Abstract
Equipment such as pressure vessels and pipelines make up the core assets in petrochemical plants, thus effective maintenance of these assets is required to improve safety, lower operating costs, increasing operational efficiency and to also extend asset lifespan. The inclusion of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in maintenance management promises to improve both maintenance strategies and operations, yet adoption of 4IR technologies continues to be constrained by organizational, financial and technical barriers. This study proposes a decision-making framework for the integration of 4IR technologies into maintenance management of assets in the petrochemical industry, using a case-study company in South Africa.
The study seeks to establish the benefits and barriers associated with adopting 4IR technologies in maintenance management and to also assess how a structured framework can guide organizations in prioritizing adoption. The initial systematic literature review (SLR) of recently published peer-reviewed research benefits such as real-time condition monitoring, digitization, reduced shutdown costs, increased flexibility, decreased expenses, improved data quality, prolonged equipment life, and enhanced safety. This SLR further established that successful implementation requires adequate financial support and the development of new knowledge and skills.
The methodology combines a SLR, evaluation 4IR of integrating technologies, experts’ surveys, implementation framework and framework validation interviews, forming the basis of a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach. Framework development consisted of four steps, data collection, data analysis, model structuring and validation. The proposed analysis model is designed with three strategic dimensions, including Economics, Safety, and People Welfare (ESP), and three operational processes Inspection, Repair, and Servicing (IRS). The combined ESP and IRS analysis framework was then applied to assess the effectiveness of 4IR technologies using expert survey questionnaires, with sensitivity analysis carried out to refine the evaluation.
The results show that smart Sensors and IoT technologies are consistently ranked highest for their real-time monitoring and interconnected capabilities. Strategically, the priorities ranked as Safety (1st), People Welfare (2nd), and Economic (3rd)...