Modex 2020: MHS releases IOT-based predictive maintenance platform

Material handling automation provider Material Handling Systems Inc. (MHS) today launched a predictive maintenance product to keep parcel sortation equipment and other warehouse hardware platforms running smoothly and avoid breakdowns.

Known as MHS Insights, the internet of things system is described as a “condition-based maintenance solution that monitors assets through IoT sensors and system data,” the Mount Washington, Kentucky-based company said during the Modex trade show in Atlanta.

According to the company, MHS Insights detects emerging failure risks early, so businesses can turn unplanned downtime into strategically planned repairs. The system works by integrating readings from multiple data sources with predictive models, historical readings, and detailed knowledge of failure modes. It then produces condition-based predictive alerts on potential failures, rated with a red, yellow or green level of urgency.

“By not leveraging data, warehouses and distribution centers miss significant opportunities to reduce downtime and make their service operations more effective and efficient,” John Sorensen, MHS’ senior vice president Lifecycle Performance Services, said in a release. “MHS Insights is designed to address this deficiency by combining data and analytics to provide precise, timely maintenance insights.”

Also at the Modex show, MHS released a new warehouse software solution called “MHS Helix,” built to address the e-commerce challenges. The system consists of template-based modules for equipment control, inventory management, and order fulfillment functions, designed to work together in customized configurations according to each facility’s unique requirements.