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Articles

Do We Really Want to Be Proactive? (Part1)

As we struggle to move from reactive to proactive maintenance, maybe at some point we just need to stop and ask ourselves the basic question:

"Do we really want to be proactive in maintenance? Really? Honestly?"

BRIEFLY RESTATING THE DIFFERENCE:

REACTIVE MAINTENANCE is dealing with loss issues due to equipment malfunction that show up unexpectedly and repairs have to be done immediately, on a crisis basis, in a very inefficient, unplanned, unscheduled way.

PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE is monitoring equipment for signs of deterioration and performing the necessary repairs and adjustments, when needed, in an efficient, planned, scheduled way, before a loss issue actually happens.

Who wouldn’t want to operate in the Proactive Mode?

Work Execution Management

Using Digital Technology to Revolutionize Turnarounds

When industrial companies have to take facilities off-line for essential maintenance or upgrades, careful management of the process is key. These turnarounds, or TARs, can be complex and require meticulous planning and solid execution because delays only mean more lost production and higher costs.

Asset Condition Management

Truth in Adoption: How Far in the Future Is IoT for ACM Applications?

Judging from the independent perspectives of three very different industry observers, the Internet of Things (IoT) for asset condition monitoring (ACM) applications is quite far into the future. Plant Services, a mainstream industrial trade publication, Gartner, Inc., a prominent global market research organization, and Russell Reynolds Associates, a leading global executive search firm, have each recently published surveys and opinion pieces that offer the perspective of industry insiders on the outlook for IoT ACM applications. The consensus is that the market may not be as ready or willing as its suppliers would have everyone believe.

Asset Management

Strategy of Asset Management Seen as a Chess Game

Chess is a challenging game that tests a player’s ability to think methodically and strategically in order to beat an opponent. It involves specific knowledge and skills, along with a strategy. Engineers could probably say with confidence that all the attributes used to win a chess game are applicable to their work. They are especially prevalent when maintaining equipment. Chess attributes can help you successfully implement effective asset management strategies and help you win the game against your competitors.

When implementing asset management in an organization, it is not always about the tools and the systems available. In today’s world, organizations have recognized that it is essential to use other dimensions to help with the implementation. This article explains these “out of the box” dimensions mentioned in PAS55 Standards for Asset Management and compares these attributes to chess strategies.

Work Execution Management

Reasons Why Health Facilities Need CMMS in 2016

The challenges of running a maintenance department that is efficient and praised by top management and staff members may seem insurmountable but not when you have a Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS). The responsibility of maintaining and managing an excellent healthcare facility calls for the use of a computerized system that is effective. So, what is CMMS software? The use of CMMS coupled with commitment from management, as well as efficient planning and scheduling, can transform the operations of health facilities.

Reliability Engineering for Maintenance

Even Data Centers Need PM Optimization

PM optimization is a systematic process to get the best equipment reliability. This is done by identifying and improving on weaknesses in maintenance performance and frequencies. PM optimization is a process, a series of questions or a guiding decision matrix, that helps make your preventive maintenance (PM) more efficient and effective. It enables the optimization of resources, while instilling best practices.

Leadership for Reliability

Bad Salesmanship Hinders Reliability

Do not dismiss the above statement thinking it does not apply to your situation because you are not a roving consultant or contractor. In-house maintenance reliability professionals need to exhibit the same, or even better, customer service when it comes to driving change or pulling their organization toward a path of continuous improvement.

Leadership for Reliability

Q&A with an Industry Leader - Breon Klopp

Uptime Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with the 31^st International Maintenance Conference (IMC-2016) Keynoter, Breon Klopp. Breon is the Founder and Managing Partner at Sestrana, a company that develops and facilitates high-impact experiential learning and training events to engage and motivate organizations on methods for improvement. From a perspective that is entertaining and realistic, Breon inspires participants through a racecar pit stop challenge that focuses on performance, processes, and teamwork.

Asset Condition Management

A Two-Plane Balancing Solution for the Lag Phase Measuring System

A balance program developed for the lead phase measuring system was used for searching the effective two-plane balancing solution for the lag phase system of measurement for an overhung rigid rotor. This article presents the mathematical expression of the solution and its validation from the results of a test for two-plane balance by comparing calculated values using experimental data.

The Soft Stuff Really Is the HARD Stuff

You have probably heard the phrase, “the soft stuff is the hard stuff,” meaning that the tools and techniques are actually easier to do than the “softer” issues, like leadership, alignment, teamwork and managing cultural change. Consider, for example, the finding of a Harvard Business Review study of some 200 management tools, such as total quality management (TQM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), etc., used in 160 companies over a five-year period.