How to Define What Asset Maintenance and Management Regime to Employ.

Effective Decision-Making Process for Asset Management to Determine which Maintenance Plan to Adopt

In our previous blog, we covered the topic of ageing assets and their impact on facility management. Having determined an asset doesn’t necessarily need to be old to be “ageing”, all organisations need to look at a process to manage their assets regardless of the physical age of the equipment or facility.

Deciding how to maintain fixed assets or facilities

Regardless of the age or complexity of the facility, or the equipment, we need to make decisions as to how we are going to maintain (or not maintain) our assets.

The decisions made need to be what is best for our organisation and our processes. There is no “right or wrong” decision, however, there does need to be some sound reasoning behind the decisions we make. “Just because…” or “that’s the way they do it” is not sound reasoning.

As all assets age and deteriorate, wear or become obsolete, our decision-making process needs to look at a number of issues.

Determining an asset maintenance plan

A key issue we need to consider when determining the maintenance plan and how we are going to manage an asset, is what is the consequence of failure. Here are two examples:

1. High-risk asset management

If the asset we are considering is the drain valve at the base of a 100,000-litre tank containing sulphuric acid, the consequence of failure is extremely high. Not only would the business risk the financial loss of the value of 100,000 litres of acid, but it would also pose a high risk to the safety of staff, and neighbouring businesses as well as the potential environmental impact.

In the case of a high-risk asset, decision-making with regard to managing the asset will need to look at planning:

  1. rigorous testing
  2. inspections and
  3. monitoring so repair or replacement prior to any sign of wear and long before failure.

2. The low-risk asset management, and Run to Failure (RTF) method

On the other hand, if we are looking at the lighting in the admin office, what maintenance and asset management regime should be employed?

Again, our decision needs to consider what is the consequence of failure.

Should one of the fluorescent tubes fail, what would happen? As there are many light fittings in the office, the loss of one tube would have little to no effect on the operation of the business, there would be little safety impact and production would not be affected in any way.

When the fluorescent tube does fail, it is an easy job for the electrician to replace the tube and if there are no spare tubes on hand in the spare parts stockroom or service van, they are easily and quickly sourced from their supplier. Therefore, when we are making decisions regarding how we handle the ageing light fittings, we may decide that “Run to Failure” (RTF) is the appropriate method of managing the asset.

RTF means the assets maintenance strategy is that the assets are used until they break down, and require repair or replacement.

As shown by the example of the drain valve and the light fitting, there is no one solution that will suit all assets. RTF may in fact be the chosen management method but the decision process used to make this choice must be sound.

Adopt a rigorous & robust decision-making process

Regardless of what the asset is, there needs to be a rigorous and robust decision-making process in place to effectively and efficiently manage all assets as they age.

Contact MCGlobal Solutions for a review

MCGlobal Solutions are highly experienced to demonstrate how you can improve your asset and maintenance management decision-making process. Contact us to arrange a free consultation with our team to discuss a review your asset management and maintenance plan best practices.

 

 

What are Ageing Assets, and What is the Impact on Facility Management as Asset Deterioration and Obsolescence Occurs

What are Ageing Assets + What is the Impact on Facility Management as Asset Deterioration and Obsolescence Occurs

If a colleague makes the comment to you, “we’re working in an ageing facility full of ageing assets”, what do you immediately think?

If you’re like most of us, you’ll probably picture a facility built in the 1920s with run-down equipment and buildings almost collapsing under their own weight.

In some cases, you’d be right, however, the issue of ‘ageing assets’ also applies to those managing brand-new,  state-of-the-art facilities. “How can that be?” I hear you ask…

Defining the term ‘ageing asset’

The term ‘ageing assets’ can be misleading. The term does not necessarily mean the equipment or the facility is old in years.

Ageing is taking into account how old an asset is, its condition, and how the condition is changing over time.

Ageing is the effect whereby a component suffers some form of deterioration and/or damage (usually, but not necessarily, associated with time in service) with an increased likelihood of failure.

The impact of asset deterioration and obsolescence

Just because an item of equipment is old does not necessarily mean it’s significantly deteriorated and damaged. There are many examples of old equipment and facilities still remaining fit for purpose, yet newer equipment showing accelerated deterioration or obsolescence.

The significance of the deterioration and/or damage relates to the potential effect on the equipment’s functionality, availability, reliability and safety.

Every facility or piece of equipment can begin ageing even before it’s commissioned. Newly commissioned facilities may have control systems and software that become obsolete, superseded, or require updates even before the plant is commissioned. Equipment poorly transported or stored prior to installation may have deteriorated or lost performance even before its first use.

Generally, the more hi-tech the equipment or facility is, the quicker obsolescence becomes an issue requiring management.

For example, how many times have you bought an electronic device such as a PC, laptop or television, only to find that before you have unboxed it, there is a better, faster, shinier model already released? …your brand-new device is no longer the current model.

All assets are required to be managed correctly to remain fit-for-purpose and to manage their obsolescence.

 

Asset Management Series

Next in the series, we will discuss the decision-making process of maintaining assets and facilities.

MC Global Solutions Asset Management and Maintenance Software Solutions

Best Practices to Establishing System Naming Conventions

“A little forethought at the start can save a lot of time in the future.”

It is advised as a best practice to build a strong naming convention and protocols during the initial setup of the Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS). This will make it easier for workers to get used to using the Maintenance Connection modules. By employing a consistent and logical format, the explorer lists will naturally group listings to simplify the look-up and search process.

There are five modules where this is particularly relevant

  1. Assets
  2. Inventory
  3. Classifications
  4. Procedures
  5. Preventative Maintenance

1. Assets

As assets are often added, modified or moved within the asset tree, the ID and name need to contain sufficient information to make them identifiable without requiring them to be altered if modified or moved. The ID can often incorporate the classification or unique numbering associated with that asset. The name should start with a general description followed by increasing levels of refinement.

Asset ID and name example

Asset ID: GENDSL200-026

Asset Name:  Generator, Diesel Standby 200KVA Siemens

Always make allowances in the ID for future additions and larger sizes. In the given example, -026 was used in preference to -26 as there is the possibility that there may be more than 99 Generators in the future.

2. Inventory

Inventory/stock items can number into the thousands for many companies.

The ID and naming of these need to be standardised to allow

  • efficient searching for a part,
  • removal of duplication from non-standard descriptions,
  • sufficient descriptors to avoid ambiguity, and
  • new items to be added that match the existing naming convention.

Often the inventory ID is not related to the description of the item, but rather a simple indexed number matching a barcode. A defined number of numerals/letters is valuable in keeping inventory in order.

Inventory ID example

Inventory ID: FIX1003456

Inventory Name:  Bolt, M16 x 100 SST

Inventory ID: MTR040403F

Inventory Name:  Motor, 4KW 4Pole 3PH 415V Foot Mount

The name, however, should follow a noun-adjective protocol. It can also include manufacturer or model details in situations where this is relevant to the correct selection.

3. Classifications

In several major industries, some standards can help in creating a set of classifications. Reporting and analysis can be enhanced by having major classification groups, these can then be broken down further into more specific descriptions.

In the International Standard for the Petroleum, Petrochemical and Gas industry ISO 14224, they used a four-letter abbreviation to group and sort classifications

Classification naming convention example

COAX = Compressor (CO) – Axial (AX)

VESE = Vessel (VE) – Separator (SE)

A similar convention can be used by incorporating the same or more letters or numbers for other industries which do not have existing standards.

4. Procedures

Avoid creating duplicate procedures and easily identify all applicable procedures when updates are required by using the classifications in the procedure and preventative maintenance ID.

As the procedure can either relate to a time or meter-based interval, or an unscheduled type of repair, the ID and name need to be flexible enough to allow for all variables.

Procedure naming convention example

VESE-M48-M-30  = Vessel, Separator 48-Monthly Mechanical Internal & External Inspection

VESE-X01-M-01 = Vessel, Separator Recoating of Corrosion Protection

5. Preventative Maintenance

The classification can be incorporated into the preventative maintenance ID and the name. A similar protocol can be used, with the main variation being the inclusion of the asset within preventative maintenance.

Preventative maintenance ID example

PM-VESE-M-COMPSTN-01 = Vessel, Separator Mechanical Service Compression Station 01

Contact us for a free demonstration

For more information and advice about Maintenance Connection CMMS, please contact our friendly and highly-experienced team at MCGlobal Solutions. We can arrange a free demonstration of our asset management software based on your specific issues.

 

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Enterprise Asset Management. Are you using Best Practices?

It’s easy to fall into the habit of using your Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS)/Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system for your ‘favourite problems’ on a day-to-day basis. However…

Can your powerful CMMS/EAM system do more for you?

CMMS systems are a bit like our brains. We know it’s incredible. We know it can do amazing stuff, and yet we only use 10% of it. What if you could unlock that extra 90% of your CMMS/EAM system?

Imagine the difference to your workplace if you could unlock the other 90% not being utilised… or perhaps not utilised very well…  and ensure you are implementing best practices every step of the way.

No more putting out those daily fires. No more Post-It note ‘must do’ (when you have the time) and no more frustrated inter-department emails because something slipped through the cracks and in some cases, created (predictable in hindsight) downstream issues.

Learn new ways to use your CMMS/EAM software

Your role as an operations manager is complex, and it is difficult to find the time to learn how to get the most out of your investment in a computerised maintenance management system. Or to figure out whether you could be using it better to implement best practice strategies and take more of the load off your shoulders.

See if these questions start you nodding…

  • Do you and your department get blamed for constant breakdowns?
  • Have inefficiencies started to creep into your CMMS/EAM system?
  • Have your preventative maintenance schedules become too complex?
  • Is your asset data incomplete?
  • Are you missing opportunities because the system just isn’t coping?
  • Are there complaints, tantrums, walkouts, picket lines, news reporters, and lawyers??? Ok, ok. So things haven’t become THAT drastic!

The good news is you are not alone. It’s more common than you might think for operation and maintenance managers at a large facility to have a powerful CMMS at their fingertips — but not have the time to make the most of its functionality.

It could be time for a CMMS health check

Without your CMMS/EAM system running at optimum efficiency, things start to fall apart. So, it might just be time for a full review of your CMMS/EAM system.

A CMMS health check scan will identify:

  • What percentage you’re effectively implementing and
  • What is yet to be ‘switched on’ or integrated.

Regardless of whether you are using a CMMS, or a manual system, there’s nothing like a fresh pair of expert eyes to help you see where and how you could be saving time, and getting more done in an easier manner. For example:

  • It could be appropriate naming protocols haven’t been used or adhered to.
  • Or classifications are too general — or haven’t been assigned correctly.
  • Maybe incremental errors have occurred as a result of scheduled PMs not being set correctly.
  • Or if labour records are not being kept up to date, there might be discrepancies in staff and contractor’s licenses, qualifications and competencies.

All small things, but all with potentially serious ramifications.

A health check of your system enables a CMMS/EAM consultant to take a good look into:

  • How your daily workflow operates,
  • Review your current methods and procedures, and
  • Identify opportunities for future improvements.

Valuable insights can be gained from an ‘outside’ professional analysing your system.

A health check analysis can quickly identify:

  • Deficiencies,
  • Improve efficiencies,
  • Help to optimise your CMMS/ EAM and
  • Make your job a lot easier, by simply discovering what’s working, what’s not and what to do about it!

A fresh set of expert eyes from a professional consultant can pinpoint errors, detect problems waiting to happen and help prevent future issues.

What should be included in a maintenance management system health check?

  • It must examine your current processes and study your present management systems within the CMMS/EAM.
  • It should be non-obtrusive. You can’t afford downtime, so consider conducting a health check in your quiet(er) period.
  • While some preliminary work can be carried out offsite, it’s best to conduct the assessment with the system administrator, supervisors and maintenance staff in attendance to ensure input is received from all involved.
  • A thorough system health check should generally take 2-3 days for medium-sized customers with CMMS/EAM systems. This can vary depending on the size and complexity of your system.
  • A comprehensive, in-depth report should be included. It would provide a full appraisal of your current situation, as well as recommendations for improvement, plus details of benefits you’ll enjoy as a result of implementation if required.
  • IMPORTANT: The health check should be conducted by a consultant from a technical background… not a salesperson!

Your CMMS/EAM health check report

The report is back from the ‘doctor’ on the health of your CMMS/EAS. It might require a little minor surgery, or it may just be given the all-clear. If there are a large number of potential safety and efficiency gains identified, it could be time to look at the business case for an upgrade to a more capable system.

Whatever the outcome, at least you will know where the opportunities are, and what you can do to capitalise on them.

We’d love to help you make the most of your EAM/CMMS

Like you, we care about managing preventive maintenance. Let us run a full System Health Check on your CMMS/EAM system.

With the report in hand, you can implement any or all recommendations yourself, or engage MC Global to do it all for you if you prefer.

Your health check will streamline your system and make it more efficient than ever. You’ll have peace of mind, and you’ll know that you are making the most of your investment in your EAM/CMMS.

For more information about Enterprise Asset Management systems, or advice on specific problems and challenges you are facing, please call MC Global on (07) 3303 0177 or click here to contact us.

How to achieve successful CMMS Implementation.

Want to hear a frightening statistic? According to a USA report, approximately 80 to 90% of all computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) implementations fail.

 

What are the reasons for this shocking CMMS failure?

Well we believe it can be attributed to 4 main aspects:

  • poorly defined goals
  • lack of leadership buy-in,
  • deficient training, and
  • a non-intuitive user experience.

For more than 13 years, MC Global have worked hand-in-hand with a host of customers on successful CMMS implementations, based around the world class Maintenance Connection product.

We’ve tackled those four above-mentioned challenges, updated our product/user feedback, and focused our resources on customer success.

As a result, we’ve orchestrated hundreds of successful implementations—from large enterprises to smaller shops—and achieved a remarkably high overall customer satisfaction and project success rating.

Which begs the question: what does a successful CMMS implementation actually look like? And precisely how can your organization ensure that all the foundations are in place to achieve success?

Based on our experience, MC Global hereby present…

 3 ways to improve your team’s CMMS onboarding and implementation.

 

  1. Partner with experienced, strategic maintenance consultants.

It’s claimed that an astounding 4 out of every 5 project management executives don’t know how their projects align with their company’s business strategy.

A non-existent plan and timeline is destined for implementation failure.

Therefore, you should partner with a CMMS provider like MC Global who will:

  • work with your management team to evaluate current business processes
  • suggest improvements if necessary
  • predict the impact of CMMS, and finally
  • determine how the software best fits into the mix.

As part of our implementation, we will work with business leaders to align your CMMS goals and advantages with existing operations. That will ensure the CMMS invariably leads to improvements in efficiency, productivity and performance.

2. Commit to comprehensive and continual training.

There is nothing like upfront training and ongoing guidance to ensure your team becomes au fait with the full functionality of CMMS software.

It also paves the way for better user adoption.

Firstly, you should ensure that your CMMS’s upfront training is designed to educate employees on the benefits and uses of a CMMS; this should be across all departments.

Secondly, make sure you offer your core maintenance team – along with key techs and vendors – the opportunity to get involved in comprehensive training resources.

Thirdly, offer opportunities for continued learning beyond the initial CMMS implementation.

This is imperative as:

  • new employees join your company
  • system updates roll out, and
  • your company grows.

 

  1. Choose a dedicated success team.

Don’t just think about the software.

CMMS technology has the ability to track and improve maintenance performance, however it isn’t always easy to implement.

Investing in a CMMS is a company-wide initiative that takes a lot of commitment—including a team dedicated to its successful execution and adoption.

That’s why you must go beyond software capabilities when evaluating CMMS options.

Choose a partner dedicated to your business and you will enjoy the following benefits:

  •  Successful onboarding. Using data migration, we will help coordinate a smooth database transformation to ensure all assets and preventive maintenance systems (PMs) are configured and accurate. This can save your team the stress and confusion of importing pertinent data.
  • Excellent lines of communication. Between implementation and adoption, communication is critical. A common error in CMMS implementation is lack of support between the maintenance team and vendor.
  • Greater business impact. If planned, developed and managed correctly, a CMMS will bring about greater efficiencies in organizational operations. MC Global helps users define project goals, roles and milestones to make better decisions about maintenance operations. 

Why MC Global Customers Win with Successful CMMS Implementations

We are in the business of helping our customers solve real business problems, and ultimately, we work to make your day-to-day life better.

We’re committed to building software that solves common business challenges, and we work hand-in-hand with you to make it happen.

Our experienced maintenance consultants work with you right from the start to provide on-site training and ensure successful implementation.

We also:

  • involve IT from day one
  • make sure all assets, PMs and inventories are successfully loaded, configured and accurate, and
  • focus on customer-attuned feature development.

For more information and advice about Maintenance Connection CMMS implementation – and how to make it a success from Day 1 – call +61 7 3303 0177 and speak to a friendly ever-helpful MC Global team member, or simply contact us.

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Using your CMMS to Go Greener in the Utilities Industry

For most companies, a strong business case exists for decreasing waste, cutting energy and water consumption, minimising transportation costs, curtailing emissions, and/or undertaking other environmentally beneficial initiatives.

Before your company spends a lot of money on certification programs, public relations campaigns, or consultant reports, consider how you can use systems like your computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS) for creating key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to your business, setting reasonable targets, and executing an action plan for achieving them.

Let’s look at some specific ways in which your CMMS might help you manage energy costs and meet environmental goals.

Fact-Packed Free eBook - Everything you need to know about asset management systems

Utilities management

The greatest cost of an asset stems from the “operate and maintain” stage of its lifecycle. On average, this accounts for roughly 80% of the total cost of ownership. During this stage of the asset lifecycle, one of the largest cost categories is the energy consumed by the asset.

Your CMMS will let users set improvement targets and track their progress. Some more-modern CMMS packages can track energy consumption – not unlike the metering of any asset for condition-based maintenance. This may require the addition of metering capability for individual assets, as many companies rely on utility companies to meter only site-level energy consumption.

Once individual assets are metered for energy consumption, data can be analyzed on a detailed basis. This allows for the following:

  • Use of condition-based monitoring, such as detecting equipment downtime, power surges, brownouts, and other important triggers
  • Correlation of other factors, such as aging and wear factors and prediction failure or other significant events
  • Analysis of peak, average, and total consumption
  • Translation of consumption volumes into dollar values
  • Use of lifecycle analysis to compare total cost of ownership for older equipment with costs for newer, more energy-efficient equipment
  • Validation and better understanding of utility bills.

Full article can be seen here by David Berger at PlantServices.com

Using KPI’s to manage Maintenance Optimisation

KPIs can be used within Maintenance Connection to optimise service frequencies and reduce maintenance costs. An example of this is in setting the schedules for servicing equipment which must conform to Statutory Compliance by a regulatory body.

This can include such items as Pressure Safety Valves (PSV) and Pressure Vessels. These must be inspected and maintained at regular intervals to ensure they are fit for service and do not pose a threat to people and property.Regulations for these can vary from State to State. Companies should seek advice from their local jurisdiction as the suggested options within this article may not apply to their situation.

When the initial implementation of MC is carried out, the set-up of the Modules can assist in establishing effective Reports and KPIs which will, in turn, facilitate the optimisation of the PM schedule. Logical Classifications, Failure codes and Specifications will aid in identifying recurrent problems associated with particular types of equipment or areas of operation. It will also highlight where possible over-servicing is occurring.

Let’s look at the case of PSVs. In a non-aggressive operating environment, companies will usually establish a servicing regime of approximately every two years. This will alternate between a visual inspection, looking for signs of leakage, corrosion, damage or interference and an overhaul which will require the removal, testing of the relief mechanism and replacing of corroded parts. The overhaul may be substituted with a valve exchange programme, where the existing valve is replaced with a similar pre-tested valve and the original is retained for future workshop overhaul. In most cases, the batch servicing of these valves is coordinated to lessen the down time of critical equipment and reduce labour and travel time. This schedule complies with most manufacturers’ recommendations and industry regulations. There is a considerable safety margin built into this time period and it does not take into account the variation in operating conditions.

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Synopsis

PSVs can be found on equipment in locations ranging from covered, well-maintained and clean plant rooms to exposed, oil and gas platforms on the North-West shelf of Australia. The conditions which these valves operate under are vastly different and as such, should not be subject to the same stringent testing regimes. A plan to create a relevant preventative maintenance schedule can be established used the tools within MC. It will assist in ascertaining which is the most economical routine that should be applied while maintaining safety and complying with the Regulatory Authority requirements.

Most recommended service periods take into account the “worst-case” scenario. This results in over-servicing of equipment and unnecessary operating cost. Using the data gathered in MC, a more target-based approach can be taken to reduce maintenance costs and production equipment downtime. This can be done using the following method.

Set-Up

  • When adding new equipment into MC, identify and classify the valves into functional types. These can be used to when creating the PM schedules.
  • Establish PM schedules which groups valve inspections in logical service areas. Make sure this takes into account PSVs which should be serviced together if a major piece of machinery needs to be shut down.
  • Begin with the Manufacturer’s recommended service interval unless you have a PROVEN variation to their recommendation.
  • PSV inspections are often associated with pressure vessel inspections, so thought should be given to synchronise these to reduce plant shutdown.
  • Create Failure codes which can identify PSV faults. This will be used when conducting reviews of reliability and recurring problems.
  • Create KPIs and Reports which will identify failures and corrective work orders associated with the PSV classifications which have been created.

Analysis

  • Use the PSV failure report to identify any valve types or locations which have required repair before the scheduled PM period has been reached.
  • Identify if these failures are due to environment conditions or simply due to an extraordinary event.
  • Take a sample of the PM work orders to determine the condition of thePSVs when they have been serviced:
    1. Was the valve mechanism in good condition
    2. Was there any corrosion which needed to be treated
    3. Was there any sign of leakage or bypass
  • Use the data gathered to determine if there is the need to reduce the service period (repeated failures of a type of PSV) or the scope to extend it (PM Work Order reports indicating minimal deterioration).

Optimisation

  • If failures are occurring, the PM for this type of valve in a particular location may need to be altered to ensure they are serviced to reduce failures to an acceptable level. If the PM time-frame is to be altered, an assessment should be carried out to determine its impact on other equipment:
    1. Will this create additional plant shut downs
    2. Can extra visual inspection in certain areas be sufficient to identify potential failures
    3. Can an alternative valve or manifold arrangement be used to improve reliability
    4. Is there a method to reduce the impact of the working environment – covers, coatings, repositioning
    5. Is the frequency of failures acceptable in the given situation. Does the cost of replacement and any production loss outweigh the cost of additional maintenance
  • If there are minimal signs of deterioration during the programmed maintenance, the time-frame can possibility be extended. Before this is adjusted, all consequences and benefits should be assessed:
    1. Does this schedule comply with the relevant Statutory body’s regulations. These departments will often approve a variation of the service period if recorded data and analysis can demonstrate the justification for it.
    2. Will this variation increase the danger to staff, public or equipment
    3. Will the possible increased risk of failure impact on the production capacity and profitability of the operation
    4. Does this impact on the preventative maintenance schedule of any associated equipment and create the need for additional shutdowns
    5. Are there any exceptions, based on location or age of equipment which need to be considered before extending the time period

Review

Through the use of Reports, KPIs and trend graphs, periodic reviews can be undertaken to determine the results of changes made to the servicing schedules. This can be through simply software generated alerts or notifications of events which exceed set safety parameters or through periodic detailed analysis of Failure and Work Order records. Changes to operating conditions, age of equipment and service procedures will all impact on the Preventative Maintenance schedule and as such, requires an ongoing analysis and review process.

Conclusion

By carrying out the process of Set-up, Analysis, Optimisation and Review, the ultimate aim is to improve operational efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. Maintenance Connection can provide the tools and expertise to assist customers to achieve these goals through the Work Order, Preventative Maintenance, Report and KPIs functions of the software.

Reduce Downtime, Reduce Costs. Find Your Overworked Assets.

In this week’s post we dive into a tech tip using Maintenance Connection to sort your assets that have had the most work orders raised against them. A CMMS is all about reducing downtime of equipment and reducing costs. High frequency of work on a particular asset earmarks it as an asset that:

  •  breaks down alot.
  •  may need replacement.
  •  may need inspections.
  •  may need PM work to minimise the breakdowns.

Below we discuss how to configure your Maintenance Connection CMMS to allow you to easily find the assets that are getting the most use.

Background

We need a report that shows the Assets that have had the most work orders against them. We don’t want to see all the assets, just the top 10 Assets that have had work orders raised against them.

t1

Challenge

We need to group the work orders by the Asset ID, sort by a count field from highest to lowest and just show the top 10. Whilst the SQL language has a TOP statement, It can be a challenge in how to fit TOP statements in the MC reporter.

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Pre-Requisite

The approach listed below requires knowledge of SQL Query Syntax and some knowledge of the table and field names used in the MC Database. Many fieldnames can be looked up by finding them in the front end application and clicking the field label.

t2

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Solution

MC allows SQL statements to be run with minimal interpretation if they are placed as full SQL statements in the From (SQL) field in the advanced setup tab of the report setup.

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Steps

  1. Copy an existing work order list report
  2. Rename the report and clear out all the unnecessary fields
  3. In the From (SQL) Field paste the following SQL expression

 

SELECT TOP 10 AssetID, COUNT(*) AS WorkOrderCount

FROM WO

WHERE AssetID IS NOT NULL

GROUP BY AssetID

ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC

 

Limitations

Future edits of the report require advanced SQL Knowledge

Reports that use GROUP BY Statements will need where clauses hard coded

in the WHERE line of the statement.

Runtime filtering applied in the Criteria Window will be ignored.

Possible Enhancements:

  • Only include work orders requested in the last 30 days

WHERE AssetID IS NOT NULL AND Requested > GETDATE()-30

  • Only include work orders that are break down work orders

WHERE AssetID IS NOT NULL AND Type <> ‘PM’

  • Include AssetName also

SELECT TOP 10 AssetID, AssetName, COUNT(*) AS WorkOrderCount

FROM WO

WHERE AssetID IS NOT NULL AND Type <> ‘PM’

GROUP BY AssetID, AssetName

ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC

Maintenance Connection Best Practice: Using Failure Codes Effectively

In this series we will be guiding you through best practices and case studies of how MC Global clients were able to effectively use it’s CMMS system; Maintenance Connection.

Many Preventative Maintenance schedules are designed to follow the Manufacturer’s recommended timeframe. However these are often based on working conditions which are alien to the Operator. A well-constructed set of Failure codes (Problem, Reason and Solution) can help to identify where variations to the original schedule need to be made.

A report can be made in Maintenance Connection which can display the proactive and reactive Work Orders created for equipment which belong to a particular Classification, Group or Location.

If the majority of work carried out is Preventative Maintenance, then the frequency of service is likely to be sufficient or even over-serviced. However if the Corrective / Breakdown Work Orders are increasing, then the Problem codes can provide the analysis to determine if there is a deficiency in the frequency or particular aspects of the servicing.

 

Example:

A Fleet Operator had found that there has been in increase in the number of vehicle breakdowns in several regions resulting in increased operating costs. After reviewing the past year’s work orders it was found that a large percentage of these were due to clogged air inlet filters. Until this time, all work orders were only populated with a Problem code of “Breakdown”. The vehicles are serviced every 15,000 kilometres but sufficient numbers of them began running erratically 10,000 kilometres after the service. The Operator searched for all repairs associated with Air Filters and found that the same problem was not occurring on other vehicles with 10,000 kilometre servicing schedules.

The first reaction was to have all vehicle services changed to a 10,000 kilometre regime. This would have increased the scheduled service cost by 27% across the entire fleet. However, after further analysis, it was found that the original schedule only called for the filter to be replaced on every alternate service. Effectively the filters were becoming clogged after 25,000 kilometres not 10,000 kilometres. The Procedure was changed to stipulate that all air filters were to be changed at every service and the number of incidents dramatically decreased.

Following this, a new set of Problem codes were created. Amongst the 25 faults on the list were items such as suspension, steering, exhaust system, airbag, air-conditioning and lights.

A report was created which segregated the Work Orders by the Problem code and also display the Reason and Solution. By receiving reports which displayed the Work Orders from the previous month and previous 12 months the Operator was able to identify any developing or inherent faults within the fleet or certain sections of it

Interested in learning more about our CMMS best practises and whether you’re utilising your systems to their maximum potential? Get in contact with us today for your free consultation.