May 01, 2008
Maintenance Tip
Optimizing Preventive Maintenance Programs to Move Away from Reactionary Maintenance
A common mistake often seen in implementing a reliability strategy is to use reliability tools such as RCM analysis, FMEA and RCFA, while the organization is still in a reactive maintenance mode.
At this stage, these tools can produce some quick results that vanish quickly due to the firefighting nature of an organization.
The key point to remember is that the purpose of setting a reliability strategy is to provide a rational and logical base to Preventive Maintenance programs. Cost savings are a result of effective utilization of maintenance resources with increased equipment availability.
The best approach is to first implement key performance indicators and then monitor the effectiveness of existing Preventive Maintenance programs. Make the necessary adjustments to existing programs until reactive maintenance activities are reduced to 15%-20% of all the maintenance work.
This can result in excessive Preventive Maintenance, but resources saved due to having planned work can be utilized in the second stage of the process. Once an organization is out of the reactive mode, it becomes the right time to implement a reliability program with predictive maintenance technologies in order to reduce the reactive workload to 3%-5% of all the maintenance work.
Tip provided by Burhan Zafar
Management Resources Group, Inc.,
http://www.mrginc.net
May 01, 2008
Optimization Tip
Action = Culture
An organization’s culture is not found in the words that are used but in the actions of all personnel.
Safety and quality are two areas that in the past 30 years have been through significant change in what people do, as opposed to what they say they do. That is taking the actions to keep people safe and/or produce quality products rather than just saying that this is important.
If you want to change the culture with respect to maintenance or other activities in your organization insist on the actions that demonstrate the culture you want. Ultimately, people’s actions influence their mindset and this drives their culture. To apply this principle you must ensure that you are walking the talk.
Tip provided by Phillip Slater
Initiate Action
Australia phone: +61 3 9331 3181
USA and Canada call: (800) 581 7678
http://www.InitiateAction.com
May 01, 2008
Ultrasound Level I Certification Class
The three day level I class is for novice and those wanting a more in depth study and understanding of airborne ultrasound for predictive and preventative maintenance.
Students also receive a 200 page study manual to follow along and use as a future reference resource.
BRING YOUR OWN INSTRUMENT FOR ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING during the breaks and at the end of the day!
Find out more about the next Ultrasound Level I Certification Class
May 01, 2008
Maintenance Metric Tip
Developing Key Performance Indicators – Where to Start?
*Actual questions received on the web:
Q: Ricky, Where do you start with Key Performance Indicators?
A: Well, I guess you need to answer the following questions first…..
1. Does all maintenance work get coded and recorded into the maintenance software?
a. Yes
b. No
2. Are you confident that the data in the maintenance software or some other software system is accurate?
a. Yes
b. No
If you answered no to either of these two questions you have a problem. If you aren’t recording it in a reliable place, consistently, you don’t have good data. Essentially, your data set is not a reliable source for performing analysis and making judgments on your maintenance strategy.
You probably haven’t been doing it because there’s so much to measure you feel overwhelmed. You can’t go from where you are to Best Practice in a month, a quarter or even a year. So, now that the pressure to do it quickly is off…..here’s what I recommend. Begin with a metric everyone can understand: Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). This metric can be used if you don’t use a software system very well and if you don’t use one at all.
Tip provided by Ricky Smith, CMRP
Allied Reliability
+1-843-725-8378
Watch The AskRicky Web Workshop Series: How to Develop Proactive Key Performance Indicators
May 01, 2008
Motor Testing Tip
Confirming broken rotor bars in the shop after vibration and/or current signature analysis has indicated the problem can be difficult.
I have seen the growler test and the rotor influence check both fail to confirm a problem. This was due to the broken bars having an acceptable connection with the rotor at room temperatures. Applying a high amp source to the rotor, removed from the stator, and scanning the rotor with an IR camera will quickly identify the problems.
This is quicker and a lot less expensive than load testing. It also locates the problem areas during the same test.
Reader tip provided by Ed Johnson
Sr Eng Tech
Progress Energy
Roxboro North Carolina
Thank you Ed - your Stainless Steel, Diamond Plate, Reliabilityweb.com coffee mug is on the way!
May 01, 2008
Are You Connected?
The Association for Maintenance Professionals is a new not for profit organization that has goal to connect and empower EVERY maintenance professional in the world.
See why 2000 maintenance professionals joined in the first 30 days
May 01, 2008
Alignment Tip
Flexible couplings
The function of a flexible coupling is to accommodate misalignment between the shaft ends only when the shafts are going from cold to hot condition at the equipment start up, or from hot to cold during shut down, or relative shaft movement during process upsets. It is not meant to take compensate for misalignment.
Whatever the coupling type (rigid or flexible), alignment accuracy should remain the same.
Tip provided by Paul Berberian
Alignment Supplies, Inc
(419) 708-5177
May 01, 2008
Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Tip
Naming Protocols and RCM
When performing RCM studies on sections of plant that consist of numerous items of similar equipment, it is possible to get lost or confused with exactly what piece of equipment the group is talking about, or which equipment failure history you are actually reviewing.
It is common in organizations for different people to call equipment by different names. Conveyor No.1 to the Engineer, may be the Overflow Conveyor to the Operations Manager, the Maintenance Supervisor may call it the Sanki Conveyor, the Tradesman may call it the Belt Conveyor and the Finance Manager will have it listed in the Asset Register as something no one has ever heard of !!
One method for reducing potential issues is the implementation of a naming protocol. The adoption of this enables a structured and consistent approach to naming of equipment. Some sites actually label individual items of equipment using a metal tag or label.
The ID on the tag is the same as the ID in the sites CMMS and Asset Register.
This not only facilitates a clear understanding during a RCM process, but can improve the feedback from equipment maintainers when reporting on work done or condition monitoring results, as it is easy to clearly identify and record exactly what piece of equipment has failed / been checked.
When establishing a naming protocol, some things to consider include:
• Future growth of the business (new and additional equipment purchases)
• Consistency with your industry
• Will equipment be moved (will the north motor be swapped with the south motor?)
• Is it as short as possible
• Standardization
• Words, Letters or Numbers
• Common Sense is rarely shared – involve everyone to reduce potential for issues.
Tip provided by ARMS Reliability Engineers
http://www.reliability.com.au
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