Operations & Maintenance

In high-stakes industries such as pharmaceuticals, food manufacturing and medical device production, equipment isn’t just a tool—it's a lifeline. These sectors rely on precision, consistency and strict regulatory compliance to keep their operations running smoothly and their customers safe. Any lapse in equipment maintenance or tracking modification can have ripple effects that are not just costly but potentially life-threatening.

With the release of HxGN EAM version 12.2.1, Hexagon introduces a powerful new feature that addresses this critical need: Equipment Revision. This enhancement delivers a structured, traceable and compliant method for managing changes to assets, positions and systems within the HxGN EAM application. This provides a safety net for organizations where failure is not an option.  

In this blog, we will discuss how the new Equipment Revision feature in HxGN EAM can improve equipment management across various industries, mitigate risks, enhance compliance and improve operational efficiency in sectors like food and beverage, medical devices, energy and transportation. 

Why Maintaining Equipment Revision Data Matters

Industries regulated by strict safety and quality standards need complete visibility into every change made to operational equipment. Whether it’s swapping out a part, updating software or modifying a machine's configuration, each action carries potential consequences. If not properly documented, even a minor change can cause major disruptions—or worse, regulatory violations.

The new Equipment Revision feature in HxGN EAM enables:

• Detailed Change Tracking: Every modification is logged with version history and audit trails. Revisions follow a structured approval process to ensure quality and compliance.
• Warranty Claims: Unauthorized modifications might void warranties. Having a record helps in discussions with vendors during the claim process.
• Reduced Risk of Non-Compliance: Accurate documentation helps avoid violations and ensures regulatory readiness. Having an accurate representation of the equipment when it comes auditors come calling. With revision tracking, you ensure the records align with the actual state of the equipment.
• Improved Operational Efficiency: Maintenance and engineering teams spend less time hunting for the latest specs and more time solving problems. With any deviation from design at their fingertips, teams can easily access and review changes. 

Pharmaceutical Use Case: When a Tablet Press Fails

Let’s look at a real-world scenario that highlights the importance of equipment data in revision control.

A pharmaceutical manufacturer relies on a tablet press machine to produce solid oral medications. Over time, undocumented changes to the machine’s configuration—such as component replacements, software updates or adjustments to performance parameters—create discrepancies between the actual equipment and its recorded specifications. These inconsistencies go unnoticed until the machine fails unexpectedly, halting production. The equipment must then be removed from the line for diagnostics, reconfiguration and recertification—a process that is slow, costly and highly disruptive.

While the equipment is offline, production goals are missed, shipment deadlines slip and (most critically) patients may face delays in receiving essential medications. In industries where products are vital to health and survival, downtime due to poor equipment data management can have serious downstream consequences.

With Equipment Revision in HxGN EAM, the outcome can be very different. The system captures every change to an asset’s recorded data, including design adjustments, component swaps or control system updates, ensuring all revisions are documented and traceable. Any modification requires a formal review and approval, supported by a complete revision history. This structured approach allows teams to anticipate risks, ensure compliance and maintain alignment between actual equipment and system records—reducing the likelihood of failure and unplanned downtime.  

Equipment modifications in EAM go hand in hand with PM schedule modifications, which are also under revision control, ensuring that maintenance routines stay aligned with equipment updates and compliance standards. 

Beyond Pharma: A Broad Impact

While this use case focuses on pharmaceuticals, the impact of this feature spans across sectors:

• Food and Beverage: Prevent contamination by tracking equipment sanitization and modifications. Unsanctioned changes introduce risk into your process that could have costly consequences. 
• Medical Devices: Ensure device calibration changes are documented for audit readiness. Precision equipment with revision control gives you the confidence to breeze through your regulatory checks.
• Energy and Utilities: Maintain compliance with safety and environmental standards. Even a small change can have wide reaching effects. Get the support and buy-in you need to make that change positive. 
• Transportation and Logistics: Track asset changes to avoid costly downtime and liability. By knowing something has been modified from your baseline design, you can determine the impact of that revision and scale it up or down depending on the outcome. 

Conclusion

With HxGN EAM 12.2.1, Hexagon delivers a critical capability for organizations that cannot afford ambiguity when it comes to equipment management. Equipment Revision ensures that every change is documented, approved and auditable. This provides the transparency, accountability and control that critical industries demand.

For companies navigating strict regulations, complex operations and the high cost of failure, this feature offers more than convenience, it offers confidence. Learn more about HxGN EAM by visiting eam.hexagon.com.