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
- Assets
- Inventory
- Classifications
- Procedures
- 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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