Up Time Magazine- August/September 2008

may be difficult to do in some organizational environments, you should still raise the issue. After all, if you don’t question an outdated policy, then who will? 8 Advanced Tools Will Not Provide Full Benefit Unless The Foundational Processes Are Sound Many organizations devote significant resources to implement the latest “three-letter acronym” tools before they are ready, and are surprised when they do not achieve the planned results. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) cannot yield anticipated cost savings because the organization cannot implement the new tasks. Predictive maintenance (PdM) finds equipment problems in the early stage of degradation, but the workforce is consumed with “fix it now” emergent work and cannot make repairs before failure occurs. Autonomous maintenance, one of the pillars of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), falls flat because the maintenance workforce is overloaded and cannot respond to the problems that operators detect. A “Just in Time” (JIT) parts ordering process cannot function until there is low demand for emergency parts and a good inventory control system is in place. Much like building a house, the foundation must be completed before the walls go up or the building will not stand. Foundational elements for Maintenance include a complete set of “master data” and sound processes to control the work that gets done. Master data includes a complete list of all plant equipment that is ranked according to criticality and a thorough spare parts catalog of both stocked and non-stock spare parts. Work control processes include a well-conceived Work Order system (including effective Planning and Scheduling), a sound process for conducting basic maintenance (including a good lubrication program), and a fully functional inventory control system. These foundational elements will allow you to get control of both the work that has to be done and the condition of the equipment, enabling the advanced concepts to achieve their potential. 9 A Good Predictive Maintenance Program Will Allow You To Sleep At Night The Maintenance Manager position can either be very frustrating or very rewarding. Frustrating in that breakdowns can occur at any time, and (in strict compliance with Murphy’s Law) invariably at night or on weekends when the equipment is needed most and when your family is depending on you to be with them and not at the plant. Rewarding in that there is a proven answer to those breakdowns if you have the foresight to implement a sound Predictive Maintenance program. The key to maximizing your free time is to know the condition of your equipment. PdM technologies enable you to identify potential defects within equipment, usually while the equipment is still in operation. Often, some of these problems may be caught early enough that the condition can be corrected before the equipment suffers damage. With the right training, feedback, and experience, PdM technicians will also be able to give you a prognosis of the equipment’s remaining life which will allow you to take care of the problem on your terms and your schedule instead of at Mr. Murphy’s whim. Not every potential failure is detectable, but 42 august/september 2008 http://www.mikroninfrared.com http://www.mikroninfrared.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Up Time Magazine- August/September 2008

Up Time Magazine- August/September 2008 Contents Upfront Upclose Information Technology Lubrication Infrared Maintenance Management Motor Testing Precision Maintenance Reliability Ultrasound Vibration Upgrade

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