January 18, 2007
Root Cause Analysis Tip
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF… Industry is not flowing over with mostly sophisticated Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Analysts contrary to the impression that the RCA “gurus” may give the marketplace! Many people search the web trying to learn more about this term they keep hearing called RCA. They are provided thousands of hits on their internet searches and that even further confuses them. They join online discussion RCA forums and “lurk” for a while trying to hear what the reality is on the floor. They find that these discussion forums are dominated by RCA providers and veteran users oftentimes from the nuclear industry. The “lurkers” hang in the wings picking up valuable tidbits of information that may help them. However, they do not participate because they feel like their efforts are so far behind what is the “norm” for RCA on these forums. The problem is that what these people perceive as the “norm” is not the “norm” at all. The lurker’s own experience is actually the “norm”! The majority of folks in industry searching for basic RCA information are the norm. If they knew it all they would not be searching for the basics. If you are a lurker you should actively participate in these forums because you represent the majority and you will be breaking the ice for everyone else that wants to say something but has been hesitant to do so. Go ahead, break the ice!
Tip provided by Bob Latino
Reliability Center Inc.
http://www.reliabilitycenter.com
Reliability Magazine A+ Learning Event: Root Cause Analysis Feb 21-22 - Charlotte NC
January 18, 2007
Plant Start Up Tips
Many organizations manage new projects and shutdown activities from a technical perspective.
World class organizations implement projects from a customer service perspective which means reliable capacity is a must. These organizations accomplish this by having a vision of reliable capacity and having everyone in the organization understand their role to contribute to reliable capacity. How do you develop this vision? Do you know the 12 reliability deliverables which need to be completed prior to starting up a plant?
Tip provided by Kevin Lewton
Met Demand LLC
http://www.metdemand.com
January 18, 2007
CMMS/EAM Tip
A Complete View of CMMS/EAM Implementations
After decades of experiences, most CMMS/EAM implementations are not viewed as successful.
In a recent live survey conducted at IMC – 2006 in Daytona Beach, Florida, it is still apparent that companies do not take a holistic view of their implementation. There are four major aspects that must be addressed:
1. Software & Technology - The software and technology aspect of the implementation must address not just the system requirements, but the technology used to deploy the software.
2. Business Processes - The business processes aspect of the implementation will insure the maintenance and reliability practices are properly aligned to support the CMMS/EAM system
3. Personnel & Skills - The personnel and skills aspect will address the training requirements for using the new system
4. Financial Business Drivers – Financial benefits need to be continually presented to senior management, to support necessary on-going training and enhancements to optimize the CMMS/EAM system.
While CMMS/EAM systems have been used for decades, companies still overlook these four major areas during an implementation. If you are just starting an implementation, re-implementing, or trying to optimize an existing CMMS/EAM system, examining these four areas can help you reach a high level of utilization and/or optimization.
Tip provided by Terry Wireman
Vesta Partners, LLC
http://www.vestapartners.com
January 18, 2007
RouteIR – New Infrared Program Management Software Suite
RouteIR brings a totally new level of capability to anyone conducting an infrared inspection PdM program. RouteIR features a simple to use database and import wizard that simplifies importing the information about the assets you routinely inspect from your existing CMMS or EAM system.
Organize your assets into routes and upload detailed data into the HotShot camera that features a highly intuitive user interface that feature route point instructions and the ability to operate in three modes.
Route Mode – User follows predetermine route using uploaded database
Learn Mode – Use the camera to create a route. This is a useful mode for setting up a thermography program.
Survey Mode – Bring all the details about a location’s assets but without the point by point prompts typical in a route.
RouteIR will change the way you do infrared inspections. For the BETTER!
January 18, 2007
Reliability Tip
A Tip for Improving Equipment Reliability
Look at your most often failing equipment, map the failure dates on a timeline and note the failing components for each occurrence. Then look at your work order history and map the PM and non-PM work orders with the maintenance activity and completion dates for the work performed on that same equipment on the timeline.
Through this comparison you can adjust your PM inspections to schedule them before the next MTBF cycle and add a check for the specific failing components. You can also identify if some failures are from maintenance-related activity.
Tip provided by AssetPoint
January 18, 2007
The Dirty Dozen: 12 Ways to Wreck Your Maintenance Program
Avoid Measurement at All Costs (9 of 12)
The saying goes, “You can’t change what you can’t measure”, and it’s true. So, if your maintenance program is limping along, and you are not doing much measurement, you might as well leave things alone. If you start to measure anything, it will either point the finger at a problem to be fixed, or identify you or another maintenance program wrecker as the culprit. This is not helpful to your cause.
A good analogy for running a maintenance organization without measurement is driving a car down the highway with the windshield painted black. You can’t see where you are going, you can’t tell if you are going the right way, and you can’t see any obstacles that might be in your path. The interesting thing is that no one would ever drive a car this way, but people are willing to blindly operate a maintenance program with no measures for decades.
Get out your paintbrush, avoid those measurements, and put your maintenance program in the ditch today!
Tune in next week as we continue to expose the secret lives of seriously disturbed maintenance “professionals” with The Dirty Dozen Tip #10: If You Make a Mistake, Blame Others & Emphasize by Pointing and Laughing.
“Tip” provided by NoBreakDowns.com
Tel: (218) 327-3114
http://www.NoBreakDowns.com
Editors note: Sorry for the delay in completing this series - TO
Receive a complimentary Dirty Dozen: 12 Ways to Wreck Your Maintenance Program electronic poster
January 11, 2007
Maintenance Tip
After experiencing a high failure rate in extremely dusty and abrasive material environments, we decided to look for solutions to high wear and scoring problems on our hydraulic cylinder shafts. These materials became embedded in the seals, and wore the shafts even though protective sleeves were installed. The answer was through ceramic coating the shafts. After undercutting the shaft surface a few thousands of an inch to support the coating, they were sent to a specialty coating manufacturer for the coating. The resulting MTTF was increased three-fold, but because of MTTR was long, the resulting morale increase in the maintenance staff was a pleasant by product of the new process.
Reader Tip submitted by Thomas Heiserman, Maintenance Solutions Group
Thanks Thomas - your Maintenance Tips hat is on the way!
January 11, 2007
Vibration Analysis Tip
TIME WAVEFORM TIP
These days, Time Waveform Analysis is commonly used only as a method of providing confirming evidence of a machinery fault signature indicated in the vibration spectrum. Normal machinery trending will not require the measurement of a TWF unless that machine is a gearbox, or one that operates at relatively low speeds (less than 300 RPM or so). Analysis of broken tooth faults in gearbox applications are a must for TWF analysis. The frequency of the broken tooth occurs at 1x RPM and is usually masked by rotating speed response in the spectrum. Enhancement of bearing defects in low speed machines is provided in the TWF as well. In addition to the bearing fault impact rate, modulation of this fault (rotation through the load zone) can be can be detected effectively in the time domain.
Tip by Dan Ambre, P.E.
Full Spectrum Diagnostics, PLLC
Phone: 763-577-9959
http://www.fullspec.net
January 11, 2007
Motor Testing Tip
Using the kVA/HP Code, A Voltmeter and Ammeter to Commission an Electric Motor
This process can be used with either new or repaired electric motors. Using the nameplate information of a three phase induction motor, you can obtain the current, horsepower and kVA/HP Code. These values can be used to calculate the inrush, or locked rotor, current of the motor. The ammeter and voltmeter must each have the ability to capture min/max readings. Connect the ammeter to Phase A and the voltmeter leads between Phase A and B with the ammeter set to capture max current and the voltmeter set to capture minimum voltage. Start the motor and obtain the results from both instruments.
January 11, 2007
Predictive Maintenance Tip
If you want to stay up to date with Predictive Maintenance case studies - you will find each issue of Uptime Magazine a “must read” from cover to cover.
Each and every issue features:
* Vibration Analysis
* Infrared Thermal Imaging
* Electrical Motor Testing
* Airborne Ultrasound
* Lubrication/Oil Analysis
* Precision Alignment/Balancing
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