Your Reliability Engineering Professional Development Site
According to the Institute of Asset Management, an asset management strategy is a “long-term optimized approach to management of the assets, derived from, and consistent with, the organizational strategic plan and the asset management policy.” Stated differently, an asset management strategy is a high-level but very important document that guides asset management activities within an organization.
In all production facilities, the success of most business operations is closely tied to the performance of their maintenance operations. On a busy plant floor, for example, all it takes is for a critical machine to breakdown mid-production and the ripple effects begin; from lost deadlines to stressed staff, wasted materials, and so on.
Identifying exactly when an asset will fail still remains a big priority and “tools” like the p-f curve are here to guide us in the right direction.
The buzzword, “continual improvement,” is a hard one to miss. No matter how it’s worded, the notion of making changes that positively affect your business isn’t new. If you’re exploring ways to continually improve your maintenance operations, consider the benefits of integrating your computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) with other business applications. Software integrations can vastly increase the efficiency of your everyday operations and processes. Read on to learn our top CMMS integrations for your business.
Combining CMMS software with other relevant components of your organization helps eliminate duplicate or redundant processes. For example, critical information that is typically only found in a CMMS can be utilized by additional departments to improve the accuracy of their operations. The likelihood of errors decreases dramatically when systems communicate directly with one another. [Read more…]
The relationship between maintenance planning and scheduling is similar to that of love and marriage, peanut butter and jelly, or bacon and eggs. It’s difficult to have one without the other. Each of these vital disciplines influences the other. But each is a distinct and separate process and, when performed properly, not really a feat of engineering but more an art form due to the vast number of activities required.
The disciplines for maintenance planning and scheduling are among the premises leading to the utilization of CMMS programs. It is helpful to have a solid, proven manual system in place for planning and scheduling before embarking upon utilization of a CMMS program for planning and scheduling. If a well-defined and functioning manual system exists, it makes the transition to the computerized system easier and more understandable. [Read more…]
Schools and universities can host hundreds to thousands of individuals each day. And from classrooms and offices to cafeterias and restrooms, there are many facilities and buildings to maintain. Not to mention critical equipment and systems such as HVAC, alarms, sprinklers and more. Ensuring everything is in working order is crucial so that schools and universities can not only function, but also keep students, faculty, staff and visitors safe. Computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) for schools helps accomplish these critical goals. There a number of CMMS software benefits for schools and universities.
As we enter 2020, it’s evident that many of the changes that are sweeping through maintenance management will continue. The major push behind these changes includes the need for improved resource allocation, optimization of capacity, and increased safety performance/compliance.
With that in mind, this is an ideal time to review some of the biggest topics and trends in maintenance that are shaping maintenance practices and consider their relevance for reliability professionals.
A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is an application that allows for effective management of all types of maintenance activities. This includes maintenance budgeting for expenses such as labor, parts and miscellaneous costs for completion of work orders, replacement of equipment at the end of its useful life, as well as tracking of special projects and purchasing.
Operating a maintenance department cost efficiently without having a plan that outlines the working budget is difficult. Often decisions are based on guesswork or emergencies with no real data to show when, where or how maintenance was performed in the past and what is needed in the future.
As a provider of CMMS software and services for over 30 years, we hear common challenges affecting maintenance managers, technicians, teams and overall bottom lines for companies. Luckily, computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) was developed to help overcome these challenges. Read on to learn more about specific maintenance challenges and how features available within CMMS help resolve each one.
Need a better way to reduce unplanned downtime and have the ability to plan and schedule preventive maintenance (PM) more effectively.
After you’ve purchased computerized maintenance management software (CMMS), your work is done. Implementation will be a breeze, all users will quickly learn the system and your organization will begin reaping benefits immediately. Although this scenario is possible, it’s very unlikely. Companies that carve out ample time for CMMS training typically experience the most success with their software.
There’s no denying the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) on our everyday lives. Connected devices provide us with the convenience we’ve become so accustomed to. Take the Amazon Echo, for example. It’s much easier to ask Alexa to add an item to your grocery list than it is to write it down. But IoT technology doesn’t just impact consumers, it’s transforming the way companies do business. And integrating IoT with CMMS software opens up a world of new possibilities for maintenance management professionals.
The use of CMMS (computerized maintenance management systems) software to streamline maintenance operations and reduce costs has existed for many years. However, new capabilities within CMMS software have been realized thanks to IoT technology. Aside from convenience, the IoT provides greater reliability through its vast data connections. Going back to the Amazon Echo example, you can’t always rely on yourself to remember to bring a written grocery list with you to the store. But you can rely on a list generated by a cloud-based voice service and access it through your mobile device. Data stored within the cloud works to the same advantage for maintenance professionals—it gives them the ability to simplify and improve many tasks.
With industry statistics like the one from a joint study by the Wall Street Journal and Emerson, it’s no wonder that more manufacturers are looking for ways to proactively handle unplanned machine downtime. Among several issues discussed, the study states that unplanned downtime costs manufacturers about $50 billion per year. Furthermore, it mentions that outdated maintenance programs waste resources and potentially expose staff to higher safety risks.
Preventive maintenance software can provide a number of benefits for organizations. From increasing labor productivity to extending equipment life, these benefits can significantly impact a company’s bottom line. However, outcomes of preventive maintenance software largely depend on the software program selected. Consider these essential functions when selecting preventive maintenance software:
At the heart of any computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is the ability to schedule preventive maintenance tasks. Since preventive maintenance is essentially planning ahead, a CMMS should allow you to create a maintenance schedule for each piece of equipment. Within each schedule, a complete set of required inspections and manufacturer’s guidelines should be adhered to. Comprehensive maintenance schedules help ensure all equipment operates in peak condition and helps prevent unplanned repairs.
The ability to make smarter asset management decisions is one of the main benefits of implementing computerized maintenance management software (CMMS). And the driving forces behind that ability are the reporting and dashboard features. Data mining is arguably the most important CMMS feature of all—it’s certainly a feature you should assess carefully when comparing software options. The CMMS reporting feature helps organizations accomplish the following:
Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), or quantifiable metrics that reflect performance, allows maintenance managers to measure success. Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) is a common KPI reported on within CMMS software. It reflects the amount of time lapsed between occurrences of asset failure, enabling maintenance staff to pinpoint problem assets. For example, a low MTBF for a specific piece of equipment could indicate there’s an underlying issue. Reporting KPI measurements such as these help maintenance managers spot potential trends leading to equipment breakdown and lags in production.
Equipment failure is a reality that cuts across every industry. And when it occurs, its impact can vary from minimal inconveniences with localized damages that are easily contained and repaired, to significant incidents with damaging effects on the environment accompanied by several health and safety implications.
When using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), proper naming conventions are important to its success. Although it may take time in the upfront planning phase to define IDs for assets, parts, resources, maintenance procedures, etc., the outcome will be well worth the extra effort. Appropriate CMMS naming conventions provide a streamlined process for easily finding information and reporting.
While a state of the art CMMS system provides extensive query capability by most data fields, it still makes sense to think about and craft proper naming standards. Your CMMS vendor should be able to provide recommendations that have stood the test of time and worked well for their customers. Most important to the success of a streamlined and efficient system is to document your organization’s conventions in the maintenance standard operating procedures (SOPs) and provide proper training on the SOPs, along with the software training provided by your CMMS vendor. Once users know the established standards and how to use their CMMS system, finding needed information is a snap.