A unified namespace is a standardized system for identifying and naming an organization’s equipment, parts, and tools. It helps to ensure that all equipment has unique and consistent identifiers, which can be used to track and manage these items.
Unified namespace systems typically involve the use of a naming convention, which defines the structure and format of the names given to items within the organization. This naming convention may include elements such as the type of item, the location of the item, and any relevant characteristics of the item.
Why Use Unified Namespace in Manufacturing Maintenance
A UNS can improve efficiency, communication, accuracy, traceability, safety, and cost savings in maintenance and other operations.
Reason #1: Improved efficiency and productivity. A UNS allows faster and more accurate identification of equipment, parts, and tools, leading to reduced downtime and faster turnaround times for maintenance tasks.
Reason #2: Enhanced communication and collaboration. A UNS enables all maintenance team members to access the same information, leading to better communication and collaboration among team members.
Reason #3: Increased accuracy and traceability. A UNS allows for better tracking of maintenance tasks and equipment status, leading to improved accuracy and traceability of maintenance activities.
Reason #4: Enhanced safety. A UNS can prevent accidents and injuries. Integrated into a CMMS, the UNS can provide clear and accurate information about the location and safe use of equipment. This is especially important for reactive and emergency mainteannce, when there is no time to spare.
Reason #5: Cost savings. A UNS can help a manufacturing facility save money in the long run by improving efficiency, reducing downtime, and enhancing safety. Using a CMMS to track and measure maintenance KPIs is simplified when a UNS labels equipment and parts.
Integrating Your CMMS with a Unified Namespace System
When a CMMS is integrated with a unified namespace system, it allows for more efficient and effective preventive maintenance management. The UNS provides a standard naming convention for equipment, parts, and tools. This standardization helps the CMMS to identify and track these items accurately. Also, it ensures managers assign maintenance work orders to the right teams. And that they, in turn, use the correct parts and tools for the job.
Additionally, the CMMS can use the information from the UNS to generate reports and analytics on maintenance activities. Managers can use this data to optimize maintenance processes and improve overall equipment reliability. As a result, integrating a CMMS with a unified namespace system can help companies streamline their maintenance activities and improve their overall maintenance management capabilities. A CMMS also can automate standard operating procedures based on UNS entries
How a CMMS and Unified Namespace Work Together
A CMMS and unified namespace system can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of maintenance management. Three primary and important ways include the following:
Identification and Tracking
The UNS provides a standard naming convention for use throughout a company. This allows the CMMS to identify and track equipment, parts, and tools accurately. The convention ensures maintenance tasks are assigned to the appropriate personnel and that the correct parts and tools are used for the job.
Communication and Collaboration
The CMMS can use the information from the UNS to assign maintenance tasks and communicate with team members about the status of those tasks. This helps to streamline communication and collaboration among the maintenance team.
Reporting and Analytics
The CMMS can use the UNS to generate reports and analytics on maintenance activities, optimizing maintenance processes and improving overall equipment reliability. This can help organizations make data-driven decisions about their maintenance activities and identify opportunities for improvement.
How to Integrate a UNS with a CMMS
In general, the UNS-CMMS integration includes the following steps:
Determine Scope and Objectives
Determine the scope of the integration and the goals that the organization hopes to achieve through the integration. This may involve defining the equipment, parts, and tools in the UNS and identifying the key data points to track and manage through the CMMS.
Develop Naming Conventions
Develop a naming convention for the unified namespace system. This should include set rules or guidelines for constructing names for items within the system and a hierarchy for organizing those items within the system. This is especially important as a company scales up.
Assign Identifiers
Assign unique identifiers to all items within the namespace system. This may involve working with subject matter experts within the organization to ensure that all items are accurately and consistently classified within the system.
Integrate UNS with CMMS
Integrate the unified namespace system with the CMMS. This may involve importing data from the namespace system into the CMMS to track and manage maintenance activities.
Test and Validate Integration
Run tests to verify the CMMS accurately uses the UNS’s identifiers and that data is properly tracked and managed within the system.
Train Users
Provide training on using the CMMS. Training should also include using identifiers from the namespace system to identify and locate equipment, parts, and tools.
UNS and Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, integrates advanced technologies–such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics–into industrial operations.
Unified namespace systems can use Industry 4.0 solutions by enabling the integration of data from different sources and systems. This can help organizations to gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions about maintenance, production, and other activities.
The digital transformations of Industry 4.0 can help organizations to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and optimize their operations in real time.
Bring It All Together Now: UNS, ERP, API, and CMMS!
A unified namespace will facilitate integration between an ERP, CMMS, and an API.
An ERP, like Sage Intacct, allows an organization to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate back-office functions. ERP software typically integrates all facets of an operation, including product planning, development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing. The primary purpose of ERP is to provide one central repository for all information to improve data across the organization. This can help improve efficiency and decision making.
However, ERPs (Enterprise resource planning systems) do not offer all the functionality and reporting advantages maintenance departments need. A CMMS like MaintainX can access and use real-time data on the maintenance floor and in the corporate office.
Creating a unified namespace across departments allows the systems to communicate and exchange data more quickly without worrying about differences in naming conventions.
MaintainX provides REST APIs (application programming interface) and integrations that pull real-time data directly into ERPs. And the best part is that maintenance departments and teams can use the most robust CMMS available to them.
Caroline Eisner
Caroline Eisner is a writer and editor with experience across the profit and nonprofit sectors, government, education, and financial organizations. She has held leadership positions in K16 institutions and has led large-scale digital projects, interactive websites, and a business writing consultancy.
