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Enterprise Asset Management

Reimagining Industrial Asset Operations with HxGN SDx2

Published Date
Author Bob Hooper

Asset-intensive industries are continually seeking new ways to enhance operational effectiveness and make faster, better-informed decisions to thrive in their ever-evolving landscapes. HxGN SDx2, Hexagon’s advanced cloud-native SaaS solution, is designed to tackle this challenge head-on. In this blog, we’ll explore how it revolutionizes asset operations for the benefit of your teams and organization and provide practical strategies for leveraging its unprecedented capabilities. 

The Evolution of Operations Management

Asset operations are the backbone of industrial production and must operate more efficiently than ever remain competitive. Traditional operations management involves tribal knowledge data and reactive strategies, making it difficult to address problems proactively. Conversely, modern operations management capitalizes on near real-time asset information and an integrated, proactive and predictive approach.

HxGN SDx2 represents a significant leap forward. It integrates advanced technologies and data management techniques to provide timely and accurate access to engineering and process data. This allows users to tackle their industry’s key challenges faster and more efficiently. Designed to enhance every aspect of asset operations – from reliability, safety and regulatory compliance to data quality and workforce productivity – HxGN SDx2 is your organization’s pathway to operational excellence.

Enhancing Operations Discipline and Reliability 

HxGN SDx2 strengthens operations discipline and reliability with unprecedented tools that empower organizations to identify and mitigate potential reliability threats early. By leveraging predictive analytics and near real-time data, teams can anticipate and address issues before they escalate. 

Boosting Safety and Regulatory Compliance

Safety and regulatory compliance are top priorities for asset-intensive industries. HxGN SDx2 addresses these concerns with robust tools to help adhere to safety standards and regulations, while reducing incident risk. It centralizes safety documentation, tracks compliance metrics and enables risk assessments. This ensures high safety standards across your operations and helps organizations remain compliant with industry regulations.

Maximizing Workforce Productivity

HxGN SDx2 helps maximize workforce productivity by streamlining workflows, reducing wasted effort and breaking down internal silos. It's like adding new team members without the associated costs, as the solution increases your productivity. Automated tasks and centralized data access enable your workforce to focus on strategic activities to drive additional value for your organization.

Key features include automated reporting dashboards, integrated work processes and intuitive user interfaces that reduce manual effort and errors. This results in a more productive workforce that’s better equipped to handle complex challenges.

Improving Data Quality for Better Decision-Making 

Data quality is critical for effective decision-making. HxGN SDx2 excels in this area by providing accurate, actionable insights derived from comprehensive data sources. The solution aggregates data from vendor documentation, schematics and smart tool design information, providing a unified view of asset information.

By enhancing data quality, HxGN SDx2 ensures your teams’ decision-making is based on reliable, up-to-date information, improving overall outcomes and reducing risk exposure. 

Practical Applications of HxGN SDx2

To better appreciate the impact of HxGN SDx2, here are some examples of its practical application within different industries: 

    1. Compliance Management 
      In the oil and gas chemical industries, HxGN SDx2 helps manage regulatory compliance by centralizing safety documentation, tracking compliance metrics and facilitating risk assessments. Organizations can maintain high safety standards, reduce incidents and ensure regulatory adherence. 

    2. Workflow Optimization 
      For process industries, HxGN SDx2 streamlines workflows by automating routine tasks and integrating work processes. This reduces manual effort, eliminates duplication and provides near real-time access to critical information, enhancing productivity.

    3. Data Integration 
      HxGN SDx2 brings together design documents, vendor information and operational data into a single, unified solution, driving comprehensive process improvement. This streamlined view of asset information enables faster, more informed decision-making. Additionally, HxGN SDx2 serves as your ‘single source of truth’ for all engineering documentation and editing, promoting consistency and accuracy across your entire organization.

Getting Started with HxGN SDx2 

Implementing HxGN SDx2 requires thorough planning and execution. Here’s a high-level overview of how to get started: 

    1. Assess Your Current Environment 
      Whether you’re a current Hexagon customer or not, your first step when considering HxGN SDx2 is to evaluate your current information management systems. This is crucial, as the more you understand them, the more you will understand where the gaps and inefficiencies reside and your opportunities for improvement. 

      For users of HxGN       SDx®, SmartPlant® Foundation or SmartPlant Owner/Operator, the HxGN SDx Scan Tool simplifies this, providing a nonintrusive assessment of your setup. For customers using HxGN EAM or third-party enterprise solutions, such as SAP® or IBM Maximo®, HxGN SDx2 integrates seamlessly. In either case, be sure to thoroughly analyze your data, workflows and integrations so your teams can fully leverage the expanded capabilities of HxGN SDx2.
    2. Create a Migration Plan 
      A clear migration plan is crucial for a smooth transition to HxGN SDx2. Whether transitioning from an existing Hexagon or third-party system solution, your plan needs to address data migration, system integrations, potential downtime and risk management, as well as key elements such as testing stages, user approval criteria and a backup strategy to tackle potential issues. Proper planning promotes seamless transition, minimizing disruptions to your business operations. You have to develop an implementation plan, especially if its multiple sites.
    3. Leverage Cloud Capabilities 
      Moving from an on-premise system? Take advantage of HxGN SDx2’s cloud-native benefits, including scalability, enhanced collaboration and continuous updates. Transitioning to a SaaS model can streamline your operations and reduce IT overhead.       
    4. Prepare for Customization and Extensibility Adjustments 
      Existing custom workflows and extensions may need review and adaptation to fit the new data model in HxGN SDx2. For users transitioning from other information management solutions, this step involves aligning existing configurations and processes with HxGN SDx2’s architecture to ensure compatibility.       
    5. Prepare for Customization and Extensibility Adjustments 
      Existing custom workflows and extensions may need review and adaptation to fit the new data model in HxGN SDx2. For users transitioning from other information management solutions, this step involves aligning existing configurations and processes with HxGN SDx2’s architecture to ensure compatibility.
    6. Develop a Training and Enablement Program 
      Provide HxGN SDx2 training to all administrators and end-users so they’re comfortable leveraging its interface and robust features and functions.
    7. Post-Migration Support and Value Realization 
      After migration, you can focus on maximizing the value of HxGN SDx2. Consider attending Hexagon’s Business Value Assessment workshops to identify use cases that align with your strategic goals and learn how to optimize it to your organization’s needs.

Conclusion 

HxGN SDx2 represents a major advancement in industrial asset operations that enhances decision-making, efficiency, safety and regulatory compliance. Furthermore, organizations can vastly improve their operations discipline by leveraging its capabilities while optimizing data quality and workforce productivity.

In an evolving industry, adopting cutting-edge solutions like HxGN SDx2 is essential for staying competitive and achieving long-term success. Transform your asset operations and unleash new opportunities for growth with HxGN SDx2. 

For more information about HxGN SDx2 and how it can benefit your organization, contact Hexagon today!

 

About the Author

Bob Hooper has more than three decades of experience developing and implementing operational excellence, maintenance and reliability programs across various industries, including oil and gas, electric power and consumer products. He’s achieved significant results in safety, compliance, cost reduction and enterprise resource planning/asset performance management implementations. Skilled in strategic program management, budget development and leadership, Bob also holds Electrical Engineering degrees from West Coast University and Penn State and is a U.S. Navy Submarine Service veteran.

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