Predictive Maintenance Using

Machine Learning
AWS Implementation Guide

Soji Adeshina
Thomas Delteil
Vishaal Kapoor
Nathalie Rauschmayr
Chaitanya Hazarey
Cyrus Vahid

July 2019

Last updated: June 2020 (see revisions)

Copyright (c) 2020 by Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning is licensed under the terms of the Apache License Version 2.0 available
at https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Amazon Web Services – Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning June 2020

Contents
Overview ................................................................................................................................... 3
Cost ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Architecture Overview........................................................................................................... 4
Solution Components ............................................................................................................... 5
Amazon SageMaker ............................................................................................................... 5
Algorithm .............................................................................................................................. 5
Dataset ................................................................................................................................... 5
Considerations .......................................................................................................................... 5
Customization ....................................................................................................................... 5
Regional Deployment ............................................................................................................ 6
AWS CloudFormation Template .............................................................................................. 6
Automated Deployment ........................................................................................................... 6
What We’ll Cover................................................................................................................... 6
Step 1. Launch the Stack ....................................................................................................... 7
Step 2. Run the Notebook ..................................................................................................... 9
Step 3. Enable the CloudWatch Events Rule ........................................................................ 9
Step 4. Verify the Lambda Function Is Processing Data ...................................................... 9
Security ................................................................................................................................... 10
Additional Resources.............................................................................................................. 10
Appendix: Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... 10
Source Code ............................................................................................................................. 11
Document Revisions ................................................................................................................ 11

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About This Guide

This implementation guide discusses architectural considerations and configuration steps for
deploying Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning in the Amazon Web Services
(AWS) Cloud. It includes links to an AWS CloudFormation template that launches and
configures the AWS services required to deploy this solution using AWS best practices for
security and availability.

The guide is intended for developers and data scientists who have practical experience with
machine learning and architecting in the AWS Cloud.

Overview
Many companies rely on people to perform routine diagnostic tests and preventive
maintenance on fixed schedules. This can be a costly, labor-intensive process with little
assurance that failures won’t occur between tests.

Machine learning (ML) can provide a more reliable approach to preventive maintenance. ML
models can help predict the likelihood of asset failure using sensor data, and optimize
schedules for maintenance procedures. This predictive maintenance can help lower
maintenance costs and reduce unscheduled downtime.

Amazon SageMaker is a fully managed service that enables developers and data scientists to
quickly and easily build, train, and deploy machine learning models at any scale. Amazon
SageMaker removes the barriers that typically slow down developers who want to use
machine learning. This ability makes Amazon SageMaker applicable for a variety of use cases,
including predictive maintenance.

To help customers more easily leverage Amazon SageMaker for predictive maintenance,
AWS offers the Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning solution. This solution can
help automate the detection of potential equipment failures, and provide recommended
actions to take. The solution also includes an example dataset but you can modify the solution
to work with any dataset. For more information on the example dataset, see Dataset.

Cost
You are responsible for the cost of the AWS services used while running this solution. As of
the date of publication, the one-time cost to train the solution’s ML model in the US East (N.
Virginia) Region is $3 for the Amazon SageMaker ml.3p.2xlarge training instance. After the
model is trained, the cost to process data from the example dataset is less than $0.01 per

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hour. Prices are subject to change. For full details, see the pricing webpage for each AWS
service you will be using in this solution.

Architecture Overview
Deploying this solution builds the following environment in the AWS Cloud.

Figure 1: Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning architecture on AWS

The AWS CloudFormation template deploys an example dataset of a turbofan degradation

simulation from NASA contained in an Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) bucket
and an Amazon SageMaker endpoint with an ML model that will be trained on the dataset to
predict remaining useful life (RUL).
The solution uses an ml.t2.medium Amazon SageMaker notebook instance to orchestrate the
model, but it uses an ml.3p.2xlarge Amazon SageMaker training instance to perform the
training. The training code and trained model are stored in the solution’s Amazon S3 bucket.
The solution also deploys an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that is configured to run once
per day. The rule is configured to trigger an AWS Lambda function that creates an Amazon
SageMaker batch transform job that uses the trained model to predict RUL from the example
dataset.

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By default, the solution is configured to predict RUL from the example dataset. To use your
own dataset, you must modify the solution. For more information, see Customization.

Solution Components
Amazon SageMaker
Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning uses an Amazon SageMaker notebook
instance, which is a fully managed machine learning (ML) Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud
(Amazon EC2) compute instance that runs the solution’s Jupyter notebook. The notebook is
used to orchestrate the model training and deploy the solution’s ML model. For more
information on notebook instances, see Use Notebook Instances in the Amazon SageMaker
Developer Guide.

By default, the solution uses an ml.t2.medium instance. But, you can modify the solution to
use a different instance type based on your specific needs.

Algorithm
Amazon SageMaker enables you to train custom deep learning models using your preferred
deep learning framework. This solution leverages a custom stack long short-term memory
(LSTM) neural network for learning historical patterns from time-series data. The stacked
LSTM neural network training and inference code is implemented with Apache MXNet deep
learning framework. Apache MXNet is a fast and scalable training and inference framework
with an easy-to-use, concise API for machine learning. For more information, see Apache
MXNet on AWS.

Dataset
Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning contains a publicly available turbofan
engine degradation simulation data set from NASA that is used to train the solution’s
machine learning (ML) model and run inference with the model. The dataset was carried out
using commercial modular aero-propulsion system simulation (C-MAPSS). Four different
sets were simulated under different combinations of operational conditions and fault modes.
Several sensor channels were recorded for the dataset to characterize fault evolution. For
more information, see the appendix.

Considerations
Customization
By default, Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning uses a NASA dataset to train the
machine learning (ML) model. However, you can customize the solution to use your own

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dataset. To train the model on your own dataset, you must modify the included notebook to
point the model to your dataset and to convert your dataset to an Apache MXNet Gluon
dataset. You must also modify the solution’s AWS Lambda function to process and transform
your sensor data during inference.

The solution’s Amazon CloudWatch Events rule is configured to trigger once per day by
default. But, you can modify the rule to trigger an interval for your specific needs.

Regional Deployment
Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning uses Amazon SageMaker which is currently
available in specific AWS Regions only. Therefore, you must launch this solution in a region
where Amazon SageMaker is available.1

AWS CloudFormation Template

This solution uses AWS CloudFormation to automate the deployment of the Predictive
Maintenance Using Machine Learning solution in the AWS Cloud. It includes the following
AWS CloudFormation template, which you can download before deployment:

predictive-maintenance-using-machine-learning.template:
View template
Use this template to launch the solution and all associated
components. The default configuration deploys an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule, an AWS
Lambda function, an Amazon SageMaker notebook instance, and an Amazon Simple Storage
Service (Amazon S3) bucket, but you can also customize the template based on your specific
needs.

Automated Deployment
Before you launch the automated deployment, review the considerations discussed in this
guide. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this section to configure and deploy Predictive
Maintenance Using Machine Learning into your account.
Time to deploy: Approximately five minutes

What We’ll Cover

The procedure for deploying this architecture on AWS consists of the following steps. For
detailed instructions, follow the links for each step.

1 For the most current service availability by region, see https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/regional-

product-services/

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Step 1. Launch the Stack

• Launch the AWS CloudFormation template into your AWS account.
• Enter values for required parameters: Stack Name, Model and Data Bucket Name
• Review the other template parameters, and adjust if necessary.

Step 2. Run the Notebook

• Run the Jupyter Notebook to train the ML model.

Step 3. Enable the CloudWatch Events Rule

• Enable the Amazon CloudWatch Events rule.
Step 4. Verify the Lambda Function Is Processing Data
• Verify that the AWS Lambda function is processing data.

Step 1. Launch the Stack

This automated AWS CloudFormation template deploys Predictive Maintenance Using
Machine Learning in the AWS Cloud.

Note: You are responsible for the cost of the AWS services used while running this
solution. See the Cost section for more details. For full details, see the pricing webpage
for each AWS service you will be using in this solution.

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and click the button

Launch
to the right to launch the predictive-maintenance- Solution
using-machine-learning AWS CloudFormation
template.
You can also download the template as a starting point for your own implementation.
2. The template is launched in the US East (N. Virginia) Region by default. To launch the
solution in a different AWS Region, use the region selector in the console navigation bar.

Note: This solution uses the Amazon SageMaker service, which is currently available
in specific AWS Regions only. Therefore, you must launch this solution in an AWS
Region where this service is available. For the most current availability by region, see
AWS service offerings by region.

3. On the Create stack page, verify that the correct template URL shows in the Amazon
S3 URL text box and choose Next.
4. On the Specify stack details page, assign a name to your solution stack.

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5. Under Parameters, review the parameters for the template and modify them as
necessary.
This solution uses the following default values.
Parameter Default Description

Amazon S3 Bucket Configuration

Model and Data <Requires input> Specify a name for a solution-created Amazon S3
Bucket Name bucket where Amazon SageMaker model and
training data will be stored.
SageMaker S3 pred-maintenance- The Amazon S3 prefix Amazon SageMaker uses
Prefix artifacts/ for training and transformation jobs.
Amazon SageMaker Model Configuration
SageMaker pred-maintenance- The name of the model and training job.
Model Name mxnet-model
Model Training ml.p3.2xlarge The SageMaker instance type for the model
Instance Type training job.
Amazon SageMaker Batch Transform Configuration
Prediction Input pred-maintenance- The input file to process and batch transform.
File artifacts/data/test-
0.csv
Batch Transform pred-maintenance- The S3 location for the processed input file for
Input S3 Location artifacts/batch- batch transforms.
transform-input
Prediction pred-maintenance- The S3 location for the batch transform output.
Transform artifacts/batch-
Results S3 inference
Location
VPC Configuration
Use VPC for Yes Choose whether to create a VPC endpoint for the
SageMaker S3 bucket and a notebook instance in a VPC. This
Notebook parameter uses an existing VPC in the AWS
account. Select No if you don’t want to deploy the
notebook instance in a VPC.
VPC Id <Requires input> Select the VPC Id that will deploy the SageMaker
notebook instance. If the Use VPC for
SageMaker notebook parameter is set to No,
the solution ignores the VPC Id.
Subnet Id <Requires input> Select the Subnet Id for the notebook instance.
If the Use VPC for SageMaker notebook
parameter is set to No, the solution ignores the
Subnet Id.

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6. Choose Next.
7. On the Configure stack options page, choose Next.
8. On the Review page, review and confirm the settings. Be sure to check the box
acknowledging that the template will create AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
resources.
9. Choose Create stack to deploy the stack.
You can view the status of the stack in the AWS CloudFormation Console in the Status
column. You should see a status of CREATE_COMPLETE in approximately five minutes.

Step 2. Run the Notebook

1. Navigate to the Amazon SageMaker console.
2. In the navigation pane, select Notebook instances.
3. Select PredictiveMaintenanceNotebookInstance.
The notebook instance should already be running.
4. Select Open Jupyter.
5. In the Jupyter notebook interface, open the
sagemaker_predictive_maintenance.ipynb file.
6. In the Cell dropdown menu, select Run All to run the file.

Step 3. Enable the CloudWatch Events Rule

1. Navigate to the AWS Lambda console.
2. In the navigation pane, select Functions.
3. Select the predictive-maintenance-batch-transformer Lambda function.
4. In the diagram in the Designer tab, select CloudWatch Events.
5. In the CloudWatch Events tab, select <stackname>-ScheduledRule-<id>.
6. Select Actions > Enable.
7. Select Enable.

Step 4. Verify the Lambda Function Is Processing Data

1. Navigate to the AWS Lambda console.
2. In the navigation pane, select Functions.
3. Select the predictive-maintenance-batch-transformer Lambda function.

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4. Select Monitoring and verify that the Invocations graph shows activity.
After a few minutes, check the results Amazon S3 location for batch transform output.

Security
When you build systems on AWS infrastructure, security responsibilities are shared between
you and AWS. This shared model can reduce your operational burden as AWS operates,
manages, and controls the components from the host operating system and virtualization
layer down to the physical security of the facilities in which the services operate. For more
information about security on AWS, visit the AWS Security Center.

Additional Resources
• Amazon SageMaker
• AWS Lambda
• Amazon CloudWatch Events
• Amazon Simple Storage Service
• AWS CloudFormation

Appendix: Acknowledgements
Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning contains a publicly available turbofan
degradation simulation dataset from NASA that is used to train the solution’s machine
learning (ML) model and run inference with the model.

• A. Saxena and K. Goebel (2008). Turbofan engine degradation simulation data set. NASA
Ames Prognostic Data Repository, NASA Ames, Moffett Field, CA.

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Source Code
You can visit our GitHub repository to download the templates and scripts for this solution,
and to share your customizations with others.

Document Revisions
Date Change
July 2019 Initial publication

June 2020 Pinned the version of gluon-nlp in the requirements file to a specific version; added VPC
support for a notebook instance

Notices

Customers are responsible for making their own independent assessment of the information in this document.
This document: (a) is for informational purposes only, (b) represents current AWS product offerings and
practices, which are subject to change without notice, and (c) does not create any commitments or assurances
from AWS and its affiliates, suppliers or licensors. AWS products or services are provided “as is” without
warranties, representations, or conditions of any kind, whether express or implied. The responsibilities and
liabilities of AWS to its customers are controlled by AWS agreements, and this document is not part of, nor
does it modify, any agreement between AWS and its customers.

Predictive Maintenance Using Machine Learning is licensed under the terms of the Apache License Version 2.0
available at https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.

© 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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