Sustaining manufacturing assets through smarter utilization of information and communication technologies

Over the past few years, enterprise asset management (EAM) has emerged as an important activity in industry. It is strongly supported by EAM software and other communication systems that ease the tasks of maintenance, repair, operations and overhaul of physical assets after these assets have been purchased and installed in an enterprise. This paper outlines how manufacturing assets can be sustained through smarter utilization of such information and communications technologies. Utilizing these technologies has a direct impact on the financial performance of a firm by reducing waste and cost; it also leads to environmentallyfriendly manufacturing infrastructure and practices.