Table of Contents

Key competencies of the mechanical engineer in the digital age
From traditional maintenance to asset management
Case IBM Maximo at King Khalid International Airport
Conclusions
References

For decades, the mechanical engineer has been a key player in industry, responsible for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of systems and equipment that underpin sectors such as energy, manufacturing, transportation and construction. Its role has traditionally been associated with operational efficiency, technical innovation and continuous improvement of physical processes. However, in the current context, marked by digital transformation, sustainability and the need for data-driven decision making, this professional profile faces a new paradigm.

Now, the mechanical engineer must anticipate problems, interpret operational data in real time and participate in decision-making that impacts the company’s productivity and profitability. In this new scenario, areas such as physical asset management and smart maintenance take on special relevance.

This article explores, from a technical and applied point of view, how this professional can evolve towards functions of greater strategic value. We will analyze their key competencies, their role in modern asset management and how tools such as IBM Maximo are revolutionizing critical infrastructure maintenance, with a special focus on the case of King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Saudi Arabia.

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Key competencies of the mechanical engineer in the digital age

The mechanical engineer education has historically been one of the most comprehensive within the engineering field, encompassing solid foundations in physics, mathematics, thermodynamics, mechanics of materials, machine design, manufacturing processes and energy systems. This technical background enables him to understand, design and optimize complex systems in diverse industrial environments.

Duarte, et al. (2024), point out that a mechanical engineer, with a solid foundation in mechanics, thermodynamics, design and materials, is able to design and model complex systems using state-of-the-art tools. His ability to identify and solve problems ethically and effectively, combined with an innovative and entrepreneurial vision, allows him to adapt to diverse technologies and industries, making a positive impact through project, resource and maintenance management.

According to ASME (2008) mechanical engineering will develop engineering solutions that foster a cleaner, healthier, safer and more sustainable world.

However, today’s environment demands much more than technical mastery. The digital revolution, the rise of automation, the pressure to reduce downtime and the need to improve energy efficiency have transformed the profile required by the industry. Today, mechanical engineers need to develop new competencies that allow them to actively integrate into digital transformation and strategic decision-making processes.

In the opinion of Ríos Colque and Ríos Choque (2024) the competencies most in demand by the industry are:

Technical competencies

Production and maintenance management.
Solid knowledge of mechanical design.
Handling of Industry 4.0 technologies.
Application of standards and regulations.
Knowledge of sustainable development.

Interpersonal skills

Leadership.
Assertive communication.
Teamwork.
Problem solving skills.
Relationship building.

Personal competencies

Adaptability and resilience.
Critical thinking.
Creativity and innovation.
Planning, coordination and organization.
Professional ethics.

In a complementary manner, among the most relevant expanded technical competencies are:

Systems thinking: Ability to understand the interrelationships between assets, processes, people and results within an organization.
Technical data management: Interpretation of performance indicators, failure analysis, life cycle assessment and costs associated with equipment.
Proficiency with digital tools: Familiarity with computer-aided design (CAD) software, computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), data analysis platforms and IoT integration.
Project and asset management: Planning, execution and monitoring of maintenance plans, infrastructure renewal, asset investment and resource control.
Understanding of emerging technologies: Artificial intelligence applied to predictive maintenance, augmented reality for technical support or digital twins for system simulation.

These capabilities position the mechanical engineer as a fundamental professional in areas such as physical asset management, where not only knowledge of equipment is required, but also an integrated vision of the business, sustainability and digital transformation towards smart industrial maintenance.

From traditional maintenance to asset management

For a long period, maintenance was considered a purely operational function, focused on responding to failures and avoiding interruptions in production processes. This approach implied high unplanned costs, downtime and inefficient use of resources. Over time, more evolved models emerged, based on routines programmed according to hours of use or manufacturer’s recommendations. Although this perspective reduced the incidence of failures, it did not offer a sufficiently accurate response to high criticality assets or variable operating environments.

Today, the industry is taking a further step towards predictive and smart maintenance, an evolution that turns data into a strategic tool. Thanks to connected sensors (IoT), artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis, it is now possible to anticipate failures, identify behavioral patterns and make decisions that maximize availability, extend equipment life and reduce total cost of ownership.

In this context, the concept of physical asset management arises, a discipline that encompasses the planning, acquisition, operation, maintenance and replacement of assets throughout their life cycle. Its goal is not only to ensure that equipment operates, but that it does so efficiently, cost-effectively and sustainably.

The mechanical engineer plays a leading role in this evolution. Thanks to his in-depth knowledge of physical systems and his ability to interpret operational data, he can:

Assess asset condition and performance with technical criteria.
Design maintenance plans based on criticality and reliability.
Implement real-time monitoring systems to anticipate failures and optimize resources.
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and continuously improve.
Lead processes of continuous improvement, change management and technological transformation.

Case IBM Maximo at King Khalid International Airport

To perform asset management at a strategic level, the mechanical engineer must rely on tools such as CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems) and EAM (Enterprise Asset Management). Through the use of these digital platforms it is possible to integrate and centralize critical information about physical assets: work orders, inventories, failure history, operating costs, performance indicators, among others.

One of the most prominent leaders in this type of solutions is IBM Maximo Application Suite, a platform that has evolved to incorporate artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, IoT connectivity and mobile applications. As described by IBM itself (2022), its implementation allows organizations to move from a reactive approach to a predictive model, where data allows anticipating events, improving planning, streamlining maintenance, inspection, reliability and maximizing the lifecycle of assets.

To learn more about this tool you can view the following video: Source: Banetti Inc.

How reliability Is achieved with IBM Maximo?

A concrete example of digital transformation, exposed by IBM, is the case of the King Khalid International Airport (KKIA), located in Saudi Arabia.

Prior to digitization, maintenance of the KKIA was performed by fragmented systems, manual processes and inefficient communications among more than a dozen contractors. With more than 50,000 assets in operation (such as escalators, HVAC equipment, safety systems and runway equipment), it was impossible to have a clear, unified view of the airport’s operational status. Work orders were prioritized subjectively, task tracking was done by email, and new contractors could take up to 10 days to sign on.

The solution was to adopt IBM Maximo as the central platform, and the results were impressive:

80% of manual paperwork was eliminated.
Visibility of contractor performance increased by 50% with real-time dashboards.
The onboarding process for new contractors went from 10 days to a few hours.
More than 400 users were trained in just three weeks.
Full implementation was achieved in seven months, two months ahead of schedule.

By tracking labor and material costs by asset in detail, maintenance became a source of strategic information. This enabled more accurate decisions on when to replace equipment, when to invest in upgrades, and how to allocate resources to maximize the airport’s operational reliability. This is an example of how technology, combined with technical leadership and change management, can transform a critical and complex operation into an smart, efficient infrastructure aligned with business objectives.

Conclusions

The mechanical engineer of the present and future now leads the digital transformation of physical assets and is positioned as a strategic player in operational efficiency and organizational sustainability. His ability to integrate technical knowledge with skills in data analytics, asset management and leadership makes him an indispensable figure to meet the challenges of Industry 4.0.

Cases such as King Khalid International Airport demonstrate that, with the right tools and a vision aligned to business objectives, maintenance can become a source of competitive advantage.