Empowering Technicians Through Technology
For maintenance professionals managing aging infrastructure with limited staffing, AI-powered services offer significant operational advantages. Technicians receive clear problem descriptions coupled with comprehensive technical resources, enabling more efficient problem resolution and improved job satisfaction. Technology works within existing maintenance management systems, preserving established workflows while providing enhanced technical support.
The Hidden Cost
“The AC is just blowing hot air and it’s impossible to study or sleep. I can’t focus on my finals.”
Every facilities manager (FM) knows the frustration: urgent work orders filled with charged language that obscures the actual problem. These charged requests add an extra burden to the people trying to help. They force technicians to become interpreters before they can become problem-solvers. The additional cognitive load impacts productivity and can contribute to technician burnout in an already demanding field.
What if artificial intelligence (AI) could automatically transform challenging requests into clear, actionable maintenance tasks? What if it could suggest tools to take with you and detailed steps to try? What if it did not require any changes to your workflow? Here’s how AI is quietly revolutionizing maintenance operations.
Introducing Background AI Services for Maintenance Teams
Unlike interactive AI agents that require user training and behavior change, AI services work invisibly behind the scenes within existing systems. Vytal Assets’ Troubleshooting Service exemplifies this approach by automatically enriching work orders with key information such as tools needed, safety procedures, and troubleshooting steps, without requiring any changes to current maintenance workflows.
Sentiment Stripping: From Frustration to Facts
The breakthrough lies in sentiment analysis technology that automatically processes incoming work orders. Sentiment analysis involves analyzing words for positive, neutral, or negative feelings. It’s a technique that is commonly used in marketing and customer support technology. Vytal’s AI service identifies charged task-irrelevant language, extracts core technical issues, and restates problems in professional terminology.
The transformation is immediate: “The air conditioning unit is blowing hot air instead of cool air, indicating a malfunction in its cooling operation.”
Instant Access to Technical Resources
The AI service goes beyond restating the request description. Within seconds of a work order submission, the Troubleshooting service automatically retrieves and attaches relevant technical resources:
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- Safety Information: Critical safety procedures and precautions
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- Troubleshooting Guides: Step-by-step diagnostic procedures
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- Resource Lists: Required tools and materials
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- Visual Aids: Technical diagrams and reference materials
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- Quality Control: Verification and testing protocols
Now when a technician views a work order, they see a crisp, clear request and the information to help them get a jumpstart on resolving the problem. It’s designed to work seamlessly within their established workflows to lighten the load and improve job satisfaction.
Looking Forward: The Evolution of Maintenance Technology
As AI continues to mature, the focus shifts from revolutionary change to evolutionary enhancement. The most successful implementations support existing maintenance expertise rather than replacing it, creating a foundation for sustained operational improvement.
Example Work Order Notes added by Vytal’s AI Troubleshooting Service
The air conditioning unit is blowing hot air instead of cool air, indicating a malfunction in its cooling operation.
Safety Procedures:
- Always turn the unit off and disconnect the power supply plug or turn off the circuit breaker before performing any cleaning or maintenance.
- Do not plug or unplug the power supply plug during operation.
- If you hear strange sounds, or see smoke coming from the product, immediately turn the breaker off or disconnect the power supply cable.
Detailed Troubleshooting and Maintenance Steps:
1. Check for Airflow Obstructions:
- Ensure that curtains, blinds, or furniture are not restricting or blocking the unit’s air discharge section. Clear any obstructions.
2. Verify Temperature Settings:
- Check the temperature setting on the unit. Push the UP or DOWN button to increase or decrease the set temperature.
- Ensure the set temperature is low enough for cooling. Note that setpoint limits, which can be controlled by DIP switch settings, may prevent the unit from reaching the desired temperature. Refer to the DIP SWITCHES CONFIGURATIONS (Table 1 or Table 2) for details on setting temperature ranges (S4*S5).
3. Clean Air Filters:
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Dirty air filters can significantly reduce cooling efficiency.
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Turn the unit off before cleaning.
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Rotate the vent control lever to open the vent door.
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Pull out the vent door steel wire from its hole.
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Remove and clean the filters.
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Dry the filters thoroughly before reinserting them.
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Reinsert the vent door steel wire into the hole of the vent door.
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It is recommended to clean filters once every two weeks to maintain unit efficiency.
4. Check for Compressor Protection Mode:
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The unit may be in a protection mode, or the compressor may be in a time delay.
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If power has cycled, the compressor will restart after approximately 3 minutes. Wait this period to see if cooling resumes.
5. Inspect Outdoor Coil:
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The coil on the outdoor side of the unit should be checked regularly for dirt build-up, which can occur on the inside of the coil.
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The unit may need to be removed to inspect and clean the outdoor coil. Dirt or corrosion on the condenser fins can cause inefficient operation.
6. Check for Ice or Frost on Indoor Coil:
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If the outdoor temperature is approximately 55°F or below, frost may form on the indoor coil when the unit is in Cooling mode.
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If ice or frost is present, switch the unit to FAN operation until the ice or frost melts.
Tools and Materials Required:
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No specific tools are mentioned for basic troubleshooting steps like checking airflow, settings, or cleaning filters.
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Cleaning supplies for filters (e.g., water, mild detergent if needed, drying cloth).
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If unit removal is required for outdoor coil inspection, appropriate lifting and handling equipment would be necessary, though not specified.
