Fault Detection and Diagnostics (FDD)
In short
Fault Detection and Diagnostics (FDD) is a CAFMTEK module that monitors HVAC and electrical assets using data from building management systems, smart meters and sensors. When a reading breaches a set threshold, FDD raises an alarm, creates a work order, assigns it to a technician with the right skills, and closes the alarm once the fault is resolved. Fault detection and diagnostics is built into CAFMTEK as standard, not sold as a paid add-on.
Applies to: HVAC and electrical assets connected to CAFMTEK through a BMS, smart meters or sensors
What FDD does
FDD identifies and analyses faults in building equipment automatically, using real-time data. Maintenance and operations teams can spot anomalies sooner, find root causes and start corrective work faster. Less time passes between a fault appearing and a technician being assigned.
How FDD works
- Connect: FDD connects to the building management system (BMS), smart meters and sensors on site.
- Monitor: it tracks data points from HVAC and electrical assets continuously.
- Detect: when a reading breaches a defined threshold, FDD raises an alarm.
- Create: the alarm automatically creates a work order in CAFMTEK.
- Assign: CAFMTEK assigns the work order to a technician with the right skill set.
- Close: once the technician resolves the issue, CAFMTEK closes the alarm automatically.
Assets and data sources
| Assets monitored | HVAC and electrical assets, treated as critical assets |
| Data sources | Building management systems, smart meters, sensors |
| Monitoring | Continuous, across multiple data points per asset |
| Output | Alarms, automatically created and assigned work orders |
Custom thresholds
Users set their own alarm thresholds to match their operational requirements. A breached threshold is what triggers an alarm and a work order.
How FDD relates to CAFMTEK’s other AI modules
| Module | What it does | When it acts |
|---|---|---|
| Fault Detection and Diagnostics | Raises alarms and work orders when readings breach set thresholds | When a fault condition is present |
| Predictive Maintenance (HVAC) | Calculates a failure probability score from trends, failure history and live data | Before a likely failure |
| Anomaly Detection (electrical) | Compares live readings against learned expected ranges and shows which parameter caused the anomaly | When readings behave unusually |
Predictive maintenance and anomaly detection flag risks early. FDD turns threshold breaches into assigned maintenance work.
What FDD needs from you
- Connected data sources: a BMS, smart meters or sensors connected to CAFMTEK.
- Enough data points per asset: available data points vary from building to building. The more data points, and the more varied they are, the more accurate the AI’s results.
- Defined thresholds: alarm conditions set for your operational requirements.
Limitations
- Data quality drives results. FDD’s effectiveness depends on how many data points the client provides and how good they are.
- Only connected assets are monitored. Assets without BMS, smart meter or sensor data aren’t covered.
- [CONFIRM] Whether FDD is included in standard CAFMTEK or is an add-on module.
- [CONFIRM] Which BMS brands or protocols FDD supports.
Frequently asked questions
Does FDD create work orders automatically?
Yes. When a threshold is breached, FDD raises an alarm and creates a work order in CAFMTEK, then assigns it to a technician with the right skill set.
Can thresholds be customised?
Yes. Users define alert conditions based on their own operational requirements.
What happens to the alarm after the repair?
When the issue is resolved, CAFMTEK automatically marks the associated alarm as closed.