by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Apr 11, 2021 | Asset Management, RAM Tools & Methods
Working with clients to design and implement improved maintenance models, I have found it important to interview those working in a site’s maintenance department to understand how they see themselves. It’s just as important, however, if not more so, to...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Apr 3, 2021 | Maintenance Management, RAM Tools & Methods
Albert Einstein may have said it best: “In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity.” Those words have special meaning in industry today. As with all catastrophic events, the 2020/21 COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, once again, how unprepared...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Mar 29, 2021 | Asset Management, Newsletter Column
If asked where a maintenance-improvement program should focus its initial efforts within your organization, how would you respond? If you answer, “understand and improve our stakeholder and partner relationships,” you have truly grasped the holistic, or universal key...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Mar 21, 2021 | Asset Management, Lubrication Corner
When it comes to fleet and generator maintenance, nothing has a bigger impact on engine-life cycle than a simple oil and filter change. Yet, as straightforward as an oil change sounds, effectiveness is only assured by using the correct lubricant viscosity. If you own,...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Mar 14, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations
The unfolding events of the past year forced many individuals and businesses to become introspective about change. Although COVID-19 has brought about much disruption in our daily lives, it also has acted as a catalyst for positive and innovative action in the...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Mar 6, 2021 | Lubrication Corner, Safety Matters, Workforce Issues
Safety in the workplace is paramount. Few people would disagree with this statement, especially working professionals in the maintenance and lubrication fields, who, for the most part, are well trained in this area. When it comes to the handling and transfer of...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 27, 2021 | Asset Management, Lubrication Corner
When was the last time you performed an interior physical inspection of your oil-system reservoirs? Is performing a reservoir cleanliness check (interior and exterior) part of a regular preventive maintenance (PM) checklist for all hydraulic,...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 22, 2021 | Newsletter Column, RAM Tools & Methods
I was recently listening to a radio interview of the great Frank Oz. You may recall that Oz is the master puppeteer and voice behind such iconic Muppets and Sesame Street characters as Miss Piggie, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Cookie Monster, Grover, and Bert, as well as Yoda...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 13, 2021 | Asset Management, Lubrication Corner
Over the past year, one effect of COVID-19 has been to turn us into a population of stockpilers and hoarders of consumable products. As a result, many are now more aware of a consumable item’s “best before date,” found on most product packaging and labeling materials....
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Feb 6, 2021 | Lubrication Corner, RAM Tools & Methods
It is very easy to overlook the specialized needs of automated lubrication systems. In most asset-management-system and preventive-maintenance (PM) implementations, automated, centralized lubrication systems are often treated as integral components belonging to...
