august2023 - 18

Technology
The Benefits of iOPS Boarding Bridge Technology
iOPS helps monitor gate equipment operations to maximize efficiencies.
BY REBECCA KANABLE
I
t pays to know not only where equipment is, but
what it's doing and how it's performing. iOPS (Intelligent
Operations Performance Systems) from JBT
monitors gate equipment operations, ground support
equipment (GSE) and baggage handling systems. The
platform can provide actionable information on the status,
performance and faults of the equipment.
Monitoring various systems, iOPS gives operations a go or
no go signal. Green means the equipment is ready and usable,
while a red X indicates equipment is out for maintenance or
inoperable. Green with a red box means there's an alarm that
needs looking into.
Most commonly, John Thompson, JBT vice president of global
gate equipment sales, say customers use iOPS to monitor GSE
for common alarms and failures, turn performance and operational
statistics.
Looking specifically at the benefits of using iOPS with passenger
boarding bridges (PBBs), Thompson says, " iOPS gives
real-time, actionable information about the PBBs anywhere you
have access to the internet. There is no need to be on site at
the equipment to be able to troubleshoot issues. This is the real
advantage to iOPS. "
Without iOPS, Thompson says operators need to be at the
PBB to find out what the issues are and try to diagnose them
through the limited human machine interface (HMI) screen.
" Having information at your fingertips (at your computer or
on your phone) about how a bridge is operating can save valuable
time and resources, " he continues. " Just picture an international
flight has landed at JFK and half of those passengers need
to get through customs to make their next flight, and the PBB
will not move because someone pressed an E-stop. Something
so simple could be fixed in seconds and could stop a flight from
being delayed 30 minutes or more. "
iOPS can be used to ensure the gate and boarding bridge are
ready for the aircraft turn, monitor how the boarding bridge is
being operated, how long the docking process is taking, and if
there are any safety or training concerns. Using the technology
to manage personnel, fleet and operations, Thompson says
the goal is to improve operations, reduce equipment downtime
and save money.
Customers who use iOPS with boarding bridges include airlines,
airports (Thompson notes maintenance departments love
the ability to remotely monitor their equipment.) and third-party
maintenance providers, as well as ground handlers, cargo
handlers and military.
To use iOPS with a boarding bridge, the boarding bridge
doesn't have to be new. Thompson says passenger boarding
bridges can be upgraded to take advantage of new technologies
18 || Ground Support Worldwide || August 2023
iOPS is monitoring, tracking and diagnostic software.
to help improve performance and operations.
Customers who use iOPS for boarding bridges also use the
technology to monitor the GSE, including ground power units
(GPUs) and pre-conditioned air units (PCAs), that attach to the
boarding bridge. Mobile GSE commonly used with iOPS includes
pushback tractors, deicers and other mobile equipment, along
with rooftop units and visual docking guidance systems.
To use iOPS with a passenger boarding bridge, iOPS can be
installed and monitored through cell service or hardwired
- if the boarding bridge has communication lines back to
the building.
" Either way, the installation is simple and can be accomplished
between flights on an active gate, " Thompson says.
What can be monitored?
" Basically, we monitor every point that is gathered into the
PLC (programmable logic controllers) of the PBB, " he says.
According to Thompson, this could be hundreds of points
monitored and displayed - to only a few including the PBB docking
status and preconditioned air unit (PCA) on/off status.
Also monitored are site-specific alarms based on
customer needs.
" We can set up any alerts of end-users and display them how
they choose, " he says. " iOPS can be very custom and site specific.
A good example of a custom alert build is one we call 'PCA
not meeting performance.' This is a notification that the PCA is
operational, but not meeting design condition. "
iOPS also can be used to monitor how long the docking process
is taking, and an add-on feature that uses cameras and
stores video footage for seven days can be used to identify and
point out training or safety concerns.
" With the iOPS AI Vision systems, we are able to detect when
safety items are not being used, which could cost hundreds of
thousands of dollars in damage, " Thompson says.
Lastly, iOPS can also be used to contact JBT for equipment
parts and service.
JBT
august2023

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