SMART AMC APP- for monitoring of Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC)

1. SMART AMC Application:

1. Name of innovation: “SMART AMC” an Android App.

Developed an Android & Web based application for effective AMC of S&T equipment’s (Electronic Interlocking, Data loggers, Integrated Power Supply, Universal Fail-Safe Block Interface etc.) in Jaipur Division. SMART AMC abbreviates as System for Monitoring of Assets Reliability Through AMC.

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2. Summary:

AMCs of electronic equipment’s form major part of revenue expenditure of S&T & other departments. During inspections, it was felt that AMCs were not being done on time and records were unreliable. Sometimes railway supervisors were found unaware about AMC visits done by the OEM engineers. Earlier, it was also possible that records of AMC visits can be prepared later on, at the time of billing. AMCs were also not done by railway staff with full diligence and thus proficiency of staff about these sophisticated equipment’s wasn’t improved.

SMART AMC is an application that ensures a genuine AMC by OEM Engineer in presence of railway staff, in real time manner. This also helps in centralized monitoring & tracking of AMCs and crucial parameters at divisional level. Thus, it improves efficiency in utilization of funds available to organization and reliability of equipments.

SMART AMC APP is scalable to various other departments and other zonal railways.

3. Basic Features of SMART AMC APP:

Some of the basic features are highlighted as below…

• QR Code based login to AMC forms:

AMC forms for filling the measurements & observations are accessible through scanning the QR codes. These QR codes are developed specific to the station, to access the AMC form easily.

• Geo-fencing of Station Locations:

• OTP confirmation by Railway Representative:

After filling the AMC forms, an OTP is sent automatically to concerned SSE/Supervisor’s mobile number. Station-wise mobile numbers of SSE’s are already defined in the app, which are editable by the Admin only.

AMC forms can be submitted only after confirmation by Railway representative through OTP, which ensures proper supervision of the railway supervisors and genuine AMC by the OEM engineers.

• Centralized Monitoring of AMCs:

All details of the AMC visits are available on web based Dashboard, which ensures proper monitoring of AMC visits at divisional level by Sr.DSTE and other officers.

Dashboard provides the details of all the pending/due AMC visits, in at-a-glance format.

• Dashboard for Due AMC visits

• Dashboard for Failure reports

• Dashboard for AMC visits done

• Troubleshooting Manuals for Equipments:

Troubleshooting manual are accessible through app, which helps in timely restoration of failures.

• Financial discipline in Revenue Expenditure:

The SMART AMC app ensures genuine AMC visits by OEM engineers. It will not be possible to prepare fake reports at later stage for payment purpose. Therefore, the Expenditure on payments can be linked through this app, which will ensure financial discipline in revenue expenditure.

• Scalability to other departments & Zonal Railways:

All departments and Zonal railways are having the AMC contracts for maintenance of various equipments located at various locations. This app can be used for ensuring genuine AMC of equipments, which can save lot of revenue and can improve the asset reliability through genuine AMC visits.

The app was developed for the Jaipur Division initially, however, now the app is being implemented over all the divisions of the North Western Railway.

4. SMART AMC APP in Detail:

The application has been developed in a way that each station of Jaipur division has been provided with a unique username and password for logging into the application. After logging in, 3 tabs emerge: Station information, Archive Reports & AMC/Failures.

• Station Information consist of information about various AMC equipment’s at a click of a button likeMake of equipment, Panel/VDU Arrangements, AMC Validity period, earthing arrangement, Date of Installation, Battery Make & Capacity, RDSO specifications, Latest Versions, System Models & serial numbers, centralized/distributed system etc.

• While doing scheduled AMC or filling Failure reports, “AMC/Failure” tab needs to be clicked. After verifying the location of user which is matched with the station location by the application, option to scan QR Code emerges. Each station of Jaipur Division has been provided with a QR Code that has been feeded with AMC Forms. These AMC forms need to be filled by user and submitted.
• During filling the forms, photograph of user along with timestamp needs to be uploaded. This feature is incorporated to increase genuinity of AMC done.
• While submitting the form, SMS is sent to concerned JE/SSE and OTP generated needs to be filled. This feature ensures that AMC is done by informing the concerned supervisor and with full diligence.
• The “Archive Reports” tab consists of all the previously filled forms i.e Scheduled AMC & Failure reports date wise.
• The centralized server information tracks the crucial electronic parameters and AMCs and alerts the officers and supervisors about any violations.

• Savings in revenue/manpower/material/office work/customer services realised due to innovation:

• The SMART AMC app will ensure genuine AMC visits, which will save the revenue by making the payments for actual visits. No payment will be made for the skipped visits by the OEM engineers. Earlier, it was possible that AMC records can be prepared at later stage for making the payments, but through SMART AMC app, records are prepared in real time with date & time only.

As shown in the dashboard above that AMC is not done for 19 stations in a particular month for the Statcon make IPS systems. By this SMART AMC app revenue for these 19 stations can be saved for a month, which is almost 2 lacs. Similarly, for all other equipments railway revenue can be saved. It is expected that over a year approximately 20-30 lacs revenue can be saved in a division only.

Revenue expenditure on AMCs of S&T department of JP division is almost 5.3 Crores. So, financial discipline in AMCs is utmost important.

Initially, the app was developed for the Jaipur Division only, now the app is being implemented over all the divisions of the North Western Railway, which will save in revenue of S&T, approximately 80-100 lacs per annum over NWR only. If the app is implemented for all the departments over the NWR, there will be huge saving in revenues. Similarly, if the app is implemented over all the Zonal Railways, then saving of Crores of revenue is expected.

This is the trade-off situation between saving of revenue in one side and improving the AMC practices (asset reliability) in other side.

• Dashboard for centralised monitoring of AMCs, will simplify the herculean task of collecting details from the field for AMC works. All the details will be available on a mouse click. Details of “Due AMC” visits available on the Dashboard is very helpful in monitoring the AMCs of all the equipments.
• Earlier, Sr.DSTE/DSTE/ADSTE or In-charge supervisors were not having such details readily available, same can be manipulated also, but now through this AMC app details are available in at-a-glance format. No detail is asked from anyone by anyone, all details are available on app.
• Earlier, it was also seen that, at some stations AMCs were being done at technician level only, and supervisors were not having any information about those AMC visits. Now, OTP sharing by supervisors is making them more aware & responsible about AMCs.
• The APP will be helpful in keeping the proper records of consumable materials during the AMC visits, which will be further helpful in better planning of spares and other consumable material and reduction of mean time of restoration.
• All the failure reports are also submitted through this app, which can be used for analysis of system reliability by the OEMs & the Railways. Analysis of failures will be helpful for improvement in maintenance practices also.

As per failure reports analysis, penalty clauses will be implemented easily. The app will provide readily details of all failures like “Duration of Failure”, and “Number of Failures” of OEM equipments. These details will be helpful in processing the penalties.

5. Impact/Benefit occurred to customer or employees due to this innovation:
   • Impact/Benefit occurred to Customer/OEMs
     • Better monitoring of field engineers of OEMs.
     • No dispute in regard to Payments.
     • Better planning of consumable material/spares.

• Impact/Benefit occurred to Employees
  • Easy monitoring of AMC visits.
  • Easy availability of records for bill passing.
  • Improvement in proficiency of staff.
  • Easy accessibility of troubleshooting manuals.
  • Static information/details of equipments is also available on the click.

• Impact/Benefit occurred to Railways
  • Centralized monitoring of AMC visits.
  • Financial discipline in Revenue Expenditure.
  • Improvement in asset reliability by ensuring genuine AMC visits.
  • Ensuring the involvement & responsibility of Railway supervisors in AMCs.

Day by day, sophisticated high-end Machines/Equipments are being introduced in the Railways. These equipments are being maintained through AMC contracts, which is costing huge on revenue expenditures. The “SMART AMC” app is an innovation for improving the Maintenance Practices of such equipments covered under AMC contracts and Ensuring the Financial Discipline in the Revenue Expenditure. The app is scalable to other departments and other zonal railways and can be implemented across the country.