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Phase 3: Agentic AI & MCP Server

Status: Future phase — planned to build on Phases 1 & 2

Overview

Phase 3 leverages the rich asset data, observations, and alerts from Phases 1 and 2 to enable intelligent, AI-powered insights and actions. Instead of traditional work order planning, Phase 3 uses agentic AI and MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers to allow natural language interaction with your maintenance data, intelligent recommendations, and context-aware automation.

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables AI models (LLMs) to securely connect to data sources and tools. In the context of Cyzag Blueprint, an MCP server exposes:

  • Asset data (readings, attributes, types, locations)
  • Historical trends and last known values
  • Operator round instances and observations
  • Phase 2 alerts and triage status

LLMs can then use these MCP servers to answer questions, analyze trends, and recommend actions — all with full context of your plant's operational data.

Core Capabilities

Natural Language Queries

Ask questions about your assets and operations in plain English:

  • "What's the current discharge pressure on Pump P-101?"
  • "Show me all pumps with bearing temperatures above 65°C in the last week"
  • "Which assets in Building 3 have the most observations flagged as critical?"
  • "What's the trend for vibration readings on Motor M-204 over the past month?"

The AI agent understands your domain model (assets, attributes, functional locations) and can query the data through the MCP server.

AI Agents with Full Context

Unlike simple chatbots, agentic AI in Phase 3 has access to:

  • Asset structure: Types, attributes, relationships, and location hierarchy
  • Historical readings: Trends, patterns, anomalies over time
  • Observations: Operator notes, photos, and flagged issues from rounds
  • Alerts: Threshold violations and abnormal conditions from Phase 2
  • Maintenance history: Past observations, resolutions, and actions taken

This context allows agents to provide intelligent recommendations, identify root causes, and suggest priorities.

Intelligent Recommendations

The AI can analyze patterns and recommend actions:

  • Prioritize maintenance: "Based on recent trends, these 5 assets should be inspected next"
  • Root cause analysis: "The pressure drop correlates with increased vibration readings on the upstream pump — likely a bearing issue"
  • Predictive insights: "Bearing temperature on Pump P-101 has been trending up for 3 weeks; recommend inspection before next scheduled round"
  • Comparative analysis: "Assets in Zone A are showing similar degradation patterns; consider reviewing maintenance procedures"

MCP Server Architecture

The Cyzag Blueprint MCP server exposes tools (functions) that LLMs can invoke:

  • get_asset_by_id(asset_id) - Retrieve asset details and current attribute values
  • query_readings(asset_id, attribute_code, start_date, end_date) - Get historical readings for trending
  • list_alerts(severity, location, status) - Query Phase 2 alerts by criteria
  • get_observations(round_id) - Retrieve operator observations from a round
  • search_assets(query, filters) - Find assets matching criteria

The MCP server handles authentication, data access control, and formatting results for LLM consumption.

Example: AI-Assisted Maintenance Workflow

  1. Operator completes round (Phase 1): Captures readings and notes unusual noise on Pump P-101
  2. Alert triggered (Phase 2): Vibration reading exceeds threshold, observation flagged as "medium" severity
  3. Supervisor queries AI agent (Phase 3): "What's going on with Pump P-101?"
  4. Agent responds with context:
    • "Pump P-101 has a medium-severity observation from today's round: unusual noise reported by Jane Smith"
    • "Vibration reading was 8.2 mm/s, which exceeds the threshold of 7.5 mm/s"
    • "Bearing temperature has been trending up over the past 2 weeks (from 55°C to 68°C)"
    • "Historical data shows similar patterns preceded a bearing failure in Pump P-103 last year"
    • "Recommendation: Inspect bearings and lubrication on Pump P-101 within 48 hours"

The supervisor can then decide whether to schedule immediate inspection or continue monitoring.

Why Agentic AI Instead of Traditional Work Orders?

Traditional CMMS/work order systems require:

  • Predefined workflows and approval chains
  • Manual work order creation and assignment
  • Structured forms and rigid processes

Agentic AI with MCP provides:

  • Flexibility: Natural language interaction without predefined workflows
  • Intelligence: Context-aware recommendations based on trends and patterns
  • Speed: Instant insights without navigating complex UIs
  • Accessibility: Anyone can query data and get answers, not just trained planners
  • Integration: MCP servers can connect to external tools (CMMS, ERP) for action execution if needed

Phase 3 doesn't replace traditional maintenance planning — it augments it with intelligent, accessible insights that help teams make better decisions faster.

Technical Architecture

MCP Server Components

  • Data Access Layer: Secure queries to Phase 1 asset data and Phase 2 observations/alerts
  • Tool Registry: Defined functions (tools) available to LLMs
  • Authentication: Scoped access based on user roles and environments
  • Response Formatting: Convert database queries into LLM-friendly formats

AI Agent Integration

  • Claude Code CLI: Agents can use the MCP server as a tool during conversations
  • Custom Agents: Build specialized agents for maintenance workflows using the Claude Agent SDK
  • Web Interface: Chat-based UI for supervisors and engineers to query data
  • Mobile Integration: Voice-enabled queries on mobile devices for field personnel

Security & Privacy

  • MCP server enforces same authentication and scoping as Phase 1/2 APIs
  • No raw data exposed to external LLMs without user consent
  • Audit logs track all AI agent queries and actions
  • Sensitive data (photos, operator notes) can be excluded from MCP tools

Example Use Cases

Use Case 1: Shift Handover

Outgoing Supervisor: "Summarize critical issues from today's rounds in Building 2"

AI Agent:

  • "3 critical observations flagged today in Building 2:"
  • "1. Pump P-205: Discharge pressure low (35 bar, expected 40-50). Operator noted cavitation sounds."
  • "2. Motor M-312: Running hours counter stuck at 8,472 — not incrementing. Possible sensor failure."
  • "3. Heat Exchanger HX-401: Outlet temperature trending down over past 3 days (now 78°C, expected 85-90)."

Use Case 2: Trend Analysis

Reliability Engineer: "Show me all centrifugal pumps with increasing vibration trends over the past month"

AI Agent:

  • "Found 7 pumps with upward vibration trends:"
  • "P-101: +15% (6.8 → 7.8 mm/s)"
  • "P-205: +22% (7.1 → 8.7 mm/s) — already flagged as medium severity"
  • "P-307: +8% (5.2 → 5.6 mm/s)"
  • "...would you like to see detailed charts or schedule inspections?"

Use Case 3: Root Cause Investigation

Engineer: "Why did we get an alert on Heat Exchanger HX-201 yesterday?"

AI Agent:

  • "Alert triggered at 14:23 yesterday: Outlet temperature 72°C (below threshold of 80°C)"
  • "Inlet temperature was normal (90°C), suggesting heat transfer issue"
  • "Operator noted 'reduced flow' in observation"
  • "Differential pressure on upstream Pump P-150 has been low for 3 days (25 bar, expected 30-35)"
  • "Likely root cause: Pump P-150 performance degradation reducing flow through HX-201"
  • "Recommendation: Inspect Pump P-150 impeller and check for blockages"

What Phase 3 Builds On

  • Phase 1 Data: Asset structure, attributes, readings, and offline sync provide the foundation
  • Phase 2 Intelligence: Observations and alerts give context for what needs attention
  • Phase 3 AI: Connects the dots, identifies patterns, and makes the data accessible through natural language

Each phase adds value independently, but together they create an intelligent maintenance system that learns from your operations.


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