How energy companies adopt data-driven maintenance at IBM Maximo without risking operations

The energy sector needs smarter maintenance to handle electrification, renewable energy, and increased demands on supply reliability. The technology for condition-based and predictive maintenance exists and the need is clear. The challenge is integrating it with existing systems in a way that doesn't risk operations. Gomero has developed a sandbox environment at IBM Maximo to solve exactly this.

To enable energy companies' transition from scheduled to predictive maintenance, Gomero has created a dedicated sandbox environment at IBM Maximo Application Suite. It's a fully-featured development and testing platform where Gomero together with customers can build and test the complete chain from sensor to work order – completely isolated from customers' production environments.

"The sandbox environment is critical for energy companies navigating digital transformation. It allows them to experiment with remote condition-based maintenance with intelligent analytical insights without risking operational continuity – essentially de-risking innovation," says Colin Williams, Principal Technology Specialist at IBM.

The sandbox environment functions as an exact copy of a production environment. Here, customers can test how Gomero's data and predictive analytics integrate with their existing Maximo installation. Only when everything works is the transition made to live operation.

This is part of Gomero's offering as a strategic partner – not just sensors and analytics, but the entire infrastructure including services to make the transition possible and secure.

A concrete example is Ellevio's work with SF6 gas monitoring. SF6 is a powerful greenhouse gas used as an insulating medium in high-voltage equipment. Leaks must be detected early, both for environmental reasons and to avoid equipment failure.

Through the SIPP system's connected pressure sensors, Ellevio gets continuous monitoring of SF6 levels. In Gomero's sandbox environment, they could test and fine-tune the entire flow: Which threshold values should trigger warnings? How should the information be presented in Maximo? What type of work order should be created automatically?

The result is a complete, automated process: The sensor detects abnormal pressure, Gomero's analysis confirms potential leakage, Maximo provides a clear overview and automatically creates a work order with the right priority, and maintenance technicians receive the assignment with all necessary information.

Gomero has over 20 years of experience with the energy sector's needs and requirements. The SIPP platform is developed in close collaboration with leading grid owners to meet the industry's requirements for 15-year lifespan and high reliability. Our predictive analytics provide customers with valuable insights – and by integrating this data directly into IBM Maximo, these insights can be transformed into automated maintenance actions.

This is why we've built the infrastructure that makes it possible to take the complete step – from sensor to analysis to automated work order – in a way that respects the energy sector's needs for safety and stability.

The sandbox environment at IBM Maximo is central to this. It gives our customers the opportunity to experiment, test, learn, and build confidence in new ways of working before anything is implemented live. Even the most risk-conscious organizations can take the step toward predictive maintenance when they can test everything first.

The energy sector is undergoing its greatest transformation ever, while simultaneously being responsible for critical infrastructure. A misconfigured system can have serious consequences.

Gomero's sandbox environment enables innovation without compromising security. This is the core of our partnership with customers: making the transition to data-driven operations possible and manageable. From sensor to analysis to work order – all the way, without unnecessary risks.

Our investment in the sandbox environment is an investment in our customers' success – and in the feasibility of the energy transition.

Read here about how grid operator Ellevio uses Gomero's and IBM's solution to work smarter, avoid downtime, and reduce the risk of both personal injuries and unexpected, costly maintenance.