The oil and gas industry has become critical for sustained operations and long-term asset reliability. When it comes to condition monitoring, expensive technologies, extensive training, and years of development often come to mind, especially regarding rotating equipment. Tools, such as vibration spectrum analysis, thermal imaging, oil lubrication analysis, and motor current analysis, provide valuable snapshots in time and have been useful in practice for quite some time.
Sometimes, technical problems are symptoms of deeper cultural and operational issues. This article explores how a deep dive into recurring fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) expansion joint failures led to far-reaching insights, not just about metallurgy and maintenance, but about a refinery's decision-making, communications and reliability culture. It’s a case where the root cause wasn’t just in the metal, but in the mindset.
Enterprise asset management (EAM) implementation is sometimes misperceived as a complex, resource-intensive endeavor. But that perception is rooted in legacy approaches and outdated systems.
Effective maintenance planning and scheduling are essential to prevent unplanned asset failures from dictating your schedules and driving your budgets. In a reactive, unplanned environment, maintenance efforts falter—funds meant for proactive upkeep are instead wasted on waiting for parts, delayed equipment transfers, and emergency fixes that disrupt planned work
Minimizing downtime in the cement manufacturing industry is crucial, as each minute of operational delay can lead to significant financial repercussions.
This article outlines best practices for overcoming these hurdles and highlights the foundational elements of a successful spare parts management approach.
The impacts of Industry 4.0 and its younger sibling, Industry 5.0, fall right down to today’s factory workers. While embedded automation and optimization within the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 have the power to drive new efficiencies, they have also led to the introduction of more complex job roles and tasks, but for fewer frontline workers.
In today's industrial landscape, the buzz around advanced analytics is hard to ignore. Companies are increasingly looking to harness the power of data to drive efficiency, reduce downtime, and gain a competitive edge. However, the journey from collecting data to taking actionable steps based on that data is far from straightforward.
Employee engagement and retention are critical for the success of asset management organizations. High turnover rates and labor shortages pose significant challenges, impacting operational efficiency, safety and overall workforce morale.
Data analysis is critical to understanding problems and decision-making. Analysis that is not followed up by an action is likely a wasted opportunity, but not always.
