Linking RCM Facilitation with Effective Maintenance Program Implementation

Most of us would agree that there is a new global economy being forged right now in the manufacturing sector.

Inevitably, this translates to a renewed focus on transferring more business value to the customer. Central to this will be linking RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance) facilitation with effective maintenance program implementations.

In short, the difference between what we, as RCM Facilitators, have been doing in the past and what we will be doing from now on is: a strong emphasis on what tactics are required in order to achieve the failure management strategies an RCM Team defines.

That is, we will conduct the decisions phase of the analysis somewhat differently. (i.e. The 3rd pass through when walking-the-dog in an RCM analysis) [Read more…]

by James Kovacevic 1 Comment

The Black Hole of Maintenance

black hole image — Photo by Steve Jurvetson

Where Maintenance Requests Go But Never Appear to Escape From- the Backlog.

This is exactly what some operations staff think of when we tell them to submit a work request.

It means that they do not think that the work will be completed, or it will after it no longer matters to them.

What if you called the cable company and reported an issue? You would expect prompt service, and would expect that you would not have to chase them down to do the work correct? Maintenance is a service organization that enables the successful operation of the business.

The business shouldn’t have to chase us down or wonder if we will repair the equipment. [Read more…]

by Adam Bahret Leave a Comment

Seminar: Reliability Testing Outputs as Program Inputs

This is the second session from the Annual Apex Ridge Reliability Seminar held in Boston.

The session focus was how to best use specialized testing technique outputs as effective program inputs. There are simple steps for hooking the information from the test data into the correct program management decision points.

Very often opportunities are missed in programs by aligning testing outputs with incorrect program phases. [Read more…]

by Greg Hutchins 2 Comments

Basics: Project Risk Management

Guest Post by Rod Farrar (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)

The project management body of knowledge generally focuses on scope management, time management, and cost management. Risk management generally comes in at about 8th place out of the ten.

However, risk management is potentially the biggest part of the project management planning process.

Often organizations assign resources, dollars and time to project objectives to know exactly when the project is going to finish, how much it is going to cost and what resources are needed.

The problem with doing this is they have not identified risks. [Read more…]

by Mike Sondalini 1 Comment

Job Descriptions Tell Tradesmen What to Do

Abstract

The first words a maintainer will read when they pick up a work order is the job description. The job description must tell him enough information about the work so he can understand what to do.

Keywords: CMMS, computerized maintenance management system, planning, breakdown repair, corrective. [Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg Leave a Comment

Performing the Right Corrective Action

When something doesn’t work as expected, it is a failure. A common response to a failure by an organization is to restore the system or remedy the situation.

Each failure is unique to the product, industry, customer situation, expectations, etc. Selecting the appropriate response or corrective action when confronted with a failure may or may not be obvious.

Selecting the right corrective action depends on the business and legal factors, along with customer expectations.

For a given failure, thinking through the range of possible responses and selecting the right one takes care to meet the various stakeholder’s requirements or expectations. [Read more…]

by Kevin Stewart Leave a Comment

What is the Goal Of a Reliability Initiative?

Change happens slowly

The goal of a reliability initiative is to save money, not to “install” a system.

If that is not your current goal, then how did it get changed? Change sometimes happens slowly, so slowly that we don’t notice it.

I’m reminded of a fable about a camel and a Bedouin. It is cold outside and the [Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg 2 Comments

The Environmental and Use Manual

Environmental and Use Manual

How well can you describe the use conditions your product will experience?

How well do you need to know the use conditions?

For some situations, the environment for your product is assessable, others are not. For some situations, we guess the range of expected stresses, others we measure.

The design process and the myriad decisions that impact product reliability rely on characterized environmental stresses.

A great place to consolidate how and where customers will use your product (including the relevant stress factors) is in an environmental manual. [Read more…]

by Doug Plucknette Leave a Comment

Engaging Your Workforce

Engagement

A word that has several meanings- most think of an upcoming wedding, a young couple excited about the idea of getting married, starting a home and a family together and all the exciting things that come with being in love.

But this isn’t the kind of engagement I want to talk about today. [Read more…]

by James Reyes-Picknell Leave a Comment

Searching for Quick Fixes Now Leads to Problems Down the Road

I want it now and I want it cheap! Oh – and I don’t want to do any work for it.

When it comes to information, entertainment, finding your way around and communications these days, we more or less literally have it all at our fingertips and available to us just about anywhere.

We can even order and pay for coffee to pick up on our way from the commuter train to the office – no lineups for delays. We can book hotels, airlines and rental cars at the touch of our fingers with apps that show us the cheapest options.

We live in a world where instant gratification is a reality in many aspects of our private lives.

Consumer electronics has transformed a great deal of business – basically, anything where there is a service or goods that a consumer might buy on their own, we can get it easily and immediately.

We’ve grown used to instant gratification in much [Read more…]

by James Kovacevic 4 Comments

What is Maintenance Planning?

Measuring tape on construction drawing — Photo by Markus Spike

Understanding what is included in maintenance planning will enable your program to be successful.

Maintenance planning = doing things right. Identifying and addressing any possible issues ahead of time enables our craft to complete work quickly and correctly.

Maintenance planning identifies the what, why and the how. These three items allow the planner to identify most potential issues and provide the information, and materials to avoid them. [Read more…]

by Greg Hutchins Leave a Comment

Solution Aversion

Guest Post by Ed Perkins (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)

There is no end to helpful advice about making decisions.

Most of this advice assumes that decision-making is fact-based, procedural, and decision-makers can follow a process. You need to have proper “framing”, know desired outcomes, be objective, evaluate alternatives, etc.

In theory, this is very good advice. [Read more…]

by Mike Sondalini Leave a Comment

Agitator Shafts Thrust Bearing

Vertical tank agitator bearings are required to take both radial and thrust loads.

To protect the gearbox it is common practice to install intermediate bearings on the shaft. If these bearings are exposed to the process vapors then special care is needed to protect them from contamination and ensure adequate lubrication.

Keywords: thrust bearing, bearing stool, roller bearing. [Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg 4 Comments

Building and Using a System Reliability Model

From the simplest to the most complex system, building and using a reliability model permits the entire team to make better decisions.

Understanding and monitoring system reliability involves knowing both:

the reliability of elements within the system,
as well as how the elements relate to each other reliability-wise.

We use system reliability models to identify weak links, and focus resources, to meet our desired reliability goals.

Being able to build the right model to meet your team’s needs best is one of your roles as a reliability professional. [Read more…]

by Adam Bahret Leave a Comment

Annual Apex Ridge Seminar “Balancing Reliability with Product Development Goals”

We just held the Annual Apex Ridge/NEHALT seminar, sponsored by Qualmark. We had a full house again which was great. This year’s seminar was in three sections.

The first section discussed the methodology for balancing reliability with other product goals during a development program.

The second session was on Reliability testing tools and how to use their outputs to steer program decisions and design improvement. The third session was on specialized HALT testing techniques. [Read more…]