In today’s high-speed industrial world, collection of real-time data is only the starting point. True operational excellence comes from transforming those raw numbers into meaningful, contextual insights that drive action.
This is exactly where PI Asset Framework or PIAF excels, turning complex operational data into well-structured, easily understood intelligence that empowers smarter decisions, faster responses, and measurable performance gains.
The Challenge: Data Overload Without Direction
Modern industrial operations generate enormous amounts of data every second, from machines, sensors, and control systems. Without structure or context, this flood of information can easily overwhelm rather than enable.
Teams frequently struggle with:
- Disconnected systems and scattered, siloed data
- Slow, reactive troubleshooting that delays solutions
- Alerts without context, leaving operators uncertain about root causes
The result could be lost opportunities, operational inefficiencies, and costly downtime.
The Solution: Bringing Structure and Intelligence with PI AF
PI AF acts as the intelligence layer of the PI System, transforming raw sensor readings into structured, contextualized models of your assets and processes.
With PI AF, organizations can:
- Layer metadata on top of real time data.
- Model assets and processes to create clear, hierarchical views of equipment such as pumps, turbines, and compressors
- Map relationships between equipment and the processes they serve
- Standardize KPIs and calculations with reusable templates for consistency across sites
- Use AF Analytics to calculate performance metrics, trigger condition-based checks, and run predictive formulas in real time
- Leverage Event Frames to automatically capture and analyse shutdowns, anomalies, or performance deviations
- Set up Notifications to alert the right people, at the right time, with actionable guidance via email, text, or mobile apps
This combination turns raw data into operational intelligence, giving teams both the “what” and the “why” behind events.
From Reactive to Proactive Performance Management
When AF Analytics, Event Frames, and Notifications work in harmony, the shift from reactive to proactive operations is dramatic:
- AF Analytics continuously monitors asset health and calculates performance indicators.
- Event Frames automatically record when and why abnormal conditions occur, creating a detailed historical record for analysis.
- Notifications deliver real-time, context-rich alerts to operators and engineers, guiding them toward the right corrective actions.
The impact:
- Standardized monitoring across all facilities
- Faster root cause analysis and resolution
- Proactive prevention of issues rather than firefighting after failures occur
By giving industrial teams structured data, advanced analytics, and intelligent alerts, PI Asset Framework enables a step change in operational efficiency, reliability, and decision-making speed.
Operational excellence is no longer about simply collecting data; it’s about putting it to work.