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Assets

Concept overview​

  • Asset: equipment or an item we track and maintain. An Asset must specify an AssetType.

These are core building blocks used across many Cyzag products.

Data Model​

Design Decision

Blueprint implements the SAP PM / ISO 14224 dual-hierarchy pattern with separate trees for functional locations and assets. See Functional Locations - Design Decision for the full rationale and alternatives considered.

Core Fields​

  • Title (required): Descriptive name for the asset.
  • AssetTypeId (optional): Reference to the asset's category type.
  • ParentAssetId (optional): Reference to parent asset for assemblies.
  • FunctionalLocationId (optional): Reference to where the asset is installed.
  • IDs/keys: Standard unique identifiers (Id, Uuid).

Hierarchy Support (Assemblies)​

Assets support a self-referential hierarchy for modeling equipment assemblies:

  • Parent/Child Assets: A pump can contain a motor, bearings, seals, etc.
  • Bill of Materials: Track sub-components as children of parent equipment
  • Unlimited Nesting: No limit on hierarchy depth

Installation Location​

Each asset can optionally specify a FunctionalLocationId indicating where the asset is installed:

  • Assets can be installed at functional locations (e.g., "Feed Pump P-404" → "Unit A – Pulping")
  • Assets may be uninstalled (in storage, being repaired, etc.)
  • Location can change over time as assets are moved

Relationships​

  • Asset → AssetType: Drives which attributes and maintenance tasks are available
  • Asset → Asset: Parent/child hierarchy for assemblies (self-referential)
  • Asset → FunctionalLocation: Where the asset is installed
  • OperatorRounds → Assets: Rounds reference assets for inspection

Asset Domain Model

Last Known Value & Historical Readings​

One of the key features of the asset model in Blueprint is the ability to track both current state and historical trends for each asset attribute:

  • Last Known Value: Each asset attribute maintains its most recent reading, providing a quick snapshot of current asset condition
  • Historical Readings: All readings captured during operator rounds are stored with timestamps, operator, and context
  • Trending: Historical data enables trend analysis to identify degradation patterns or abnormal behavior over time
  • Audit Trail: Complete history of who recorded what value and when

This dual-view approach (current + historical) is built into the data model from the start, ensuring that every reading captured during an operator round contributes to both real-time monitoring and long-term trend analysis.

See Asset Readings & Checkpoints for details on how readings are captured and stored.

Usage in Blueprint​

  • CRUD for Assets with AssetType, Parent Asset, and Functional Location selection
  • List view shows Asset Type and Functional Location columns
  • Detail pages show parent asset, child assets, and installation location
  • Dynamic attribute forms based on the selected AssetType
  • Display of last known values for all asset attributes
  • Historical reading views showing trends over time
  • Offline support: create/edit offline, sync later

Example Assets from Blueprint Paper Mill​

To illustrate how assets are used in practice, here are example assets from Blueprint Paper Mill, a mid-sized pulp and paper production facility:

Unit A – Pulping​

Digester D-101 (Continuous Digester)

  • Title: Digester D-101
  • Asset Type: Continuous Digester
  • Functional Location: Unit A – Pulping
  • Description: Primary continuous digester for cooking softwood chips
  • Key Attributes:
    • Cooking Temperature: 165–172 °C (last known value: 168 °C)
    • Digester Pressure: 5.2–5.8 bar (last known value: 5.5 bar)
    • H-Factor: 1100–1200 (last known value: 1150)
    • White Liquor Flow: 38–45 L/min (last known value: 42 L/min)
  • Inspection Frequency: Daily (Morning Shift - Pulping Round)

Feed Pump P-404 (Centrifugal Pump)

  • Title: Feed Pump P-404
  • Asset Type: Centrifugal Pump
  • Functional Location: Unit A – Pulping, Pump Room
  • Description: High-pressure pump feeding wood chips to digester
  • Key Attributes:
    • Discharge Pressure: 11–13 bar (last known value: 12.5 bar)
    • Bearing Vibration: <6.0 mm/s (last known value: 7.2 mm/s ⚠️)
    • Motor Amperage: 45–52 A (last known value: 48 A)
  • Status: ⚠️ Observation flagged (high vibration)

Unit B – Screening & Cleaning​

Screen S-05 (Screen)

  • Title: Screen S-05
  • Asset Type: Screen
  • Functional Location: Unit B – Screening & Cleaning
  • Description: Pressure screen for fiber separation and contaminant removal
  • Key Attributes:
    • Inlet Pressure: 2.5–3.5 bar (last known value: 3.0 bar)
    • Flow Rate: 800–1200 L/min (last known value: 1050 L/min)
  • Inspection Frequency: Daily (Morning Shift - Screening Round)

Cleaner Pump CP-12 (Centrifugal Pump)

  • Title: Cleaner Pump CP-12
  • Asset Type: Centrifugal Pump
  • Functional Location: Unit B – Screening & Cleaning
  • Description: Centrifugal cleaner feed pump
  • Key Attributes:
    • Discharge Pressure: 3.0–4.0 bar (last known value: 3.5 bar)
    • Bearing Vibration: <5.0 mm/s (last known value: 3.2 mm/s)
    • Motor Amperage: 25–35 A (last known value: 28 A)
  • Inspection Frequency: Daily

Unit C – Paper Machine Line​

Dryer Can DC-12 (Paper Machine Dryer)

  • Title: Dryer Can DC-12
  • Asset Type: Paper Machine Dryer
  • Functional Location: Unit C – Paper Machine Line, Dryer Section
  • Description: Steam-heated drying cylinder in first dryer section
  • Key Attributes:
    • Surface Temperature: 85–95 °C (last known value: 92 °C)
    • Steam Pressure: 6–8 bar (last known value: 7.2 bar)
  • Inspection Frequency: Every 2 hours during production

Unit D – Utilities​

Steam Boiler B-01 (Recovery Boiler)

  • Title: Steam Boiler B-01
  • Asset Type: Recovery Boiler
  • Functional Location: Unit D – Utilities, Boiler House
  • Description: High-pressure steam boiler for process steam
  • Key Attributes:
    • Steam Pressure: 40–45 bar (last known value: 42.3 bar)
    • Flue Gas Temperature: 380–420 °C (last known value: 405 °C)
    • Feedwater Conductivity: <5 µS/cm (last known value: 3.2 µS/cm)
    • Running Hours: 87,542 hours (cumulative)
  • Inspection Frequency: Daily (Morning Shift - Utilities Round)

These examples demonstrate:

  • How assets are organized by functional location (Units A, C, D)
  • How asset types determine which attributes are tracked
  • How last known values provide quick status visibility
  • How normal operating ranges help identify abnormal conditions
Blueprint Paper Mill Tutorial

For a hands-on guide to setting up assets like these, see the Blueprint Paper Mill Tutorial.

See also: