‘Digital transformation’ transforming asset management

11th April 2019 By: Creamer Media Reporter

‘Digital transformation’ transforming asset management

In today’s digital era, created by numerous powerful technologies also entering the industry of asset management, drastic changes are taking place. IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) have significantly influenced the practice of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). TPM practice has consequently expanded from, what was once limited to the factory floor, to the entire company, and furthermore, into extended supply chain. According to SAAMA 2019 speaker, Zensuke Mastuda, digital transformation is the vital key in realising it.  

At the Stellenbosch Spier Wine Farm, from 14 to 16 May, newly introduced speaker, Zensuke Mastuda, will add unprecedented value to an already remarkable panel of industry experts that will be equipping delegates to embrace the development of physical asset management in Southern Africa, by focusing on digital transformation.

Zensuke Matsuda is a senior researcher of JIPM (Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance) and has completed his B.E. and M.E. degrees in electrical engineering. With more than three decades of experience in the semiconductor industry, his career took off in 1978 when joining the NEC Corporation. With his extraordinary expertise in production engineering and maintenance, product design and development, global business deployment, and administration of business units, he became the Executive Vice-president and member of the board for NEC Electronics in 2007.

In 2010, he became the official advisor for NEC, and in the following year Zensuke joined the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance. In 2014, he became TPM’s (Total Productive Maintenance) awards assessor, and adding to his exceptional curriculum vitae, Zensuke is a council member of GFMAM (Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management) and the formal member of Japan’s national committee of ISO 55000s (Institute of Asset Management).

Zensuke was the guest speaker during the World Maintenance Forum held in 2013 in Lugano, Switzerland, and the keynote speaker during the EuroMaintenance conference in 2016, held in Athens, Greece. Since then, he has been addressing crowds across the globe on maintenance and advanced technology. This year, he became Japan’s formal committee member of the IEC Systems Committee of Smart Manufacturing.

During SAAMA 2019 he will be focusing on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) through digital transformation. TPM practice has existed for almost 50 years and has expanded its involvement in industries such as automobile manufacturing, food and beverage, and the chemical and oil industry. This practice is also implemented in plant operations that are currently working towards creating low cost automation. An initiative called ‘Karakuri Kaizen’ – the use of mechanic gadgetry instead of electrical or computer-controlled devices.

The annual ‘Karakuri Kaizen’ exhibition, organised by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance, is expanding every year. Last year, the number of participants, including visitors from foreign manufacturers, exceeded 10 000. With great efforts, especially from the Toyota group, this initiative is also being implemented in countries such as Thailand.

Zensuke’s presentation intends to discuss the latest TPM activities and involvement in order to equip delegates with the necessary knowledge to envelop and implement advanced digital transformation and, as he refers to it, ‘down to earth’ Karakuri Kaizen.

For more information on the call for papers, exhibition, registration of sponsorship opportunities, please contact the SAAMA Conference Event Organisers: conference@saama.org.za or +27 10 003 3827.