• Reliability Centered Design
• The Psychology of RCM (Reliability-Centered Mindset)
• Measuring plant performance - The need for metrics standardization
• Master Records are Not Optional! Get the Detail Work Behind You
• Keith Mobley on Developing an Effective Workforce
• Reliability in Design and Procurement
• Developing and Implementing RCM for a Limited Staffed Facility
• Reposition plant culture to achieve EAM results
• Reliability in the Regulatory and Compliance Environment
• Developing a Skilled Workforce: Shaw Industries’ START Program
• Allison Transmission Machine and Equipment Purchase Process
• The Statistical Outliers Are In Control Of Asset Management
• Roadmap for Effective EAM Implementation or Re-implementation
• The Dead Zone In Work Management
• Condition-Based Maintenance - How Do You Solve The Scheduling Challenges
• Completing the P-F Curve
• Help Wanted
• Creating an Asset Management Framework For Successful EAM Configuration
• Blended Training: Combining Live training and e-learning for optimum results
• 99% Reliable 100% of the Time: How an airline meets amazing reliability metrics under the worst of conditions
• Measure Behavior – Measure Success!
• EAM Supporting Lean Maintenance
• Engineering Content Management
• There’s More to Training than Skills Development
• The Concorde Disaster Explained; an interface of Nuclear Work Model & Root Cause Analysis
• Enhancing electrical safety through RCM
• The Optimization Trap
• The Analytics Advantage
• Advanced Degree Programs For Maintenance and Reliability
• A facilitated-group approach to RCM
• Reliability Beyond Maintenance
• Optimized Planning and Scheduling
• Calibration Management and your ERP: have the best of both worlds
• Craft Training Solutions for a Retiring Workforce
• RCM - From Analysis to Action: How to Successfully Implement RCM
• The RCM Project Management Guide
• Maintenance Planning and Scheduling: Back to Basics
• Business applications for iPod generations
• Workforce Development
• When Does It Pay To Use Reliability Centered Maintenance?
• Infrared Thermography As An Asset Management Tool
• Management Considerations for CBM Success
• Air Liquide Breaks Down Condition Monitoring Information Silos

March 23-26, 2009 - Daytona Beach Hilton, Florida
Early bird registration extended because that is something we can do for the recession so sign up today.
Special Team Discount:  Buy 2 passes and get a 1 bonus pass at no cost

Request an RCM-2009 Brochure and Program Guide now or reserve you seat today

Variation is the worst enemy of Reliability and most people are not even aware of it.

How do you reduce Variation and thus increase Reliability of your assets? We could probably make a long detailed list of items on “Causes of Variation” in our maintenance process which impact Reliability, but let’s look at three of the major causes.

Number 1:
Preventive Maintenance (PM) is not effective. It is not the appropriate maintenance strategy to address most failure modes. Even if it was, we continue executing PM, and equipment failures continue to occur. If a PM procedure does not address the prevention or detection of a specific failure, then why do we do it?

Number 2:
Work Procedures for Corrective Maintenance (restoring to a maintainable state). PM, Lubrication, and Operator Care are written in a manner that does not address Variation caused by humans. If a procedure is not written to the lowest level of the people performing the work with the specifications, standards, procedures (step by step), then you have major Variation and you wonder why you have failures! Let’s face the fact, humans do not have an unlimited or infallible memory, so effective procedures and the following of these procedures are critical. No excuses accepted unless you enjoy living in a reactive world.

Number 3:
Managing with metrics which drive the right behavior. I have had people tell me they can not measure Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) or PM Labors vs Emergency Labor Hours, Percent of Assets with No Identifiable Defect. I know everyone has an excuse, so we don’t know where we are until we have a ship wreck. If you are managing with Lagging Metrics, such as cost, you have a problem because we need to be measuring everything before it, which impacts cost, and share a few of those metrics in order to drive the right behavior. I know MTBF is a lagging metric, but I also know it can drive the right behavior when used properly. The great industrialist once stated.

Tip by Ricky Smith, CMRP
Allied Reliability

Please watch this 2 minute video - Variation is Your Enemy

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Maintenance Organizations
Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

For a maintenance organization to effectively accomplish positive change, they must have a vision of what their desired state looks like, and a roadmap of the necessary steps to get them there. Beginning with the end in mind is about creating that vision. The vision not only needs to be quantitative, it also needs to be written down in the form of strategy documents. These documents should cover, Maintenance Strategy, Reliability Strategy, MRO Inventory Strategy, and Employee Strategy. Each of these documents should give details of how the organization will operate – i.e. “what the rules are” in these areas. Created by key members of the organization, often with the aid of a trained facilitator, these documents become guiding principles which can be used to keep the organization on its course. These strategy documents also become the basis for an implementation plan for the organization. Creation of the implementation plan will be covered next in Habit 3, Put First Things First.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Maintenance Organizations, by Paul Swatkowski, MRG, is based on the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey

Cleveland, OH – April 20-22nd, 2009

This 3-day course is designed to benefit a cross-section of the organization – first line and executive leadership, operations, maintenance, procurement, design, and environmental, health and safety – all will come away with information to help you get the most out of your Mechanical Assets and Maintenance program.

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RCM – Is the Task Worth Doing?

The fundamental question at the root of all RCM processes “Is the task applicable and worth doing?”. The best way to determine if a task is worth doing is to compare the cost of Running to Failure (RTF) versus the cost of the proposed task. The cost comparison should include the cost of doing the repair as well as the cost impact of failure such as associated damage or production impact. If the total cost of performing the maintenance tasks is less than the total cost impact of Running To Failure, then the task is justified. Calculating the Cost Benefit Ratios for each task in the maintenance plan helps ensure confidence is maintained in the plan and therefore increases commitment to completing the planned maintenance tasks.

Tip provided by ARMS Reliability Engineers

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SAP users can now integrate OMCS International’s reliability improvement software, PMO2000® directly with SAP.

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Lubricant Drum Storage
While indoor storage of lubricant drums is the most preferred it is not always possible. When storing drums outside – shelter containers from rain, snow and other elements. Never store drums directly on ground, in direct sunlight or where water can collect. If storing drums outside, lay drums on their sides with bungs in a horizontal (3 and 9 o’clock) position below the lubricant level. If drums must be placed upright, employ drum covers or tilt drums to drain the moisture that gathers on top around the bungs.

Tip provided by Paul Dufresne, CMRP, CPMM
Trico Corp
http://www.tricocorp.com

Lack of Understanding, Beliefs, and Commitment Shared by the Entire Organization

Successful endeavors begin with beliefs shared by the entire organization. The origins of such beliefs are common understanding and appreciation. Therefore, organizations must be educated as to the principles, benefits, and contributions of “Reliability gained through Maintenance Excellence.”
Established principles of maintenance management and reliability must be initially instilled through education and subsequently substantiated by bottom-line results.

In many organizations, maintenance is looked upon as a necessary evil, drain on profitability, non-contributor. This perception could not be further from reality, because most operational improvement and reliability initiatives are “Maintenance Dependent!”

The misperception stems from lack of: understanding and consequent appreciation for the maintenance function. Most managers and other organizational members have little-to-no maintenance experience. Often, even maintenance managers, supervisors, and technicians have never worked in anything but an environment of reactive repair. As a result, few members of the overall organization understand the proper functions of Maintenance. Nor do they appreciate the many contributions
proactive maintenance can make to operational reliability, profitability, and business survival.

Reliability is not achieved by rapid response to daily problems, but by pro-active maintenance designed to eliminate or minimize those daily problems. Many people, even entire organizations, believe that “Repair is Maintenance.” It is not! Repair is the consequence of failure to perform identified pro-active maintenance. The distinction is implied by the common functional name:
Maintenance and Repair (M&R). Maintenance is proactive. Notice that “M” comes first because it is the more important. Repair is reactive.

To the detriment of reliability, the “R” commonly consumes a misdirected majority of skilled maintenance resources. Proactive maintenance minimizes reactive emergency response.

Once shared beliefs are established, the next step is to conduct an assessment to identify the gap between beliefs and current conditions. The assessment identifies and quantifies the “Maintenance Iceberg” to establish the bottom-line financial justification and thereby gain management approval for pursuit of world-class reliability through maintenance excellence.

Tip excerpted from The 15 Most Common Obstacles to World-Class Reliability: A Roadmap for Managers a new book by Don Nyman (Courtesy of Industrial Press)