by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Apr 18, 2020 | Asset Management, Planning & Scheduling
Have you ever wondered what decision-making process drove previous maintenance administrations to set up your site’s asset-management program in the way that it currently runs? Program architects, in all realms of business, are notorious for poorly documenting...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Apr 17, 2020 | Asset Management, RAM Tools & Methods
We all love rules of thumb. They make life simpler. In the plant, we often use rules of thumb to quickly size up a problem based upon similar problems that we’ve seen before and apply a solution framework that’s been effective in the past. Unfortunately, these...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Apr 17, 2020 | Plant Operations, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Whenever we see the acronym “RAM” used here, most of us know that “R” stands for “Reliability” and “M” stands for “Maintenance.” But, while the letter “A” in the acronym formally stands for “Availability,” to some of us, it also serves as a reminder that reliable...
by T.A. Cook, Part of Accenture | Apr 16, 2020 | SPONSORED INFORMATION
From Mark C. Munion, Senior Consultant T. A. Cook (tacook.com) The aging workforce is a major factor in the skills crisis impacting plants and facilities around the globe. According to T.A. Cook’s Mark Munion, wise businesses recognize the importance of implementing...
by Jane Alexander, Managing Editor | Apr 12, 2020 | Solution of the Week, Solution Showcase
According to Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee, industrial operations can improve their energy-efficiency and reduce machine complexity with a new fanless version of the Allen-Bradley Kinetix VPC continuous-duty servo motor. The recently launched model uses the same...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Apr 12, 2020 | Newsletter Column, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
Forgive me if you’ve heard this story before. I’ve often shared it. But, it’s a simple example of the need for those in the RAM arena to plan ahead and be prepared for a variety of contingencies. After all, an opportunity may only knock once, and not answering could...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 12, 2020 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
What did the 1983 EPRI study and subsequent IEEE studies of large electric motors really say? With the EPRI study primarily identified as one on motor failures, the focus of this article is related to how the reported findings iof that research compare to those of the...
by Drew Troyer, CRE, CMRP, T.A. Cook/Accenture, Editor | Apr 11, 2020 | Asset Management, RAM Tools & Methods
The goal of any reliability-focused asset management system is to avoid defects. Doing so requires a comprehensive management system that includes defect avoidance, defect detection and, finally, defect correction. Defect management for most organizations is oriented...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Apr 10, 2020 | Training & Qualification, Workforce Issues
Most of us associated with plant operations and maintenance were excited about learning to make and fix things while we were in school. But that rarely seems to happen in today’s schools. Basically, our model was learning by doing. More accurately, it was probably the...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Apr 10, 2020 | Planning & Scheduling, RAM Tools & Methods
A maintenance work order is developed in two distinctive stages. Stage One involves receiving, understanding, and accepting the “ask” or request for work from the maintenance client or stakeholder. This is commonly called a Maintenance Work Request (or MWR). Stage Two...
