Reliable Plant Article August 2023
Presented at Reliable Plant 2023 in Orlando, Florida
Effective Condition Monitoring
| effective_condition_monitoring_-_an_enabler_for_predictive_maintenance_11_2018.pdf |
This joint White Paper with Rob Russell CTO of Senseye came out of a conversation about how to best help people in industry make the right choice, it's not a good plan to adopt a Predictive strategy without understanding what you want.
Here we aim to give you a head start with a no nonsense approach!
Here we aim to give you a head start with a no nonsense approach!
MODEL OF SUCCESS
This article appeared in 'Industrial Maintenance Engineer' magazine in the July/August 2018 edition.
Many thanks to the editor James Moore and Hamerville Media Group for inviting UPTIME Consultant Ltd to contribute.
The main reason for me sharing it here is that the publication is an 'old school' real paper magazine with no digital edition.
Please be aware that it was written within constraints of the subject matter being non commercial and of a limited length.
Many thanks to the editor James Moore and Hamerville Media Group for inviting UPTIME Consultant Ltd to contribute.
The main reason for me sharing it here is that the publication is an 'old school' real paper magazine with no digital edition.
Please be aware that it was written within constraints of the subject matter being non commercial and of a limited length.
Andy Gailey of UPTIME Consultant Ltd explains how to ensure the route from reactive to predictive maintenance is a successful one
Generally speaking when discussing a client's assets operating in industry the most frequently asked question is:
"How can we reduce our production losses whilst increasing our availability and reliability?"
"How can we reduce our production losses whilst increasing our availability and reliability?"
Regardless of what some may say this is achievable as I have witnessed it in action.
First you have to realise that this is a journey, it requires some key ingredients to move from being driven by reactive events and planned maintenance to a proactive and predictive future.
I have witnessed failed attempts often because there has been little thought to strategy with no direction.
Successful programmes meanwhile are often instigated and backed by site leader or director level.
They will have the desire, vision and resources to support the reliability and new maintenance approach.
'Selling' the change from a reactive environment to a proactive one with your employees isn't always easy.
It can be a difficult process but you can only get there by having the conversation.
It has to start somewhere, and often this is a place where a third party can help ease the transition.
First you have to realise that this is a journey, it requires some key ingredients to move from being driven by reactive events and planned maintenance to a proactive and predictive future.
I have witnessed failed attempts often because there has been little thought to strategy with no direction.
Successful programmes meanwhile are often instigated and backed by site leader or director level.
They will have the desire, vision and resources to support the reliability and new maintenance approach.
'Selling' the change from a reactive environment to a proactive one with your employees isn't always easy.
It can be a difficult process but you can only get there by having the conversation.
It has to start somewhere, and often this is a place where a third party can help ease the transition.
Investing in success
Transforming a maintenance function from the 'fire fighting' of failing assets to proactively improving them with preemptive techniques requires investment.
This comes in the form of time, people and money.
It's a balancing act between these finite resources, this again is where external help may help to focus that plan.
Return on investment (ROI) is the most important part of any plan and should be proven at the outset.
My advice is to leverage all the information from your existing ERP or Maintenance Management System, this will give you a clearer picture of where you stand as long as the inputs are correct!
Engaging operators and the maintenance team can help to fill any gaps to aid the process.
If you are thinking about employing 'predictive' technologies it all depends on where you are starting from.
Training engineers and operators basic CBM skills is one of the quickest ways to start and see an improvement.
This comes in the form of time, people and money.
It's a balancing act between these finite resources, this again is where external help may help to focus that plan.
Return on investment (ROI) is the most important part of any plan and should be proven at the outset.
My advice is to leverage all the information from your existing ERP or Maintenance Management System, this will give you a clearer picture of where you stand as long as the inputs are correct!
Engaging operators and the maintenance team can help to fill any gaps to aid the process.
If you are thinking about employing 'predictive' technologies it all depends on where you are starting from.
Training engineers and operators basic CBM skills is one of the quickest ways to start and see an improvement.
RCM is a great tool to identify what type of maintenance to apply to your assets
Attempting too much at once is a common mistake and can lead to compromises in other areas of the process.
Criticality needs to be understood, employing RCM principles will help identify where to target your scarce resources.
Getting close and understanding how your equipment reacts to the environment can tell you a lot about failure modes.
This will support decisions of whether to apply Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), Run to Failure or a traditional Planned Maintenance approach.
RCM identifies the correct option whilst removing invasive PM routines that can compromise equipment reliability.
The PdM technologies of Vibration, Ultrasound and Thermography are relevant tools as part of a holistic maintenance strategy.
Lack of investment in Lubrication can bring a whole world of pain in premature failures and unplanned downtime.
Introducing these technologies with a little mentoring can jump start any programme.
When the benefits of being preemptive become apparent the justification for further certified training can be made.
Criticality needs to be understood, employing RCM principles will help identify where to target your scarce resources.
Getting close and understanding how your equipment reacts to the environment can tell you a lot about failure modes.
This will support decisions of whether to apply Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), Run to Failure or a traditional Planned Maintenance approach.
RCM identifies the correct option whilst removing invasive PM routines that can compromise equipment reliability.
The PdM technologies of Vibration, Ultrasound and Thermography are relevant tools as part of a holistic maintenance strategy.
Lack of investment in Lubrication can bring a whole world of pain in premature failures and unplanned downtime.
Introducing these technologies with a little mentoring can jump start any programme.
When the benefits of being preemptive become apparent the justification for further certified training can be made.