues transformed American Crane’s operations 
• Download our guide to the sign’s your industrial equipment is ready for digital transformation 
• Get access to your devices data and fuel your factories AI processes