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ОглавлениеYour system is perfectly designed to give you the results that you get.
—W. EDWARDS DEMING
After reading this chapter, you will be able to understand:
• Why maintenance should be done
• Objectives of maintenance
• Benefits of maintenance
• Types of maintenance approaches and practices
• Purpose of CMMS/EAM
• Maintenance quality challenges
• Importance of assessing your maintenance program regularly
What Is Maintenance, and Why Is It Important?
Maintenance is concerned with keeping an asset in good working condition so that the asset may be used to its full productive capacity. The maintenance function includes both upkeep and repairs. The dictionary defines maintenance as “the work of keeping something in proper condition.” A broader definition is:
• Keep in “designed” or an acceptable condition.
• Keep from losing partial or full functional capabilities.
• Preserve, protect.
This definition implies that the term maintenance includes tasks performed to prevent failures and tasks performed to restore the asset to its original condition.
However, the new paradigm of maintenance is related to capacity assurance. With proper maintenance, the capacity of an asset can be realized at the designed level. For example, the designed capacity of production equipment of x units per hour could be realized only if the equipment is operated without considerable downtime for repairs as well as other maintenance actions.
An acceptable capacity level is a target capacity level set by management. This level cannot be any more than the designed capacity. Consider production equipment that is designed to make 500 units per hour at a maintenance cost of $150 per hour. If the equipment is down 10% of the time at this level of maintenance, the production level will be reduced to 450 units per hour. However, if the maintenance department, working with the production department together as a team,can find a way to reduce the downtime from 10% to 5% at a slightly increased maintenance cost/hour, this reduction will increase the output by another 25 units/hour. Therefore, it is conceivable that management would be able to justify the increased maintenance cost. Thus, capacity could be increased closer to designed capacity by reducing downtime.
Unfortunately, literature related to maintenance practices over the past few decades indicates that most companies did not commit the necessary resources to maintain assets in proper working order. Rather, assets were allowed to fail; then whatever resources needed were committed to repair or replace the failed assets or components. In fact, maintenance function was viewed as the necessary evil and did not receive the attention it deserved.
However, in the last several years, this practice has changed dramatically. The corporate world has been recognizing the reality that maintenance does add value. It has been very encouraging to watch maintenance move from so-called backroom operations to the corporate boardroom. For example, back in its 2006 annual report to investment brokers, the CEO of Eastman Chemical included slides related to maintenance and reliability, stressing the company’s strategy of increasing equipment availability by committing adequate resources for maintenance. More recently, in February 2019, in its Investor’s Day presentation, Jacobs Engineering discussed how it has implemented an “Intelligent Asset Management” process that includes an advanced maintenance reliability, predictive technology program at the company’s various locations to achieve higher availability with a substantial amount of savings. Again, it shows that maintenance reliability is being discussed in the boardroom.
Key Maintenance Practices
Many organizations have many different approaches and practices when it comes to their maintenance programs. All have the basic requirement to keep their facility’s assets at whatever capacity level is necessary for the organization’s current operational needs. Some maintenance programs are more structured than others. Some are based on reliability/RCM (reliability-centered maintenance) analysis. Many organizations even develop an annual or multiyear maintenance program plan to guide their maintenance decisions strategically and tactically. In fact,some organizations have a maintenance program whether they admit it or not; their program will simply be more costly than it has to be because they will live in a reactive maintenance state.
Asset
Something (such as a component or device, software, or system) that has potential or actual value to an organization. The value can be tangible or intangible, financial or nonfinancial, or can be actual physical resources of an organization. In our context, an asset can be equipment, machines, a mobile fleet, or systems, or their parts and components, including software that performs a specific function or provides a service; sometimes also referred to as physical assets.
Backlog Maintenance
Maintenance tasks that are essential to repair or prevent equipment failures that have not been completed yet. Simply, it lists all work waiting to be done.
Capital Project Maintenance (CPM)
Major repairs, e.g., overhauls and turnaround projects valued over a certain threshold, are sometimes treated as capital projects for tax purposes. If projects are essential to restoring the asset to the designed capacity—not to add additional capabilities—they should be treated as maintenance costs.
Component
An item or subassembly of an asset, usually modular and replaceable, sometimes serialized depending on the criticality of its application; interchangeable with other standard components such as the belt of a conveyor, the motor of a pump unit, or a bearing.
Computerized Maintenance Management System/ Enterprise Asset Management (CMMS/EAM)
A software system that keeps a record of and tracks all maintenance activities, e.g., maintenance work orders, PM schedules, PM masters, material parts, work plans, and asset history. Usually, it is integrated with support systems such as inventory control, purchasing, accounting, and manufacturing, and controls maintenance and warehouse activities.
Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM)
Maintenance based on the actual condition (health) of an asset as determined from noninvasive measurements and tests. CBM allows maintenance actions to be optimized by avoiding traditional calendar- or runtime-directed maintenance tasks. The terms condition-based maintenance and predictive maintenance are used interchangeably.
Corrective Maintenance (CM)
Activities undertaken (or repair actions initiated) as a result of observed or measured conditions of an asset after or before the functional failure. These repair actions will restore the asset to normal operating condition.
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
A technique to examine an asset, process, or design to determine potential ways it can fail and the potential effects (consequences) on required functions. FMEA can also identify appropriate mitigation tasks for the highest-priority risks.
Operator-Based Maintenance (OBM)
OBM involves operators performing some basic maintenance activities. Operator-based maintenance is a cost-effective practice to perform minor routine and recurring maintenance tasks by the operators to keep the asset working efficiently for its intended purpose. This is also known as total productive maintenance (TPM) or autonomous maintenance.
Predictive Maintenance (PdM)
A maintenance strategy based on the actual condition (health) of an asset as determined from noninvasive measurements and tests using different predictive technologies such as ultrasonics, infrared thermography, and oil analysis. The terms predictive maintenance and condition-based maintenance are used interchangeably.
Prescriptive Maintenance (PrcM)
Instead of just predicting failures, prescriptive maintenance strives to produce outcome-focused recommendations. These are actions for operations and maintenance, based on IoT (Internet of Things) inputs and data analytics, to minimize failures by taking timely actions by an appropriate person or device.
Preventive Maintenance (PM)
Activities involved in systematic, planned inspection and component replacement, at a fixed interval, regardless of the asset’s condition at the time. Scheduled inspections are usually performed to assess the condition of the asset. A few examples of PM tasks include replacing service items such as filters and oils, belts, and lubricating parts. PM inspection may require another work order to repair other discrepancies found during the PM.
Preventive Maintenance/Failure Finding (PM/FF)
A subset of maintenance, PM/FF is performed to find hidden failures that are not obvious or visible, specifically in safety devices such as relief valves and automobile spare tires.
Proactive (Maintenance) Work
The sum of all maintenance work that is completed to avoid failures or to identify defects that could lead to failures (failure finding). It includes routine preventive and predictive maintenance activities and work tasks identified from them.
Reactive Maintenance (RM)
Maintenance repair work that is done as an immediate response to an asset failure, normally without planning and unscheduled. Synonymous with breakdown and emergency maintenance.
Reliability
The probability that an asset or item will perform its intended functions for a specific period under stated conditions.
Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)
A systematic, disciplined process for establishing the appropriate maintenance plan for an asset or system to minimize the proba bility of failures. The process ensures safety, system function, and mission compliance.
Risk-Based Maintenance (RBM)
A maintenance strategy in which the degree of risk is evaluated and economically appropriate maintenance action is taken for a specific asset. This strategy is usually applied to pressure vessels, piping, or chemical-/energy-intensive assets. Sometimes tasks under this strategy are also called risk-based inspections.
Run-to-Failure Maintenance (RTF)
A maintenance strategy for assets where the cost and impact of failure are less than the cost of preventive actions. It is a deliberate decision, based on economical effectiveness, not to perform any PM, but instead let the asset run to fail and then fix it or replace it.
All assets require some form of care—maintenance, for example. Belts and chains require adjustment, pump-motor and blower-motor shafts need to be aligned, filters need to be changed at regular intervals,proper lubrication on rotating machinery is required, and so on. In some cases, certain components need replacement after a specified number of hours of operations, e.g., a pump bearing on a hydraulic system to ensure that the system lasts through its design life. Any time we fail to perform maintenance activities, we may be shortening the operating life of the asset. Over the past few decades, many cost-effective approaches have been developed to ensure an asset reaches or exceeds its design life. Instead of waiting for assets to fail and then fix them, maintenance actions are performed to keep assets in good working condition to provide continuous service.
Why Have a Structured Maintenance Program
The most important reason to have a maintenance program with a structured approach is to ensure that assets don’t fail prematurely, that they keep producing or providing service as intended. Maintenance programs should sustain and improve production capacity and reduce overall facility costs by:
• Reducing production downtime—the result of fewer asset failures.
• Increasing life expectancy of assets, thereby eliminating premature replacement of machinery and assets.
• Reducing overtime costs and providing more economical use of maintenance personnel due to working on a scheduled basis, instead of an unscheduled basis, to repair failures.
• Reducing the cost of repairs by reducing secondary failures. When parts fail in service, they usually damage other parts.
• Reducing product rejects, rework, and scrap due to better overall asset condition.
• Identifying assets with excessive maintenance costs, indicating the need for corrective maintenance, operator training, or replacement of obsolete assets.
• Improving safety and quality conditions.
A structured maintenance program can have different philosophies, approaches, and practices embedded within the program. The basic philosophy is really twofold: Do some form of maintenance to an asset to prevent failure, or allow the asset to run to failure. The basic approaches to maintenance can be grouped into the following categories: condition-based maintenance (also known as predictive maintenance); preventive maintenance; reliability-centered maintenance; risk-based maintenance; proactive maintenance; corrective maintenance to correct discrepancies found during PM, CBM, OBM, etc.; and operator-based maintenance. A brief description of each of these approaches follows, with more details on each covered in later chapters, specifically Chapter 8, “Maintenance Optimization.”
Condition-Based Maintenance
Condition-based maintenance (CBM), also known as predictive maintenance (PdM), attempts to evaluate the condition of an asset by performing periodic or continuous asset monitoring. The ultimate goal of CBM is to identify proactive maintenance actions to be performed at a scheduled time when the maintenance activity is most cost-effective and before the asset fails in service. The “predictive” component stems from the goal of predicting the future trend of the asset’s condition. This approach uses principles of statistical process control, trend analysis, and preselected thresholds to determine at what point, in the future, maintenance activities should be scheduled.
Most CBM inspections are performed while the asset is operating,thereby minimizing disruption of normal system operations. Adoption of CBM/PdM in the maintenance of an asset can result in substantial cost savings and higher system reliability.
There are a number of different CBM/PdM technologies that can be used to evaluate an asset’s condition. A few of the more common technologies (or data) are:
• Vibration analysis
• Infrared (IR) thermography
• Acoustic/ultrasonic—sound-level measurements
• Oil analysis
• Electrical testing—amperage plus other data
• Shock pulse method (SPM)
• Partial discharge and corona detection
• Operational performance data—pressure, temperature, flow rates, etc.
In the CBM approach, the maintenance need is based on the actual condition of the machine rather than on some preset schedule. Activities such as changing oil are based on a predetermined schedule (time), like calendar time or asset runtime. For example, most of us change the oil in our cars every 3,000–5,000 miles (or kM) driven. This is effectively basing the oil change needs on asset runtime. No concern is given to the actual condition and performance capability of the oil. It is changed because it is time to change it. This methodology would be analogous to a preventive maintenance task.
On the other hand, if we ignore the vehicle runtime and have the oil analyzed at some regular period to determine its actual condition and lubrication properties, then we may be able to extend the oil change until the car has been driven 10,000 miles or maybe even more. In new cars today, engine oil change is determined by the remaining oil life calculations based on an algorithm of a parameter such as engine runtime,engine temperature, and engine rpm instead of just miles driven.
This is the advantage of utilizing condition-based maintenance. CBM is used to define needed maintenance tasks based on quantified asset conditions or performance data. The advantages of CBM are many. A well-established CBM program will eliminate or reduce asset failures cost-effectively. It will also help to schedule maintenance activities to minimize overtime cost. In addition, we will be able to minimize inventory and order parts, as required, well ahead of time to support the downstream maintenance needs.
Past studies have shown that a well-implemented CBM program can provide an average savings of 10% (7–15%) over a program utilizing preventive maintenance alone. These savings could easily exceed 30–40% if there is not an effective PM program in place. In fact, independent surveys and technical papers presented at the International Maintenance Conferences 1999–2019 combined with the author’s own experience indicate the following industrial average savings resulting from a well-established condition-based maintenance program:
• Reduction in maintenance costs: 15–30%
• Reduction in downtime: 20–40%
• Increase in production: 15–25%
On the downside, starting a full-blown CBM program utilizing all the mentioned technologies can be quite expensive. Some technology’s test equipment may cost more than $40,000. In addition, training plant personnel to utilize PdM technologies effectively will require considerable funding as well. This is one reason to have an RCM basis for choosing where to apply which CBM technology; it helps to determine the test equipment purchase that can provide the most “bang for your buck.” Program development will require an understanding of predictive maintenance and a firm commitment to make the program work by all facility organizations and management.
How the CBM team should be organized is another issue. We have found that a centralized dedicated team is a good way to start a program. This approach helps in standardizing testing methods and practices.
The CBM approach consists of scheduling maintenance activities only when equipment or operational conditions warrant—by periodically or continuously monitoring the machinery for excessive vibration,temperature, noise, etc. When the condition gets to a level that has been predetermined to be unacceptable, the asset is shut down. The asset is then repaired or has damaged components replaced in order to prevent more costly failures from occurring. This approach works very well if personnel have adequate knowledge, skills, and time to perform the CBM work. In addition, the company must allow asset repairs to be scheduled in an orderly manner. The approach provides some lead time to purchase materials for the necessary repairs, reducing the need for a high parts inventory. Because maintenance work is only performed when it is needed, there is likely to be an increase in production capacity.
Preventive Maintenance
As stated previously, a CBM approach is the preferred approach if your organization can handle the expense of implementing this approach. However, a preventive maintenance (PM) approach is the next best thing and may be the only approach with certain types of assets. Additionally,regulatory requirements may force some level of PM to be performed (e.g., crane inspections).
Preventive maintenance requires that maintenance or production/operations personnel pay regular visits to monitor the condition of an asset in a facility. The basic objective of PM visits is to take a look at the asset to determine if there are any telltale signs of failure or imminent failure. Also, depending on the type of asset, a checklist or a procedure with task details indicating what to check or what data to take may be used; e.g., change the filter, adjust the drive belts, and take the bearing clearance data. The observers also document the abnormalities and other findings. These abnormalities should be corrected before they turn into failures for a PM program to add any value.
These PM inspections can be based on either calendar time or asset runtime. If CBM is not being performed on a particular piece of equipment, or if CBM cannot detect a particular failure, then the next best approach is a runtime-based PM program, but only for equipment and failure modes that have a time basis. If a calendar time-based PM program is all that really adds value, then that approach is still better than a run-to-failure (RTF) strategy. The exception to this is when an analysis has been performed that indicates the most cost-effective strategy is run-to-failure because the total cost of maintenance is less than the corrective maintenance necessary for this run-to-failure strategy (assuming that there is no safety impact of this run-to-failure strategy).
The objective of preventive maintenance can be summarized as follows:
• Maintain assets and facilities in satisfactory operating condition by providing for systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures before they develop into a major failure.
• Perform maintenance, including tests, measurements, adjustments, and parts replacement, specifically to prevent failure from occurring.
• Record asset health condition for analysis, which leads to the development of corrective tasks.
Reliability-Centered Maintenance
Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) is a structured process to develop an efficient and effective maintenance plan for assets to minimize the probability of failures. This process ensures that assets continue to do what the users want them to do in their present operating context cost-effectively.
Four principles define RCM and set it apart from any other maintenance PM plan:
Principle 1: To preserve system function. This is the primary objective of RCM.
Principle 2: To identify failure modes that can defeat the functions.
Principle 3: To prioritize function needs and failure modes.
Principle 4: To select applicable tasks and effective tasks to mitigate failures.
Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a key tool used in RCM analysis. Ultimately, by performing RCM, organizations are looking to develop a unique maintenance plan for all of their assets or minimally for each critical asset within a facility or organization. The detailed application of the RCM process will be discussed in Chapter 8.
Risk-Based Maintenance
Risk-based maintenance (RBM) prioritizes maintenance resources toward assets that carry the most risk if they were to fail. The risk is based on the probability of failure and consequences—the impact of failures on facility assets. This analysis methodology helps with the most economical use of maintenance resources so that the maintenance effort across a facility is optimized to minimize any risk of failure.
A risk-based maintenance strategy is based on two main phases:
• Risk assessment—assessing the probability of failure and consequences
• Maintenance inspections (tasks), which are developed based on the risk
Assets that have a greater risk and consequence of failure are maintained and monitored more frequently. Assets that carry a lower risk are subjected to less stringent maintenance programs. Implementing a risk-based maintenance process means that the total risk of failure is minimized across the facility most economically. A risk matrix is used to analyze the data.
Figure 3.1 provides an example of a risk matrix. As shown, assets A and B carry more risk than asset C; therefore, they need a more stringent maintenance plan.
As with RCM analysis, FMEA is a key tool used to analyze the data. With RBM, the risk matrix is used to analyze the data and make appropriate decisions. FMEA and risk analysis methodology will be discussed further in Chapter 11, “Problem Solving and Improvement Tools.”
RBM methodology is generally applied to pressure vessels, piping,and chemical-/energy-intensive assets.
FIGURE 3.1 Risk Matrix
Proactive Maintenance
Proactive maintenance refers to different maintenance approaches. Some consider CBM and PM approaches to be proactive because they take a hands-on approach rather than simply reacting to equipment failure. In some organizations, proactive maintenance is calculated as:
One category of work that differs from this mindset is proactive maintenance in which tasks are generated based on what is found during CBM and PM tasks, including work identified as a result of root cause and failure analysis. Another definition is that anything on the maintenance schedule is proactive—that is, any maintenance work that has been identified in advance and is planned and scheduled.
Corrective Maintenance
Corrective maintenance (CM) is another term used in different ways. CM is an action initiated as a result of an asset’s observed or measured condition before or after functional failure. CM work can be further classified into:
• Scheduled—planned repairs.
• Major repairs/projects. (This work is also planned and scheduled.)
• Reactive—breakdowns, failure fixing.
When an asset breaks down, it fails to perform its intended function and disrupts scheduled operation. This functional loss, partial or total, may result in defective parts, speed reduction, reduced output,and unsafe conditions. For example, a wear or slight damage on a pump impeller, which reduces output, is a function reduction failure. Full functional failure may shut down the asset and is called function-disruption failure. Function-disruption or reduction failures that are not given due attention will soon develop into asset stoppage if not acted on.
Many abnormalities such as cracks, deformations, slacks, leakages,corrosions, erosions, scratches, excessive heat, noises, and vibrations are indicators of imminent troubles. Sometimes these abnormalities are neglected because of their insignificance or the perception that such abnormalities will not contribute to any major breakdowns. The tendency to overlook such minor abnormalities soon may grow and contribute to serious catastrophic failures. It is not uncommon to receive queries from production staff in response to a “high temperature or vibration condition” about how long “we can continue running.”
It has been observed that a high percentage of the failures occur during start-up and shutdown. However, asset failure could also be due to poor maintenance. Causes that go unnoticed are “hidden abnormalities.” The key to achieving zero failures is to uncover and rectify these hidden abnormalities before failure actually occurs.
In many organizations, CM is considered repair maintenance; it is conducted to correct deficiencies and to make the asset work again after it has failed or stopped working. In some organizations, all work performed on an asset after it has failed is treated as only CM work. But in other organizations, problems found during PM/CBM inspections and corrected through separate work orders to eliminate potential failure are also treated as CM work. It really doesn’t matter how we classify the work as long as we know what goes in each bucket/box and it is done the same way every time.
Subject-matter experts and authors classify maintenance practices in different ways based on their experiences. Each practice can be effective based on the work environment and how we apply it.
Here are examples of ways to classify maintenance practices:
Classification A
Broadly speaking, maintenance can be classified into two major categories (Figure 3.2):
1. Preventive maintenance—what we do to prevent failure before it occurs
2. Corrective maintenance—what we do after a failure to bring it back to operation
FIGURE 3.2 Maintenance Practices—Classification A
The effectiveness of these tasks, whether preventive or corrective,greatly depends on how we execute them. If they are completed in a planned and scheduled manner, they are much more cost-effective than if they are completed in unscheduled mode. Task execution will be discussedfurther in Chapter 4, “Work Management: Planning and Scheduling.”
Classification B
In this classification, tasks are further divided into PM (TBM and RBM), CBM, OBM/TPM (operator-performed), CM (planned; all work resulting from PM, CBM, and OBM), and breakdowns (reactive), as shown in Figure 3.3.
FIGURE 3.3 Maintenance Practices—Classification B
Classification C
Some subject-matter experts classify these categories as shown in Figure 3.4.
These classifications of maintenance approaches are just a few examples. It ultimately doesn’t matter how we classify them. What’s more important is that the right data is collected and analyzed to make improvements. Our objective is to:
• Conduct more and effective PM and CBM to catch the problems before they turn into failures.
• Find problems and issues during PM and CBM tasks and get them fixed cost-effectively.
• Minimize failures and breakdowns.
• Get an asset fixed, if and when it fails, as quickly as possible,but safely.
Maintenance practices can be used not only to form a more structured maintenance program, but also to define an organization’s program. One key practice that companies use to effectively execute their maintenance program is related to operator-based maintenance, including the use of operators in designing for maintenance and reliability.
FIGURE 3.4 Maintenance Practices: Classification C
Operator-Based Maintenance
Unlike what is typically assumed, the operator is actually one of the most important members of the maintenance team. Well-informed,trained, and responsible operators will ensure that assets are being kept in good working order.
Operators are the first line of defense against unplanned asset downtime. Operator-based maintenance (OBM) assumes that operators who are in daily contact with the assets can use their knowledge and skills to predict and prevent breakdowns and other losses.
The main objective of an operator’s maintenance program (aka an autonomous maintenance program) is to equip operators with the following asset-related skills:
• Ability to detect abnormalities
• Ability to correct minor abnormalities and restore function if they can
• Ability to set optimal asset conditions
• Ability to maintain optimal equipment conditions
Autonomous maintenance is one of the basic pillars of total productive maintenance (TPM). TPM is a Japanese maintenance philosophy that involves operators performing some basic maintenance activities. This practice will be discussed further in Chapter 7, “Operator-Driven Reliability.”
The operators learn the maintenance skills they need through a training program. They then perform the following tasks:
• Conduct general inspection.
• Keep assets clean and all areas accessible.
• Identify and eliminate problem sources.
• Support and create cleaning and lubricating standards and procedures.
• Standardize through visual workplace management.
• Implement autonomous asset management.
• Perform minor maintenance and service items, e.g., replacing filters, lubricating, and changing the oil.
• Work with the maintenance team to repair what they are unable to perform.
The operators use the following four sensory tools to identify problem areas, then either fix them or get help to repair the problems before they turn into major failures:
1. Look for any abnormalities—clean, in place, accessible.
2. Listen for abnormal noises, vibrations, leaks.
3. Feel for abnormal hot or cold surfaces.
4. Smell abnormal burning or unusual odors.
The following suggested measures could help in achieving that goal.
Operator Involvement
Operators can detect any abnormalities and symptoms at an early stage and correct them before they turn into major failures. O&M personnel can ensure that all the assets are properly secured and bolted. The support structures—piping, hoses, guards, etc.—should not be loose or vibrating; they should be properly fastened.
Cleaning
Cleaning leads to inspection and timely detection of any incipient failures like cracks and damaged belts. Dirt and dust conceal small cracks and leaks. If an asset is clean, we could assess if things are not working right, e.g., leaking, rubbing, and bolt loosening, which may be an indication of incipient failure.
Keep assets and the surrounding area clean. A clean asset creates a good feeling and improves employee safety and morale.
Lubricating
Lubrication helps to slow down wear and tear. Check if components are being lubricated properly with the correct type of lubricants and if oil is being changed at the proper frequencies. Don’t overlubricate; use the right amount. Ultrasonic guns can be used to ensure the required amount of lubricant is used. Apply 5S plus or 6S practices to have a lubrication plan, with pictures identifying all lube points and the type of lubricant to be used.
Operating Procedures
All operating procedures available at the site should be current. Are these procedures easily understood? Do operators know how to shut down or provide lockout/tagout for the asset safely in case of an emergency? Do they know what operating parameters—pressures, temperature, trip/alarm settings, etc.—to watch? Make sure that operators and other support personnel have a good understanding of the answers to these questions. It is a good practice and very desirable to have these operating instructions laminated and attached to the asset.
Maintenance Procedures
Be sure that maintenance/repair procedures are current when used. Maintenance personnel should have the right tools available to perform maintenance correctly and effectively. Having a current procedure is an ISO principle.
When an asset is ready to be repaired, all items identified in the work plan should be staged at the asset site for craft personnel to execute their work in the most effective and efficient manner. Specialized tools should be kept at or near the asset and should have proper markings.
It is a good practice to laminate the procedures, drawings, parts list, wiring diagrams, logic diagrams, etc., and make them available at or near each asset location.
Operating Conditions
All assets are designed to operate under specific conditions. Check that assets are operating in the correct environment and are not being misused, i.e., overloaded or unsafely used. If they are not being operated in their designed environment (e.g., they are being used at a much higher level of speed than normal use), take steps to see that appropriate safety precautions are being followed and all concerned personnel are aware of the risks involved.
Workforce Skills
Ensure that the workforce, operators, maintainers, and support staff are all properly trained and have the right skill sets to operate and maintain the asset effectively. Although ignorance and lack of skill, etc., can be overcome easily by proper training, people’s attitudes and mindsets toward asset failure are somewhat difficult to handle. It takes a lot of effort and time to create the right culture.
Repair Documentation
Repair documentation—what we did, with some details—is very important when performing an analysis. We often see entries such as “Pump broke—repaired” or “Mechanical seal replaced.” Such entries help merely in maintaining failure statistics, but not in failure analysis.
The challenge is usually how to make data input easy for our craft personnel. For a good reliability analysis, we need to have quality data to understand how the asset was found before and after the failure, what actions were taken to repair, parts used, the time taken to repair, etc.
Designing for Reliability and Maintenance
If the asset is being modified or replaced, make sure that the operators and maintainers are involved with design reviews and are part of the improvement team. The asset should be designed with high reliability and ease-of-maintenance features. This best practice will be discussed further in Chapter 6.
Maintenance Management System: CMMS
A maintenance management system is an essential tool for all maintenance organizations. Used correctly and completely, a CMMS will help to improve the maintenance department’s efficiency and effectiveness and, ultimately, get more out of assets by streamlining critical work-flows, work identification, work task planning, scheduling, and reporting. It makes sense to use every aspect of the system that is relevant to the business to make the business better and to maximize the ROI.
Two types of systems are available. One type is an enterprise-wide collection of modular applications such as asset management, material resource planning, finance, and human resources. These applications or systems interface with each other seamlessly and can work effectively across many locations and plants. Most of these systems, first developed in the mid-1990s, are known as enterprise asset management (EAM) systems. Examples include systems from companies such as JD Edwards, IFS, Oracle, PeopleSoft, and SAP. They can be expensive to install as well as keep up to date.
Other types of systems are stand-alone applications related to maintenance management. They can be interfaced with other enterprise-wide systems such as finance or human resource systems. These systems are called computerized maintenance management systems (CMMSs). The CMMS name was coined in the late 1970s and 1980s when PM programs were automated using computers. Newer CMMSs have a lot more capabilities and functionalities than the older ones; they are easier to use compared with some EAM systems. Examples include Champs,DataStream, eMaint, Fiix, Ivara, Maximo/IBM, Maint Connection,Mapcon, MicroMain, mPulse, NetFacilities, SPL/Oracle-WAM, Upkeep, etc.
More than a hundred CMMS/EAM systems are available in the market, starting from $1,000 to over $500,000, depending upon the number of users or the size of the plant. Some of them cost just $20 to $50 per month per user or $5 to $50 per asset. Most of the new systems are now web-/cloud-based. Basically, now there are no major differences in the way both types of systems function, so the terms CMMS and EAM are often used interchangeably. Figure 3.5 lists some of the commonly used CMMSs and EAM systems.
CMMS/EAM systems should have the following capabilities,although they are not limited to them:
1. Asset/equipment history
2. Asset description and specifications
3. Asset register
4. CM results of PM and CBM findings
5. Configuration management
6. Contractor work management
7. Critical asset identification
8. Drawing and technical document management
9. EPA/OSHA permits
10. FMEAs and RCM analysis history
11. Asset hierarchy management
12. Inventory/spares management
13. Materials—MRO stores management
14. MTBF and MTTR data by assets and asset types
15. Nonrecurring work—failures/breakdowns
16. Pending work—backlog
17. People management
18. PM and CBM/PdM work procedures
19. PM optimization including reliability analysis
20. Pressure vessel certifications
21. Recurring-type work—PM, PdM/CBM
22. Reporting—standard and specialized reports
23. Timekeeping
24. Training management
25. Warrantee management
26. Work order routing
27. Work closeout and feedback
28. Work estimating data tables and links to other resources
29. Work identification
30. Work order management
31. Work planning
32. Work scheduling and resource balancing
FIGURE 3.5 Some of the Commonly Used CMMS/EAM Systems
Work Order Management Module
One of the most useful management tools in a CMMS package is work order (WO) management or workflow process. The workflow engine allows automatic routing of data through an optimized process, including configurable approvals, notifications, and automated transactions based on user-defined business rules.
A standard workflow for routing work orders to the appropriate approver, depending on estimated total labor and material dollars, can be established. Furthermore, organizations can establish work limit rules by teams and approval type for customizing notification and authorization schemes. The system can be set up to request the next level of authorization when the actual dollar expenditure logged exceeds a user-defined percentage. Thus, a work order or project can be monitored for significant overruns before it exceeds the defined limit. The system also can be configured to allow only certain people to approve emergency work orders.
Organizations should be able to establish elaborate business rules if desired. For example, a work order of a certain type and dollar value is sequentially routed to two approvers. If the first approver doesn’t approve the work order within a certain period, the supervisor is notified by e-mail/pager. It also can designate alternate approvers under certain conditions, such as when the approver is on vacation. Other features for work order management may include:
1. Being able to create multistep WOs; for similar work, a WO can be saved as a template for future work.
2. Building work standards for labor estimating.
3. Easily inputting data including a graphical user interface having a similar look and feel as Microsoft Office software.
4. Providing status for a given workflow item directly from a table or dashboard.
5. Providing statistics such as the volume of transactions that went through a given period or the average time to complete a specific work activity.
6. Entering standard times for work activities to predict how long a process should take and to report on actual versus standard completion time.
7. Making activities mandatory or optional, depending on the characteristics of the work type (e.g., skip the approval step if a work order is urgent).
The PM and CBM/PdM Module
PM and condition-based monitoring is another important module for CMMS. Some of the features for optimizing the workflow are multiple PM triggers; schedule flexibility that accounts for seasonality, multiple formats, zoom, and simulation; and condition monitoring for user-defined data. Another helpful feature is task shadowing. This feature allows skipping a weekly PM routine if the short-term schedule has an upcoming monthly routine that includes the same weekly tasks.
Information from data collection systems, such as barcode-based time reporting, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, and human-machine interface (HMI), can automatically feed into CMMS the condition of assets and the use of maintenance labor and material. If a variance is detected, it can be explained via drill-down to the source data. The condition-based maintenance functionality in a CMMS can be used to establish the control limits that trigger actions,such as issuing a work order or paging a technician, thereby increasing workflow efficiency and effectiveness. Most managers find it increasingly difficult to control rising maintenance costs because of inadequate or outdated procedures. The CMMS can identify such procedures that are consuming large resources and need reviews or updates.
Scheduling Module
Scheduling is an area where different CMMS packages provide significant capabilities. CMMS should provide a schedule to match the work demand for maintenance—open work orders with labor resource availability. Some systems compare the work backlog with a list of available hours, all similarly sorted and filtered. Some systems display this data in graphs to help in workload balancing. A good way to display this data can be a bar graph in the top half of the screen and the lists of work orders in the bottom half.
Some CMMS packages increased their level of sophistication by seamless linkage to homegrown or third-party project management software. This gives users access to comprehensive features such as critical path analysis, Gantt charting, and resource utilization optimization.
Probably the most exciting breakthrough in scheduling functionality is the ability to perform “what-if ” analysis. By playing with variables such as estimated duration of work, work order priority, and labor availability, the maintenance scheduler can fine-tune the schedule without having to make a permanent change in the source data. Only after the scheduler and craft supervisors are satisfied with the schedule, the data is frozen and the source data updated.
Productivity and User-Centered Design
One of the most important trends in CMMS has been the improvement in user-centered design or usability. For those CMMS packages that rewrote their software to become web-based (or cloud-based), the new, improved user interfaces have become more user friendly. To compare prospective CMMS vendors, some users have even developed several scenarios to assess how many screens it takes to complete a given series of tasks and over what time. Some compare how many screens or clicks are typically needed to get the information they need. The web-based software packages offer much improvement over older systems,with features such as:
1. A search toolbar
2. Bookmarks
3. Favorites
4. A history pull-down, which provides a list of screens that were visited in the past, in chronological order, including hyperlinks
5. Back and Forward buttons to move through the last-viewed screens
6. A URL toolbar, which allows the user to key in any screen address or website reference (like a “go-to” feature)
Another key trend in user-centered design has been the flexibility in customizing the application to the varying needs of individuals or tailoring it to different roles such as maintenance planner, scheduler,supervisor, craftsperson, and stock keeper. This trend decreases training time, simplifies the execution of day-to-day processes, improves accuracy and speed of data entry, and facilitates extraction of relevant information that leads to better and faster decision making. Examples of customization capability are:
• Security access that defines who has access to certain fields,screens, menus, etc., and whether data is read-only or even visible on-screen
• Screen layouts including what fields are viewed on which screen or tab, field labels, size and shape of each field, field position, colors, tab labels and content, size and position of columnar data, and default values
• Language that a package displays, as well as the currency used
• Start-up or main menu, i.e., what menu options, shortcuts,report highlights, KPIs, dashboard elements, alarms, drill-downs, notifications, and so on that users want on their home page and in what level of detail
• Reports or searches that are customized by the user in terms of filters and sort criteria, as well as how the information appears on the screen and is printed
• Forms and templates that can make data entry easier
• Help and error messages
Ongoing incremental gains in CMMS features and functions have made many packages better at handling the specialized requirements of particular industries and facilities.
Data Analysis and Reporting
Users embrace the power of the CMMS to transform raw data into information and knowledge that can improve maintenance effectiveness dramatically through the use of analysis tools. It’s not enough to collect data and report on it. Using analysis tools, a CMMS can convert the data to helpful information such as the “top 12 problem assets” (or as some call it,“bad actors”). These problematic assets can be based on dollar value or on the number of downtime events experienced in a specific area last month, last quarter, or last year; they can be shown graphically in ascending order (Pareto chart format) or in some other manner. This analysis allows users to uncover the biggest problems first. We can then drill down on root causes such as faulty spare parts or material from a given manufacturer or supplier, design issues, workmanship issues indicating inadequate training of the maintainer, or operator errors.
Asset management is an area where good reporting and analysis are critical. Equipment history reports on actual labor, planned labor,material, and other costs are sometimes available. The more advanced features include tracking maintenance costs in accordance with user-defined statistics and tracking and analyzing equipment status, problems, causes, actions, and delay codes.
Other reporting features that help optimize work are an analysis of asset availability and performance, mean time between failures (MTBF),and drill-down capability to determine the root cause of downtime.
Some CMMS packages show MTBF and average corrective and preventive costs in a graph. Other features include depreciation schedule, capital cost budgeting for major repairs and replacements, and remaining asset life span. Repair versus replace analysis can be shown graphically, where the cost of a new asset exceeds the historical trend cost of repairing it, all based on a user-defined amortization period and inflation rate.
Many CMMS vendors have been trying to improve their failure analysis capability in response to the ever-increasing interest in failure modes and effects analysis, reliability-centered maintenance, and root cause analysis. Asset-intensive organizations are finding it painfully slow and complex to implement these advanced techniques. When these techniques are used on critical assets and systems, the potential payback is enormous.
Another valuable group of analysis tools includes costing and budgeting tools such as life cycle costing. Capturing costs associated with an asset, from its procurement to its disposition, gives management greater insight into the total cost of ownership or economic life of various assets and asset classes. The benefits of tracking life cycle costs are many, including:
• Comparing the cost of various offerings of the same asset type (e.g., comparing, say, a Caterpillar versus a Toyota forklift with the same or similar specifications)
• Understanding the trade-off between asset performance and the total cost of ownership (e.g., deciding how long it is economical to hold onto a specific asset and when it is economical to replace it)
• Forecasting cost of assets based on the life cycle cost profile of similar assets
• Becoming aware of the costs in order to control them
Life cycle cost analysis can be quite complex, especially for facilities or infrastructures that require monitoring and assessment of the asset’s condition and rate of deterioration. The multiyear considerations include factors such as discount rates used in the net present value (NPV) calculations. Important assumptions are made about how the business, market, and product alternatives will change over time.
A CMMS can help in tracking life cycle costs by accumulating relevant labor, material, contract, and overhead costs associated with a given asset—even if the asset is moved, sent outside for repair, shows signs of deterioration faster or slower than expected, or either depreciates or appreciates in value. Costs other than maintenance costs must be considered; these include installation costs, operating costs, and risk abatement (e.g., health, safety, and environmental impact).
Mobile Technology
The popularity of mobile technology continues to rise as more users realize its power. Meanwhile, the telecommunications networks continue to expand their geographic reach and their ability to handle interference. Handheld devices are also improving in terms of functionality and affordability. Much of the functionality of a desktop terminal can be put in the hands of a mobile user, including uploading and downloading work order and spare parts inventory information, accessing equipment history and reports, and even viewing or redlining drawings and maps.
The mobile technology is one of the most important trends being adopted in the CMMS industry, just as the BlackBerry, smartphones,and iPads took the business world to a whole new level. Tablets and iPads are being used very effectively by technicians to review work orders, read instructions, check the availability of material, document work, etc., at the workplaces directly interfacing with the CMMS.
System Affordability
The need for and use of a CMMS is not specific to any one industry or type of application. Any organization using assets to make products or providing services is a potential candidate for a CMMS.
Computerized systems are becoming more attractive as more maintenance personnel have become computer literate, and prices of hardware and software have dropped significantly. These factors make a CMMS an attractive option for even smaller plants. CMMS packages are available in the modular format. In other words, organizations don’t have to buy all the modules and options. For example, smaller plants can purchase only the asset, PM, and work order modules to start. They can add other modules later on. Also, many CMMS programs are designed with scaled-down functionalities for smaller plants. These programs are fully functional and relatively inexpensive. However, organizations must determine if a CMMS is beneficial to their operations and have buy-in from all stakeholders.
Workforce average age and continuity of the organization’s knowledge base together present another important issue to consider. How much information will leave the company when a key maintenance employee retires? Years of critical information can be lost the moment that the employee walks out the door. Therefore, it is very important to ensure all the work performed is documented in the CMMS.
Barriers to CMMS Acquisition
Internal roadblocks stand in the way of purchasing a CMMS, particularly in smaller organizations. The following list can help you overcome barriers associated with acquiring a CMMS:
1. The organization is too small for a system. This attitude suggests a basic lack of understanding of the true benefits and functions of a CMMS. A CMMS that is ideally matched to the organization’s needs should pay for itself, even for very small plants. There are many plants with just a few maintenance technicians successfully using a CMMS. A CMMS can help record and maintain the equipment histories that will be the basis for future repair-versus-replacement decisions and associated justifications. An accurate and complete history can also describe how the job was executed last time, thereby saving time associated with a job or task redesign.
2. The project payback or savings are inadequate. Maintenance organizations must do a thorough job of determining benefits and savings to show real ROI of a well-chosen CMMS.
3. The MIS (management information system) or IT doesn’t give CMMS high enough priority. This lack of sufficient support is a very common situation. MIS support for the project greatly increases its chances of success. A CMMS is complicated to many decision makers. Helping MIS understand the importance of the CMMS should be a primary goal of the maintenance department.
4. MIS and maintenance speak different technology languages. Being able to translate the technological and business benefits effectively can go a long way toward overcoming this roadblock. With MIS support, it is easier to convince others.
5. Participants fail to reach consensus. When the parties involved disagree on either the need for a CMMS or the features required in a CMMS, it becomes difficult to gain approval for CMMS funds. There must be an internal champion who is empowered to select a team and act on results.
Selecting the Right CMMS
Selecting the right CMMS is crucial to a successful implementation. Some suggested guidelines are discussed below.
System Features
There are numerous features that the system should include. One such feature is flexibility. The CMMS should be flexible in terms of allowing users to enter information pertaining to your organization. Another feature is scalability; it should accommodate both present and future needs of its increasing users and should be able to handle the influx of demand and increased productivity. Organizations should be aware of the system’s limitations. Before buying a particular system, one should check the limitations of the system. For example, if the number of records in the database increases significantly in the future, the system’s searching and reporting capabilities should not be slowed down.
Another feature to consider is the system’s interfacing capabilities. The CMMS should be capable of interfacing with other information systems. Self-sufficiency is something else to consider. Programs should be capable of direct, full use without needing to consult a manual or other outside sources. The on-screen instructions should explain what the program will do and how to use it. Other features to consider include the system’s security, data security, modifications, user customizable screens, and customizable user reports.
Ease of Use
The CMMS should be easy to learn and should come with training aids and documentation. It should also be easy to use. The package should be icon- and menu-driven, contain input screens to enter information in an orderly manner, and provide error-handling and context-sensitive help.
Vendor Support
Consider the qualifications of the potential CMMS vendors. Obviously we want a vendor who is both knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to CMMS. Also, consider the vendor’s financial strength. A CMMS project is an investment in time, resources, and money. Therefore, the vendor must be established. Ask about references, delivery, payment options, source code, and warranty.
Also, investigate the level of vendor support for training. Whether this training is provided at the vendor’s facility or on-site, this small investment can save a great deal of money and frustration in the long run. Other factors to consider include the vendor’s system support,upgrade policy, and overall system cost. Select the vendor that provides the best combination of characteristics for your particular situation.
The bottom line is that there is a need for a CMMS for maintenance no matter how small or large the plant is. We should be aware of the barriers and be well prepared to face them during the justification process. We can avoid failure by looking at why so many installations have failed and making the right selection for application for the organization.
Why So Many CMMS Projects Fail
Many CMMS projects fail to reach their full potential. The following are some of the reasons:
1. Selecting the wrong CMMS system for your application
2. Lack of understanding by the team of the objective for the CMMS; what do you need/expect the CMMS to do?
3. Employee turnover
4. Lack of adequate training during implementation
5. Employee resistance
6. Locked into restrictive hardware/software
7. Inadequate supplier support for the CMMS
8. Unrealistically high expectations, including expecting a quick return on investment
9. Internal politics—whether financial or IT heads the CMMS/EAM implementation team
Note: Ideally, senior M&R professionals should lead the project because they understand the need more than anybody else. Partner with IT and finance employees for continuous support.
In general, incremental gains in CMMS features and functions have made many packages better at handling the myriad and specialized requirements of particular industries and facilities. Many organizations are simply looking for a CMMS package that meets their unique needs and for a vendor that understands their industry. Some examples are as follows:
• Pharmaceutical organizations require a CMMS that has an electronic signature capability to comply with FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
• Municipalities are looking for a CMMS package with sophisticated linear asset functionality for handling utilities, underground water, wastewater networks, and so on. They need the capability to comply with GASB 34 requirements.
• Organizations with considerable mobile equipment are looking for fleet management functionality, such as compliance with the vehicle maintenance reporting standards (VMRS) coding structure or the American Trucking Association’s standard list of components.
• Pipeline companies need inspection and risk assessment features.
• Chemical, oil and gas, and nuclear plants need sophisticated safety-related functionality such as lockout/tagout.
• Third-party service providers want features such as contract management, third-party billing, help desk, and dispatch.
• Government departments are keen on sophisticated budgeting capability including encumbrance accounting.
• Asset-intensive companies experiencing considerable capital expansion can save millions of dollars if the CMMS can help integrate and follow the complete life cycle of asset-related data from engineering design to deployment to maintenance.
An effective CMMS has proved to be an invaluable tool for many plants and facilities. Various internal obstacles to acquiring a CMMS also confront businesses. When deciding to acquire a CMMS, take the following steps:
1. Form a team of stakeholders.
2. Receive management buy-in/sponsorship.
3. Identify problems with the existing system if you have or establish requirements.
4. Define the objectives, features, and benefits of a CMMS.
5. Conduct a financial analysis.
6. Establish CMMS selection criteria.
7. Select two to three systems and compare.
8. Visit sites to see actual applications.
9. Make the final selection.
Identify a project manager, preferably a senior M&R professional,not an IT or financial person, to lead the project.
New CMMS packages are so feature-rich that most users can hope to exploit only a small percentage of the functionality they buy. It has been reported that most of the users utilize less than 50% of the capabilities and functionalities of the CMMS they have. The true differentiation is how the CMMS is implemented. Organizations should set quantifiable goals and objectives, reengineer processes in light of those goals, configure the CMMS to optimize the new processes, and change behavior across the organization to embrace these changes.
It is said that “accidents do not happen; they are caused.” The same is true for asset failure. Assets fail due to basically two reasons: poor design and human error. Our negligence, ignorance, and attitude are the prime factors of human errors. Several studies have indicated that over 70% of failures are caused by human errors such as using an inadequate design, overloading, making operational errors, ignoring failure symptoms, having untrained or unqualified operators or maintainers, and not repairing an asset when needed. There is usually a human factor behind most asset failures. Because most failures are caused and do not happen independently, they are preventable.
If a survey is taken among operations and maintenance personnel about whether there can be zero failures, the overwhelming answer will be zero failures are theoretically possible, but impossible in an actual work environment. Yes, zero failures are difficult to achieve, but they may not be impossible. If all concerned operations and maintenance personnel set a goal of zero failures and diligently work toward that goal, it is attainable. However, total commitment is needed from all involved, from top management to supervisors and down to the operator and maintainer level. What we need to do is implement some good and best practices, as well as strict adherence to the procedures.
Quality of Maintenance Work
All maintenance work involves some risk. Here, the risk refers to the potential for inducing defects of various types while performing the maintenance tasks. In other words, human errors made during the PM,CBM, and CM tasks eventually may lead to additional failures of the asset on which the maintenance was performed.
For example, a review of the data from the power plants that examined the frequency and duration of forced outages after a planned maintenance outage showed that the outages reinforced this risk. The analysis of data revealed that in 55% of the cases, unplanned maintenance outages were caused by errors committed during a recent maintenance outage. Most of the time these failures occur very soon after the maintenance is performed. Typically, the following errors or damages may occur during PMs and other types of maintenance work:
• Damage during the inspection, repair adjustment, or installation of a replacement part
• Installation of material or a part that is defective
• Incorrect installation of a replacement part or incorrect reassembly
• Reintroduction of infant mortality by installing new parts that have not been tested
• Damage due to an error in reinstalling an asset into its original location
• Damage to an adjacent asset or component during a maintenance task
A quality maintenance program requires trained and motivated maintenance personnel. To create high-quality and motivated personnel, the following measures are suggested:
1. Provide training in maintenance best practices and procedures for maintenance on specific assets.
2. Provide appropriate tools to perform the tasks effectively.
3. Get personnel involved in performing FMEA and RCA/RCFA and in developing maintenance procedures.
4. Follow up to assure quality performance and to show everyone that management does care about quality work.
5. Publicize reduced costs with improved uptime, which is the result of effective maintenance practices.
Maintenance Assessment and Improvement
Maintenance Performance Indicators
It is often said, “What gets measured gets done” and “If we can’t measure it, we can’t improve it.” Performance indicators (PIs), also called metrics, are an important management tool to measure performance and help us make improvements. However, too much emphasis on performance indicators, or on the wrong indicators, may not be the right approach. A few vital indicators are known as KPIs—key performance indicators. The selected indicators shouldn’t be easy to manipulate just to “feel good.”The following criteria are recommended for selecting the best PI/metrics:
• Should encourage the right behavior
• Should be difficult to manipulate
• Should be easy to measure—data collection and reporting
Some key maintenance metrics, with some benchmark data, are listed in Figure 3.6.
FIGURE 3.6 Maintenance Benchmarks
Other maintenance metrics to consider, depending on the maturity of the maintenance program, include:
• PM and CBM effectiveness, or the number of hours of corrective work identified by PM and CBM work divided by hours spent on PM and CBM inspections. The PM and CBM should be able to identify ½ to 2 hours of corrective maintenance work for every 1 hour of PM and CBM performed;otherwise, the frequency or condition parameters should be reviewed or adjusted.
• The PM and CBM schedule adherence. It should approximate 90% or more.
• Percentage of PM based on reliability/RCM and RBM methodology.
• Percentage of maintenance labor dedicated to performing PM and CBM inspections—this should be more than 50%. The rule of thumb is:
• PM—time- or run-based; 15 to 25%.
• CBM—0 to 40%. The distribution may vary depending on the type of asset and industry.
Maintenance Task Optimization
Maintenance effectiveness can be improved by optimization of the maintenance work tasks (content) and by effective task execution through the utilization of the many tools available to us. The maintenance tasks—e.g., PM, CBM work instructions, and repair plans— must cover what needs to be done. These tasks can be optimized by using tools and techniques such as FMEA, RCM, and predictive technologies. These tools and techniques can help to optimize the content of the work tasks to be accomplished.
Establishing a Successful Maintenance Program
Scheduling and execution are the keys to a successful maintenance program. Maintenance programs should be automated by using CMMSs or EAM systems. In addition, a monitoring process should be established to ensure a 90% or better schedule compliance and quality of work performed.
The following steps are essential for creating a living maintenance program:
• Continually review processes, procedures, and tasks for applicability, effectiveness, and interval frequency; these should be optimized as required. Get the right people in both operations and maintenance involved in the review process.
• Standardize procedures and maintain consistency on assets and components.
• Identify and execute mandated tasks to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Apply and integrate new predictive technologies where effective.
• Ensure task instructions cover lockout/tagout procedures and all safety requirements.
• Ensure operations and maintenance personnel understand the importance of PM practice and provide feedback for improving PM instructions and procedures.
Future of Maintenance: Where Is Maintenance Heading?
We are going through a new Industrial Revolution called Industry 4.0, also known as digitalization. It seems maintenance and reliability are also facing many changes at a very fast pace. Fundamentally,maintenance practices have not changed over the years. However, rapid changes in technology introduce new tools every day. As a result, maintenance is reinvigorating itself. Newer tools such as wireless sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), drones, high-resolution cameras to capture motion amplification, and data analytics can make maintenance much more effective.
Also, there is a rapid increase in a young, new generation entering the operations and maintenance field and reliability. It is encouraging to see Y Gen and iGen in the workforce, as they are very adaptable to new technology.
Clear evidence indicates that the corporate world has recognized good maintenance programs as a valuable part of total asset management strategy. Many organizations have increased their maintenance budget and are trying to train their workforce to implement best practices.
Maintenance prevents an asset or item from failing and repairs it after it has failed. However, the new paradigm for maintenance is capacity assurance, meaning that maintenance assures asset capacity as designed or to an acceptable level.
Maintenance practices can be classified in the following categories:
• Condition-based maintenance (CBM)
• Preventive maintenance (PM)
• Time (calendar)-based maintenance (TBM)
• Run-based maintenance (RBM)
• Reliability—RCM and RBM optimized
• Operator-based maintenance (OBM), also called total productive maintenance (TPM)
• Corrective maintenance (CM)—planned
• CM—planned and scheduled
• CM—major repairs/projects (planned and scheduled)
• CM—reactive (breakdowns/emergency)
Computerized maintenance management systems are essential databased decision-making tools for managing the asset. A CMMS or EAM helps a maintenance department to ensure that assets and systems operate efficiently and minimize downtime. They help to improve maintenance effectiveness in any organization.
All maintenance tasks involve some risk of introducing defects of various types while performing the maintenance tasks. In other words,errors committed during the PM, CBM, and CM tasks eventually may lead to additional failures of the asset on which the maintenance was performed. A maintenance quality program requires trained and motivated maintenance personnel.
Selecting the right performance indicators to measure maintenance performance is critical and is important in implementing best practices. The indicators should encourage the right behavior; they should be difficult to manipulate just to have “feel-good” results. Finally,they should be easy to collect and report.
Maintenance cost and asset availability can be improved by optimizing the maintenance work tasks (content) and by effectively executing tasks through the utilization of tools available to us. Maintenance tasks such as PM/CBM work instructions and repair plans must cover what needs to be done. These tasks can be optimized by using tools and techniques such as RCM, FMEA, predictive technologies, and Six Sigma. These tools and techniques help to optimize the content of the work tasks to be accomplished. The execution of maintenance tasks can also be optimized by using other tools and techniques such as planning and scheduling. These tools and techniques can help to utilize maintenance resources effectively.
Q3.1 Define maintenance and its role.
Q3.2 What are the different categories of maintenance work?
Q3.3 What can equipment operators do to support maintenance?
Q3.4 Why would an organization support operators who get involved in maintenance?
Q3.5 Why would an organization need to have a CMMS? What is the difference between a CMMS and an EAM?
Q3.6 List five maintenance metrics and discuss why they are important.
Q3.7 What new name can be given to the maintenance function? Discuss the benefits.
Q3.8 Name five PdM technologies and discuss how they can help reduce maintenance costs.
Q3.9 Define proactive maintenance.
Q3.10 What basic tools can an operator use to predict failures?
Q3.11 What are the benefits of a structured maintenance program?
Q3.12 Why don’t many CMMS/EAM systems provide projected benefits?
Q3.13 What are the benefits of having a PM program?
Q3.14 What’s the basic function of an RCM program?
Q3.15 What are the quality issues in maintenance? Discuss what we could do to improve.
Q3.16 How can a CMMS/EAM system help improve maintenance productivity?
Q3.17 What’s the future of maintenance? Discuss where it’s heading.
References and Suggested Reading
Bagadia, Kris, David Burger, et al. Miscellaneous technical papers and reviews on CMMS/EAM at Plant Services, Maintenance Technology, and Reliabilityweb.com.
Fortin, John. Why Execution Fails and What to Do about It, 2nd ed. Reliabilityweb.com, 2018.
Levitt, Joel. Handbook of Maintenance Management, 2nd ed. Industrial Press, 2009.
Narayan, V. Effective Maintenance Management. Industrial Press, 2004.
Nyman, Don. Maintenance Management training notes. Seminars, 1994–1996.
Strategic Maintenance Management Series (CMM). Three books—The Business, Enablers, and Processes. Reliabilityweb.com, 2019.
