Planning and Scheduling

In 2003, when I was just getting started in the Asset Management world, my boss handed me a book on Planning and Scheduling which changed my whole perspective on the key to successfully managing maintenance.  The book, Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Handbook 3/E by Richard (Doc) Palmer, outlined the mechanics of doing effective planning and scheduling.  In 2012, one of my colleagues from work contracted with Doc Palmer for consulting support and began the process of following Doc's guidelines in the daily work planning and scheduling.  The results have been impressive and in 2014 a video demonstrating the objectives, the process in the CMMS, and a discussion with Doc Palmer was recorded.   You can find the video here: https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1035424

Extend Equipment Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) with Clean Oils

I attended an STLE Section meeting last week to improve my knowledge on lubrication and discovered that any sized particle will lower the expected life of as shown on the MacPherson Curve.

From the presentation, "80% of failure in circulating systems are caused by contamination".  The presenter discussed how on a hydraulic driven roller press, they had pump failures every six months.  After filtering to the 3 micron size or better, the pump has now run for three years without a rebuild.  This is an incredible result of simply doing a very good job of filtering the oil.  

There is a very good article that explains the specific details which you can read here: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1291/lubricant-cleanliness

Analyzing Grease

Like oil analysis, grease sampling and analysis can provide some great information.  For high risk equipment it may be appropriate to consider adding a grease analysis strategy to your program.  Some of the key ways the analysis could be used:

1.) Root-cause or failure analysis - as noted in previous posts, most bearing failures are not due to bearings wearing out, but rather a failure of the lubrication and most bearings are grease lubricated and this would be a great tool to look for water content, external contaminates, or break down materials.
2.) Lubrication Consolidation - not all greases are compatible and sampling grease on a new machine, or unknown machines could be very valuable as you develop a consolidation plan.
3.) Wear analysis - use sampling as an early warning on bearing failure

In the January-February 2013 issue of Machinery Lubrication, Steffen Bots provided a very good overview of grease sampling and analysis that is a recommended read if you want more details on grease analysis.  You can find the article here: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/29284/grease-analysis-system

Just 9% of Lube Related Failures are Fatigue

I just read an article yesterday that quoted a study that said just 9% of lubrication related mechanical failures are due to fatigue.  43% are related to lubrication issues. 

So my "New Years Resolution" is to work on learning and educating my staff on lubrication.  This looks like a good application of the Pareto Principal and we can leverage some real improvement.

Check out the article here: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28752/business-case-for-lubrication-excellence-

Best wishes for 2013!

Asset Management Focused Edition

In late 2011, the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association (PNCWA) Asset Management Committee helped to compile a special issue of the PNCWA Newsletter.  While this newsletter was published a while back, it is being added to this blog because it provides some good reference information.

Here is the link where you can find the document: http://t.co/aHxPrLR5

For 2013, the Asset Management committee will be putting together a Pre-conference workshop and also making a call for papers for an Asset Management track at the annual conference in 2013 at Bend Oregon.  Please see www.pncwa.org for more information.

50 Failure Modes of Electric Motors

An associate of mine just forwarded a link to a great video on the 50 Failure Modes of electric motors. This is a great tutorial on the ways that motor's can fail and which of those failure modes can be controlled by our maintenance planning and how motor rebuilds are specified.

You can find the video here: http://www.uesystems.com/vids4htmls/fifty-failure-modes-of-electric-motors.aspx

Co-Gen Uptime Write Up for Gresham OR

There is a nice write-up in Triple Pundit about the success that Gresham Oregon is having with their Co-Generation operation, which provides 55-60% of their operating energy requirements.

While it isn't mentioned in the article, the Co-Gen system was the focus of the first Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) study that Veolia Water conducted. Using the maintenance approach's developed, Veolia Water has maintained uptimes that exceeded expectations and has helped to achieve the power output that has them on their way to a sustainable wastewater treatment plant.

Congratulations to the Veolia Water Gresham Team and the City of Gresham!

http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/12/oregon-model-sustainable-cities-aint-portland/