Can smart instruments help Predictive Maintenance?

Predictive Maintenance do really needs modern instrument or can smart instruments really help Predictive Maintenance? This question pulls together the entirely unrelated concepts of smart instruments, and predictive maintenance. The smart instruments (sometimes also called “smart sensors”) concept is a hardware-architecture strategy. Predictive maintenance, on the other hand, is a system-level concept.

Smart instruments have been around for a decade or more. The technology falls under the general heading of “embedded systems,” which includes any device containing a microcomputer, but no fully developed user interface. Examples include automotive engine control modules (ECMs); microprocessor controls for major appliances, such as dishwashers, microwave ovens, etc.; and mobile systems, such as cellphones and digital cameras. Smart instruments include one or more sensors to make physical measurements, a microprocessor to partially analyze sensor data, on-board memory to hold parameters and intermediate results, and I/O capabilities to report results to the next level of automation. Components for such devices are packaged together and mounted as close as possible to the point of measurement.

Predictive maintenance strategies monitor selected variables that engineers believe have maintenance-predictive power. For example, a rise in a bearing’s temperature may warn of impending need for additional or replacement lubricant. Automatically monitoring such variables makes it possible for the system to tailor the maintenance program to the machinery’s actual needs, saving time, supplies, and replacement parts, and avoiding unplanned work stoppages. The alternative is scheduled maintenance, which generally provides more maintenance than necessary on average, but may miss extraordinary events.

For example, a system described by engineers at SKF provides automatic bearing lubrication based on predictive maintenance principles. Traditional scheduled-maintenance calls for a technician to apply a certain amount of oil at set intervals. The schedule is (theoretically) based on historical data about how rapidly that type of bearing uses lubricant under the prevailing use conditions. Being statistical in nature, that data may over- or under-predict the needs of a particular bearing. In addition, even experienced technicians tend to apply more lubricant than necessary, which can actually harm the equipment. Failures can occur when the particular bearing uses lubricant at a rate significantly slower or faster than average. In the first case, too much lubricant would be applied. In the second, too little.

Physical phenomena associated with impending requirements for bearing lubrication are temperature rise and increased bearing noise (vibration). A smart instrument monitoring bearing temperature and noise can tailor the maintenance program to the particular bearing. It can automatically report a pattern of increasing operating temperature coupled with increased bearing noise appears. Maintenance personnel can then use this information to predict when lack of lubrication will begin damaging the bearing, and schedule a technician to apply lubricant just ahead of the danger point. This manual system reduces lubricant requirements, protects equipment more effectively, and reduces unscheduled downtime. Because maintenance operations still occur infrequently (typically at longer intervals than with scheduled maintenance because safety margins can be reduced), however, more lubricant than necessary is typically added at each maintenance, leading to some waste.
Smart-instrument-based predictive maintenance
Smart sensors can help make an automated system for bearing lubrication.

In SKF’s automated system, maintenance personnel do not schedule the lubrication visit, but the condition-monitoring computer automatically controls a microvolume pump to add oil in small quantities until the temperature and noise begin to trend down. When these parameters drop within specifications, the pump stops adding lubricant. This strategy applies just the needed lubrication when it’s needed, independent of the bearing’s peculiarities. By adding lubricant frequently in very small quantities, it is possible to keep the lubricant level very close to optimum. This reduces waste to a minimum by virtually eliminating overlubrication, and eliminates downtime for lubrication entirely.

The automated bearing lubrication system is just one example of a well-developed automated system based on predictive maintenance principles. Predictive maintenance systems based on monitoring physical parameters are actually quite common today. As embedded system techniques and smart sensors become more common in control applications, look for more instances of automated maintenance systems.

Source: www.controleng.com/blog | August 18, 2008

5S Process in Reliability Improvement

The 5-S process is a method for ensuring workplace cleanliness, order and organization and should be at the heart of any reliability improvement initiative. It consists of five fundamental steps:

1. Sort— Get rid of accumulated junk that has no value to the job at hand. In Maintenance, this includes removing everything that does not add value to the work being done — components from broken machinery, unrepaired spare assemblies and tools, obsolete charts and graphs and "abandoned-in-place" equipment and piping systems. If it is not needed for the job at hand, it needs to be eliminated.
2. Straighten— Organize what remains after the first step. Consider the flow of work through the area and position equipment and storage facilities to eliminate lost motion and wasted travel. A craftsperson should not have to search for a tool or move something out of the way to begin work.
3. Scrub/Shine— Workplace cleanliness is the next step. Precision work requires a clean work environment. Shop spaces used to rebuild equipment should approach "clean room" standards. Remove all dust, dirt and contamination. Seal concrete floors so that spills are easily cleaned. Repair lighting fixtures and paint the work area with light colors — a brightly lit work environment is much more likely to remain clean. Deteriorating equipment conditions are more easily spotted when not covered by contamination.
4. Standardize— When the workplace is clean and organized, it must be kept that way. A system should be put into place that ensures the condition of the work area does not degrade. Visual controls can be used at the equipment level — registration marks on fasteners, color coding correct operating ranges on gauges and matched marking assemblies are examples.
5. Sustain— A process for conducting audits on a regular basis should be considered. When management shows a concern for workplace condition, it is much more likely to remain in good shape. Every employee must understand the need for safety, order and cleanliness. The facility should be kept in "tour condition" at all times.

The cleanliness must be performed so you won’t have to work in an unsafe, disorganized area which puts you at risk or even in danger. Since 5-S is for you, you also have an obligation and the responsibility to help prepare the tools and make sure they are in the proper place so that you can begin your job on time and efficient. Clean-up and organize your work area every day so that each new day is easier and safer than the day before. Share your input with your leaders so that the tools you need will be available to you, increasing your efficiency. Volunteer to help with the 5-S tours and resolve issues that are noted.

Total Productive Maintenance Implementation

To begin applying TPM concepts to plant maintenance activities, the entire work force must first be convinced that upper level management is committed to the program. The first step in this effort is to either hire or appoint a TPM coordinator. It is the responsibility of the coordinator to sell the TPM concepts to the work force through an educational program. To do a thorough job of educating and convincing the work force that TPM is just not another "program of the month," will take time, perhaps a year or more.

Once the coordinator is convinced that the work force is sold on the TPM program and that they understand it and its implications, the first study and action teams are formed. These teams are usually made up of people who directly have an impact on the problem being addressed. Operators, maintenance personnel, shift supervisors, schedulers, and upper management might all be included on a team. Each person becomes a "stakeholder" in the process and is encouraged to do his or her best to contribute to the success of the team effort. Usually, the TPM coordinator heads the teams until others become familiar with the process and natural team leaders emerge.

Total Productive Maintenance action teams are charged with the responsibility of pinpointing problem areas, detailing a course of corrective action, and initiating the corrective process. Recognizing problems and initiating solutions may not come easily for some team members. They will not have had experiences in other plants where they had opportunities to see how things could be done differently. In well run TPM programs, team members often visit cooperating plants to observe and compare TPM methods, techniques, and to observe work in progress. This comparative process is part of an overall measurement technique called "benchmarking" and is one of the greatest assets of the TPM program.

TPM teams are encouraged to start on small problems and keep meticulous records of their progress.
Successful completion of the team's initial work is always recognized by management. Publicity of the program and its results are one of the secrets of making the program a success. Once the teams are familiar with the TPM process and have experienced success with a small problem, problems of ever increasing importance and complexity are addressed.

As an example, in one manufacturing plant, one punch press was selected as a problem area. The machine was studied and evaluated in extreme detail by the team. Production over an extended period of time was used to establish a record of productive time versus nonproductive time. Some team members visited a plant several states away which had a similar press but which was operating much more efficiently. This visit gave them ideas on how their situation could be improved. A course of action to bring the machine into a "world class" manufacturing condition was soon designed and work was initiated. The work involved taking the machine out of service for cleaning, painting, adjustment, and replacement of worn parts, belts, hoses, etc. As a part of this process, training in operation and maintenance of the machine was reviewed. A daily check list of maintenance duties to be performed by the operator was developed. A factory representative was called in to assist in some phases of the process. Total Productive Maintenance was just the right fit for the situation

After success has been demonstrated on one machine and records began to show how much the process had improved production, another machine was selected, then another, until the entire production area had been brought into a "world class" condition and is producing at a significantly higher rate.

Note that in the example above, the operator was required to take an active part in the maintenance of the machine. This is one of the basic innovations of TPM. The attitude of "I just operate it!" is no longer acceptable. Routine daily maintenance checks, minor adjustments, lubrication, and minor part change out become the responsibility of the operator. Extensive overhauls and major breakdowns are handled by plant maintenance personnel with the operator assisting. Even if outside maintenance or factory experts have to be called in, the equipment operator must play a significant part in the repair process. Training for TPM coordinators is available from several sources. Most of the major professional organizations associated with manufacturing as well as private consulting and educational groups have information available on TPM implementation. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and Productivity Press are two examples. Both offer tapes, books, and other educational material that tell the story of TPM. Productivity Press conducts frequent seminars in most major cities around the United States. They also sponsor plant tours for benchmarking and training purposes.

Total Productive Maintenance History

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) evolved from Total Quality Management (TQM,) which evolved as a direct result of Dr. W. Edwards Deming's influence on Japanese industry. Dr. Deming began his work in Japan shortly after World War II. As a statistician, Dr. Deming initially began to show the Japanese how to use statistical analysis in manufacturing and how to use the resulting data to control quality during manufacturing. The initial statistical procedures and the resulting quality control concepts fueled by the Japanese work ethic soon became a way of life for Japanese industry. This new manufacturing concept eventually became knows as Total Quality Management or TQM.

When the problems of plant maintenance were examined as a part of the TQM program, some of the general concepts did not seem to fit or work well in the maintenance environment. Preventative maintenance (PM) procedures had been in place for some time and PM was practiced in most plants. Using PM techniques, maintenance schedules designed to keep machines operational were developed. However, this technique often resulted in machines being over-serviced in an attempt to improve production. The thought was often "if a little oil is good, a lot should be better." Manufacturer's maintenance schedules had to be followed to the letter with little thought as to the realistic requirements of the machine. There was little or no involvement of the machine operator in the maintenance program and maintenance personnel had little training beyond what was contained in often inadequate maintenance manuals.

The need to go further than just scheduling maintenance in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations as a method of improving productivity and product quality was quickly recognized by those companies who were committed to the TQM programs. To solve this problem and still adhere to the TQM concepts, modifications were made to the original TQM concepts. These modifications elevated maintenance to the status of being an integral part of the overall quality program.

The origin of the term "Total Productive Maintenance" is disputed. Some say that it was first coined by American manufacturers over forty years ago. Others contribute its origin to a maintenance program used in the late 1960's by Nippondenso, a Japanese manufacturer of automotive electrical parts. Seiichi Nakajima, an officer with the Institute of Plant Maintenance in Japan is credited with defining the concepts of TPM and seeing it implemented in hundreds of plants in Japan.

Books and articles on TPM by Mr. Nakajima and other Japanese as well as American authors began appearing in the late 1980's. The first widely attended TPM conference held in the United States occurred in 1990. Today, several consulting companies routinely offer TPM conferences as well as provide consulting and coordination services for companies wishing to start a TPM program in their plants.

Lean maintenance and its many faces

What Lean Maintenance is all about?

Lean Maintenance is the application of Lean philosophy, tools and techniques to the maintenance function. It has the same goals as the application of Lean principles to the manufacturing function: eliminating wasted time, effort and material (and resulting cost) while improving throughput and quality.

As Lean Manufacturing seeks to provide products at the highest quality at the lowest cost in the shortest possible time, Lean Maintenance provides the same attributes to the maintenance function. In fact, Lean Manufacturing depends highly on reliable systems and equipment to achieve its potential.

Lean does not imply cutting the fat or eliminating jobs. It is not an attempt to reduce cost through headcount reductions, which typically don't have anything to do with reducing work. Lean organizations reduce costs by eliminating activities that don't add value to the product stream. It means reassigning people and resources from unnecessary work to value-adding work.

Many tools used to implement Lean principles in manufacturing operations also apply to implementing Lean Maintenance. These tools include:

• 5-S process
• Elimination of the Seven Deadly Wastes
• Kaizen
• Jidoka (Quality at the Source)
• JIT (Just in Time).

I came across in this article some years ago, I think that was 2005. That was during the time I am searching about Lean Maintenance. I like the idea on Lean Maintenance but I never heard this term (Lean Maintenance) in our company department but I assure that we're practicing its application.

Source: Bruce Hawkins, CMRP, CPMM, Life Cycle Engineering | Plant Engineering

Successful Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Programs Depend on Consistency

The following is an except from the article entitled "Choose Your PdM Partners Wisely Or Discover Another Reason Why PdM Programs Can Fail" by Alan Friedman, appeared on reliabilityweb.com

One reason many in-house programs fail is a lack of consistency on many levels. A successful Predictive Maintenance (PdM) program relies on long-term consistency on the technical level in terms of collecting repeatable data for trending. This means that assets must be tested the same way time after time, year after year, in terms of test speeds, loads, test positions, test types etc. Consistent testing ensures accurate trending of machine condition, the development of meaningful baselines and alarm criteria and, therefore, accurate fault diagnosis and repair recommendations. This is very different from the process of using the technology to troubleshoot an asset. Troubleshooting is a valid use of these technologies, but does not result in a change in maintenance philosophy, nor does it provide the large ROI’s such a change in philosophy should produce.

On a higher level, such technical consistency also depends on the reliability of management and personnel. Oftentimes, due to lack of financial justification, PdM programs are stopped and personnel are reassigned to different tasks. New maintenance managers may not understand the technology and may recommend a new approach to using – or not using – it which disrupts the consistency of a program. In-house “experts,” in seeking to keep their jobs secure, may not document or follow fixed procedures for monitoring equipment or share information with others, causing programs to fail when they leave for greener pastures.

There are many reasons why programs bloom and then decay. People who have different ideas about how Predictive Maintenance (PdM) should be done come and go, priorities change, technology changes, expertise changes and approaches change. The one sure thing is that all of these starts and stops and changes in direction ensure a program will never be successful. This is another reason why an external partner is a good option to keep the program running steadily regardless of what is happening within the maintenance department of your facility.

In general, it can be said that a good Predictive Maintenance program requires a consistent approach, with a clear set of objectives that can be measured to monitor the success or failure of the program. The program must continue to remain consistent through good times and bad, regardless of who in the facility (or outside the facility) is running the program, collecting data, analyzing it or writing reports. This sort of consistency is often difficult to maintain within a facility, and is an example of where a good partnership with a Predictive Maintenance service provider can be a huge asset. Especially if this partner has a long track record of managing successful PdM programs and has a well-defined approach to managing such programs. This is different from hiring a vibration expert to come on-site at times to troubleshoot machines or structures.

But why choose your Predictive Maintenance (PdM) partners wisely? Here's his conclusion:

Whether you are considering starting a new program, revamping a dead one, outsourcing or looking for someone to become a long term partner to step in when needed and step back when not needed, make sure you pick the correct partner. The company should have a good track record of managing successful programs, should use good equipment for the job, and should make necessary equipment available to you as part of a sale or service or as a lease as needed. Make sure your partner can train staff at all levels, from using the products to analyzing graphs, but, more importantly, is capable of managing your particular program and answering specific questions related to auditing your program. The importance of helping you calculate the economic impacts of these technology and maintenance practices to your bottom line can not be underestimated.

More than anything, consider that choosing the right partner may make the difference between a consistent and effective program that runs smoothly over the next ten or twenty years and an endless series of false starts and investments in misused equipment. One thing is for sure, successful programs, more often than not, involve good partners.

To read the full article click here: Choose Your PdM Partners Wisely

Reliability Centered Maintenance Advantage and Disadvantages

Reliability centered maintenance (RCM) is the maintenance approach used when following a process that assesses equipment condition and determines the maintenance requirements of any physical asset in its operating context.

Basically, the RCM methodology addresses key issues not dealt with by other maintenance programs. This approach recognizes that all equipment in a facility is not of equal importance—to either the process or to facility needs and safety. Focusing on reliability of equipment means recognizing that equipment design and operations differ, and that each piece of equipment will have a different probability of undergoing failure from degradation than will another. A reliability-focused approach will mean structuring a maintenance program based upon the understanding of equipment needs and priorities, as well as limited financial and personnel resources, to plan activities such that equipment maintenance is prioritized while operations are optimized.

Simply put, RCM is a systematic approach of evaluating a facility's equipment and resources to best match the two needs. This results in a high degree of facility reliability and cost-effectiveness, and is highly reliant on predictive maintenance. However, it also recognizes that maintenance activities on equipment that is inexpensive and less important to overall facility reliability may be best left to a reactive maintenance approach, focusing both labor and financial resources on higher priority and more costly equipment. The following maintenance program breakdowns of continually top-performing facilities echo the RCM approach, which utilizes all available maintenance tactics. As is shown, all maintenance approaches are used, but the predominant strategy used is predictive.

• <10%>
• 25% to 35% Preventive
• 45% to 55% Predictive

Because RCM is so heavily weighted on utilization of predictive maintenance strategies, its program advantages and disadvantages mirror those of predictive maintenance. In addition to these advantages, RCM will allow a facility to more closely match its resources to operational needs and at the same time improve both reliability and also reduce associated maintenance costs.

Advantages

• Can be the most efficient maintenance program
• Lowers costs by eliminating unnecessary equipment maintenance or system overhauls
• Minimizes the frequency of overhauls
• Reduces probability of sudden equipment failures
• Focuses maintenance activities on critical system components
• Increases component reliability
• Incorporates root cause analysis

Disadvantages

• Can have significant startup costs associated with staff training and equipment needs
• Savings potential is not readily seen by management

An Introduction to Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

What is Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)?
It can be considered as the medical science of machines. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a maintenance program which involves a newly defined concept for maintaining plants and equipment. The goal of the TPM program is to markedly increase production while, at the same time, increasing employee morale and job satisfaction.

TPM brings maintenance into focus as a necessary and vitally important part of the business. It is no longer regarded as a non-profit activity. Down time for maintenance is scheduled as a part of the manufacturing day and, in some cases, as an integral part of the manufacturing process. The goal is to hold emergency and unscheduled maintenance to a minimum.


Why Total Productive Maintenance?
TPM was introduced to achieve the following objectives. The important ones are listed below.

• Avoid wastage in a quickly changing economic environment.
• Producing goods without reducing product quality.
• Reduce cost.
• Produce a low batch quantity at the earliest possible time.
• Goods send to the customers must be non defective.

Similarities and differences between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM):
The TPM program closely resembles the popular Total Quality Management (TQM) program. Many of the tools such as employee empowerment, benchmarking, documentation, etc. used in TQM are used to implement and optimize TPM.Following are the similarities between the two.

1. Total commitment to the program by upper level management is required in both programmes
2. Employees must be empowered to initiate corrective action, and
3. A long range outlook must be accepted as TPM may take a year or more to implement and is an on-going process. Changes in employee mind-set toward their job responsibilities must take place as well.

The differences between TQM and TPM is summarized below.

TQM
Object: Quality ( Output and effects )
Mains of attaining goal: Systematize the management. It is software oriented
Target: Quality for PPM

TPM
Object: Equipment ( Input and cause )
Mains of attaining goal: Employees participation and it is hardware oriented
Target: Elimination of losses and wastes.

Source: plant-maintenance.com | Venkatesh J

Predictive Maintenance Implementation: Advantages and Disadvantages

A predictive maintenance approach strives to detect the onset of equipment degradation and to address the problems as they are identified. This allows casual stressors to be eliminated or controlled, prior to any significant deterioration in the physical state of the component or equipment. This leads to both current and future functional capabilities.

Basically, predictive maintenance differs from preventive maintenance by basing maintenance needs on the actual condition of the equipment, rather than on some predetermined schedule. Recall that preventive maintenance is time-based. Activities such as changing lubricant are based on time, like calendar time or equipment run time. For example, most people change the oil in their vehicles every 3,000 to 5,000 miles traveled. This is effectively basing the oil change needs on equipment run time. No concern is given to the actual condition and performance capability of the oil. It is changed because it is time.

This methodology would be analogous to a preventive maintenance task. If, on the other hand, the operator of the car discounted the vehicle run time and had the oil analyzed at some periodicity to determine its actual condition and lubrication properties, he or she may be able to extend the oil change until the vehicle had traveled 10,000 miles. This is the fundamental difference between predictive maintenance and preventive maintenance, whereby predictive maintenance is used to define needed maintenance tasks based on quantified material and equipment condition.

Advantages

• Provides increased component operational life and availability
• Allows for preemptive corrective actions
• Results in decrease in equipment and/or process downtime
• Lowers costs for parts and labor
• Provides better product quality
• Improves worker and environmental safety
• Raises worker morale
• Increases energy savings
• Results in an estimated 8% to 12% cost savings over which might result from a predictive maintenance program

Disadvantages

• Increases investment in diagnostic equipment
• Increases investment in staff training
• Savings potential is readily seen by management

There are many advantages of using a predictive maintenance program. A well-orchestrated predictive maintenance program will all but eliminate catastrophic equipment failures. Staff will then be able to schedule maintenance activities to minimize or eliminate overtime costs. And, inventory can be minimized, as parts or equipment will not need to be ordered ahead of time to support anticipated maintenance needs. Equipment will be operated at an optimal level, which will also save energy costs and increase plant reliability.

Past studies have estimated that a properly functioning predictive maintenance program can provide a savings of 8% to 12% over a program utilizing preventive maintenance strategies alone. Depending on a facility's reliance on a reactive maintenance approach and material condition, savings opportunities of 30% to 40% could easily be realized. In fact, independent surveys indicate the following industrial average savings resulted from initiation of a functional predictive maintenance program:

• Return on investment: 10 times
• Reduction in maintenance costs: 25% to 30%
• Elimination of breakdowns: 70% to 75%
• Reduction in downtime: 35% to 45%
• Increase in production: 20% to 25%

The down side of using a predictive maintenance approach are its initial costs. The up-front costs of starting this type of program can be expensive. Much of the equipment requires expenditures in excess of $50,000. And, training of in-plant personnel to effectively utilize predictive maintenance technologies and practices will require substantial additional funding. And, beginning a predictive maintenance program requires an understanding of the facility's predictive maintenance needs and the approaches which need to be undertaken. It is also essential to have a firm commitment, by management and all facility staff and organizations, to make it work.

Preventive Maintenance (PM) Definition

Preventive maintenance (PM) has the following meanings:

1. The care and servicing by personnel for the purpose of maintaining equipment and facilities in satisfactory operating condition by providing for systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures either before they occur or before they develop into major defects.
2. Maintenance, including tests, measurements, adjustments, and parts replacement, performed specifically to prevent faults from occurring.

While preventive maintenance is generally considered to be worthwhile, there are risks such as equipment failure or human error involved when performing PM, just as in any maintenance operation. PM as scheduled overhaul or scheduled replacement provides two of the three proactive failure management policies available to the maintenance engineer. Common methods of determining what PM (or other) failure management policies should be applied are; OEM recommendations, requirements of codes and legislation within a jurisdiction, what an "expert" thinks ought to be done, or the maintenance that's already done to similar equipment. However Reliability Centered Maintenance, provides the most rigorous and method to determine applicable and effective failure management policies - which may include PM tasks - for an item.

To make it simple:

• Preventive maintenance is conducted to keep equipment working and/or extend the life of the equipment.
• Corrective maintenance, sometimes called "repair", is conducted to get equipment working again.

The primary goal of maintenance is to avoid or mitigate the consequences of failure of equipment. This may be by preventing the failure before it actually occurs which PM and condition based maintenance help to achieve. It is designed to preserve and restore equipment reliability by replacing worn components before they actually fail. Preventive maintenance activities include partial or complete overhauls at specified periods, oil changes, lubrication and so on. In addition, workers can record equipment deterioration so they know to replace or repair worn parts before they cause system failure. The ideal preventive maintenance program would prevent all equipment failure before it occurs.

Source: wikipedia

Predictive Maintenance Program

A Quality Rotating Machinery Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Program for your facility will return your investment many times over. This type of PdM Program is based on periodic vibration measurements of your Rotating Machinery. In many cases, a Return On Investment (ROI) of less than one year (six months typical) is quite common. A Contract PdM Program eliminates the initial capital investment required to conduct your own PdM Program.

There are three classifications of machinery maintenance methods: Breakdown, Preventative, and Predictive Maintenance. Each method has its own associated costs and benefits.

Breakdown Maintenance, by its own nature, is the most expensive method of plant maintenance. This method has no scheduled maintenance until a machine destroys itself, and it must be replaced at great cost. The machine breakdown often brings the production process to an immediate halt. Breakdown Maintenance has high costs in manpower, replacement parts, and lost production.

Preventive Maintenance, the next logical method, relies on a periodic inspection the machines. During the inspection, machine damage is found and corrected. This method requires a large inventory of replacement parts prior to the machine's inspection. Preventative Maintenance has a lower associated cost because manpower can be planned in advance.

Predictive Maintenance involves monitoring the machine's vibration characteristics or symptoms to diagnose its condition. This method relies on the machine's condition to accurately schedule the repair interval. The machine's condition also determines the required replacement parts. Predictive Maintenance has the lowest cost of the three methods with the highest possible savings.

A Machinery PdM Program is beneficial to all industries that have rotating machinery on their site such as:

• Petroleum
• Chemical
• Power Generation
• Co-Generation
• Pulp and Paper
• Water Treatment
• Building Services
• HVAC
• Mining
• Food Processing

Typical Rotating Machinery commonly included in a Machinery PdM Program include but are not limited to the following:

• Electric Motors
• Pumps
• Fans
• Gear Boxes
• Turbines
• Compressors
• Paper Machines
• Reciprocating Machines
• Blowers
• Machine Tools
• Chillers
• Conveyors

Vibration Analysis as Prognostic Maintenance Procedure

Vibration analysis is becoming more and more well-known as a prognostic maintenance procedure as well as a support for machinery maintenance judgment and decisions. Generally, machines don't fail, malfunction, or break down without showing some symptoms or warning, which is often shown by an amplified level of vibration. To find out the nature and harshness of the machine flaw, and to therefore predict the failure of the machine or equipment, vibration measurement and analysis should be conducted.

A machine has an overall vibration signal that comes from the several components and structures infused into it. Mechanical problems, however, create distinctive vibrations at varying frequencies. And these defects as well as the natural frequencies of different structural elements can be diagnosed by analyzing the frequency and time range and employing signal processing skills.

Since vibration analysis deals with all moving components of any kind of rotating device, it can point out not just particular machine troubles but can also make repairs simpler by spotting the origin or root cause of the problem. And most significantly, vibration analysis is capable of discovering the flaws before they become evident. Hence, you will be warned of budding equipment problems, and you can allow your engineers or technicians to be ready for repairs and to make the repairs at a convenient time rather than during emergency situations.

Vibration analysis, which is done through a vibration analyzer, and some skill, can help a person point out the causes of coarse and irregular machinery conditions. Vibration analysis systems are really helpful for modal analysis and vibration testing.

When it comes to analysis requirements, vibration analysis is complicated and calls for human experience and capability. Nevertheless, it is an inexpensive and functional diagnostic means to guarantee a smoothly running machine.

Source: Ezinearticles | Elizabeth Morgan

Predictive and Preventive Maintenance in a Declining Economy

In a declining economy saving operating expenses has become a priority for most firms. Predictive and preventive maintenance although similar, are two different tools used by facilities managers in order to save precious dollars. Both maintenance systems help keep earnings (the bottom line) stable by avoiding costly repairs and maximizing equipment up-time. Normally cutting expenses for operations means fewer support staff, hiring freezes, and a repair versus replacement strategy on equipment. But what happens when the forecast for low or declining sales does not improve or is mired in a deep recession?

A recent survey conducted by Facilities Planners and Architects, Inc. of facility managers and business owners revealed intended reactions to the current economic situation. The survey highlights are:

• Limiting capital expenditures to sustainability initiatives such as more efficient lighting systems
• More plans to reduce square footage
• Outsourcing non-core services such as janitorial services
• Assessing the condition of the facilities and better strategic planning of their use
• Initiating predictive maintenance programs

Obviously, it is always a good idea to watch your expenses. The results echoes this and indicates a long overdue desire to become more energy efficient, a focus on core responsibilities by outsourcing non-core functions, a strategic look at assets and the initiation of efficiency and savings programs. The survey mentions predictive maintenance as one of the most popular choices for cost saving solutions. It should be noted that predictive maintenance is not the same as preventive maintenance. Successful predictive maintenance starts with preventive maintenance. To better understand let us take a look at both.

Predictive vs. Preventive Maintenance:

Preventive maintenance occurs on a pre-determined schedule and is intended to increase efficiencies by reducing the amount of reactive work and increasing the ability of management to manage work. Most importantly, it allows for the early identification of problems and significantly increases the life cycle of equipment, lowers capital expenditure requirements and allows for better planning of capital budgets. In addition, when integrated with handheld technologies and a combination of asset management, work order management and inspections, work flow efficiencies are increased to maximum levels. The data collected through this method becomes the building block for predictive maintenance.

Predictive maintenance does have its benefits in a difficult economy particularly because it can be less labor intensive than preventive maintenance. Predictive maintenance programs are based upon the actual condition of the equipment and a determination of when maintenance should be performed to minimize costs. New technology techniques such as ultrasound, infrared and vibration online testing make predictive maintenance a viable alternative in certain circumstances. However, for most equipment the complex metrics for making educated guesses is provided by preventive programs.

The goal of a facility manager or business owner is to make sure equipment has the highest possible uptime and to extend the life cycle of the equipment as long as possible at the most reasonable economical cost. Some predictive maintenance plans will require a capital investment in higher technology sensing equipment but most will be built upon the foundation and metrics provided by an existing preventive maintenance program. Facility managers should not rely on just a predictive maintenance solution to save expenses especially if dealing with high value equipment or if safety is at stake.

Tough times call for tough decisions as both maintenance programs have their place. The solution may be a combination of the two maintenance programs or it may be dependent on your industry, type of equipment and survival strategy. What is your company going to do?

Source: Mintek | http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S_W_Smith

Facility Maintenance Management Software

Facilities form the non-core services of a corporation or any organization. Non-core services can include managing administration function, property management, and managing contract services such as cleaning and security. A major portion of the assets of an organization is in the form of infrastructure, like buildings and equipment. Hence, the maintenance of physical assets is a major function of facilities management.

The role of facilities management is to help businesses concentrate in their core competent areas. Facilities management takes on the role of providing routine, non-value-added services which are essential and important for the effective running of an organization.

Facilities management in its widest sense can be applied to any industries. The industries range from public services such as schools, universities and parks, to private services such as manufacturing. Anything that can be outsourced to a third party can be termed as facilities.

Since most of functions of facilities are routine, the role and capacity of IT is precisely suited for that function. IT provides end-to-end solutions for an enterprise. ERP and EAM systems take on the role of MRP systems to streamline operations and help reduce costs.

Physical assets such as buildings, equipment and IT installations require regular maintenance; therefore, the role of IT in providing maintenance solutions is a major part of the portfolio of ERP providers. Maintenance is a major function of facilities. According to a study, properly planned and maintained services can lead to a 20 percent reduction in the operating cost of a firm.

The level and scope of functionality varies in the maintenance management system, according to the type of industries and physical assets. Therefore, except for standard functions like maintenance audits and down-time calculators, most of the software functionalities should be customized.

These are many software vendors available, each of whom has an internet presence. The futuristic vision of maintenance management systems is already implemented by some vendors who provide on-demand remote maintenance services, thereby reducing the costs of installing of maintenance systems further.

Source: Eddie Tobey | ezinearticles