Most maintenance managers will agree that information systems are imperative for effective maintenance and improved reliability.

There is also broad agreement on the necessity to combine information from sources as diverse as predictive, maintenance management, control, and financial systems as well as to distribute information to these same systems. The real question is, How is that task to be accomplished?

There are essentially three methods: purchase a complete enterprise system, including maintenance management, from a single supplier; install a site-specific integration; or demand open exchange. I am heavily biased toward open exchange. I hope to convince you, too.

I have yet to hear a positive comment from anyone in the maintenance and reliability community regarding purchasing a complete enterprise information system from a single supplier. Comments such as We would never have considered the maintenance management module if it weren't part of a mandated enterprise system are common.

For example, a detailed analysis performed by the maintenance department may conclude that the maintenance management portion of an enterprise solution is inadequate for requirements, but it is installed by a management edict.

Then the maintenance manager complains that information necessary to assess effectiveness, concentrated in a 3-page printout with the old system, is now spread, one or two lines to a page, through a 1 in. thick print-out produced by the new system. This is progress?

Next comes the site or enterprise custom integration. On the surface, this alternative is very appealing. You can use whatever you believe best for your application.

It is encouraged by many suppliers as well as most Information Technology managers, who want control over all information and see the opportunity to solidify job security with a tangled ball of yarn only they understand. Few users recognize the many difficulties and huge cost to construct, and endlessly support and maintain, all the links in a custom application.

In terms of measurements, a comprehensive production asset information system must be able to accommodate the detail necessary to predict future capacity. The need to gain maximum warning time between the time a change is recognized and the time action is required eliminates overall measurements and simple trending from consideration as prime predictive indicators.

The person responsible for asset management also must be provided with complete diagnostic and prognostic information as soon as possible for the purposes of developing effective remedial action and improving overall reliability.

This scenario brings us to an opportunity for the maintenance and reliability community. MIMOSA is a unifying force for those who recognize the value and requirements of detailed predictive information as well as the compelling benefits of exchange under a single open architecture. The organization and standard are in place; relationships have been painstakingly established and nurtured over 6 years. Apathy is the only remaining barrier to full success. Until users wake up to the benefits of distributed information and demand the only solution that makes sense, open access, our community is in real danger of losing valuable capability to systems whose implementation of the real requirements for effective reliability management is superficial at best.

A great deal has been accomplished to assure maintenance and reliability departments will be full participants in the ongoing information revolution. User demand drives the process. Are you a driver, or are you being driven by someone who won't ask for directions? MT

In today's maintenance and reliability community, two types of facility managers exist: those who already use computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) to run their day-to-day operations, and those who will in the near future. CMMS has proven to be an indispensable tool in the management of manufacturing, institutional, and commercial facilities.

CMMS allows scheduling of maintenance tasks, tracking work orders, and managing parts inventory. The resulting benefits include reduced downtime, increased equipment life, and lower overall maintenance costs.

The real problem associated with CMMS is selecting the right package. With literally hundreds of packages available, how does a CMMS novice find the right one? First, understand how CMMS operates. Next, ask what you want CMMS to do for you. Finally, evaluate the features offered by different CMMS packages and compare them to your needs.

How CMMS works
Most CMMS packages contain four components: entry screens, reporting screens, administrative tools, and a database.

In entry screens, you record equipment information, including identification number and maintenance schedule. You also input the maintenance tasks associated with equipment, including labor (in-house or contract), parts and tools (consumable vs. nonconsumable), and procedures.

Once that information is entered, reporting screens display it in a logical, user-friendly format. For example, work order due reports give detailed lists of maintenance due on specific days. Preformatted financial reports and graphs also help you analyze and manage your operation.

Administrative tools allow you to configure the software to meet your specific needs. With most packages, you can assign user passwords and rights. Also, you can set up most packages to skip weekends and holidays when calculating maintenance due dates, moving due dates to the previous or next day.

The database stores the records you enter. Popular database formats include Access, FoxPro, dBase, and Paradox. Some organizations might use client/server databases, such as Oracle or MS SQL Server, to handle multiple users and large volumes of data more efficiently.

Your needs
All maintenance managers share the same goal: minimizing maintenance costs while maximizing equipment uptime. However, different managers use different approaches to accomplish this goal. Therefore, determining your specific needs is the logical starting place when selecting a CMMS package. Answer the following questions.

• Who will use the system?
• What rights should each user have?
• How computer proficient are the users?
• Should the system run on a network or on a stand-alone PC?
• What are your procedures for paperwork flow? Will the software improve this flow or make it worse?
• Do you assign work orders verbally or with hard copies?
• Do you track spare and consumable parts inventory
• Do you need an audit trail?

By clearly defining your needs, you will be better able to evaluate the features found in CMMS packages.

CMMS features
Most CMMS packages offer the following standard features:

Database. As discussed earlier, CMMS packages store information in a database, which should be in an industry-standard format, like those mentioned earlier. If you want to use the software in a PC environment, choose a package compatible with your current setup. If you are purchasing the client/server system, choose a mainstream database program such as Oracle, MS SQL Server, IBM DB2, Informix, or Sybase.

User interface. Many CMMS packages use a graphical interface that operates under Windows 95, 98, or NT (few Macintosh or character-mode applications are available). The interface should conform to industry design standards so users can learn the program quickly and efficiently. It should look and function like your word processing and spreadsheet programs; it also should use peripheral devices without needing application-specific configurations.

Record types. CMMS packages should include, at minimum, master equipment records, including detailed maintenance history, along with equipment tracking and maintenance procedure records. Many packages also include records for parts, tools, and suppliers, along with employee and purchase order records.

Functions. The software should be able to automatically calculate maintenance due dates based on maintenance schedules. It also should easily sort and filter records by ID, location, description, and due date. To save record entry time and ensure accuracy, the software should allow you to copy records and use list boxes, which let you select entries from lists of specific items.

Reporting. Good CMMS packages offer a variety of sorting and filtering options for reports and let you preview reports before printing them. Advanced packages let you e-mail reports, export them to word processing or spreadsheet programs, and publish them as HTML pages on your web site.

Standard reports should include equipment records, maintenance due notices, and maintenance history. Work orders and label printing are also useful. If a package does not support custom reports, you might be able to use an external report-writing utility, such as Access, Excel, or Seagate's Crystal Reports, to design the reports you need. Remember, though, this program must be compatible with the CMMS database.

Security. Database security is an important CMMS issue. Look for a package that uses multilevel security (users have different access levels). You should be able to control each user's right to view, add, change, and delete records. Some packages let you vary these rights by program area, so that, for example, a user can create new equipment records but not new purchase orders. Advanced security systems can even maintain an audit trail log—a running history of user names and actions, including date performed.

Options. Helpful options to enhance the system are available with many packages:

• Label kits. An efficient alternative to handwritten labels, these usually include a special printer and software with which you can print labels for equipment, parts, and tools. In evaluating a label kit, consider how you will use labels with your tracking system and the environment where you use your equipment. Next, determine the type of label you will need. Should labels be paper, laminate, or polyester? Should they be laminated or coated in some way to protect them from chemicals, water, and grease?
• Personal Digital Assistants (PDA). A lot of maintenance occurs in different locations throughout a facility. Therefore, consider using a laptop computer or PDA to record information during actual maintenance. You can then import the information into your main CMMS program. Check with the CMMS supplier to see if this option is available and how easy it is to use (if you have to spend a lot of time setting up software and cables, it might be easier to manually record information). The PDA is actually a handheld Palm Pilot or Windows CE computer that can fit into a shirt pocket or be belt-holstered. Since it is more affordable, compact, and lightweight than a laptop, maintenance technicians can easily document work order results. At the end of the day, they simply place the PDA back on its cradle to electronically transfer the records into the CMMS database.
• Service request modules. To save time and reduce paperwork, many suppliers offer software accessory programs that other departments use to request maintenance via the computer network. After reviewing these requests, you decide whether to approve them. You also can create work orders directly from these requests.
• Validation kits. Companies regulated by the Federal Drug Administration must validate any software program that affects their processes and products. To help you validate CMMS, most suppliers offer a validation kit, containing test method documents and/or a separate validation database. Check to see if this option is available—it can save you a lot of time and hassle.

As you look at various CMMS packages, ask yourself how each one meets your specific needs. Maintaining this focused approach is the best way to select a package that is right for your facility. By taking the time now to thoroughly research and evaluate your options, you avoid regretting hasty decisions later. MT

Information supplied by Richard Baron, industrial engineer and sales manager for CyberMetrics Corp., Scottsdale, AZ; (800) 774-7020

A few weeks ago one of my colleagues said he had been challenged by the chief executive officer (CEO) of a major paper company. The CEO's question was direct and precise: Can you tell me what impact reliability improvements will have on my company's per-share earnings?

After pondering the question for some time, I realized the answer should also be direct and precise. Moreover, it should be able to be derived from information in an annual report. Why? Because most annual reports are public information, and senior executives all know the structure of the financial information in these reports.

Reliability improvements in plants and corporations affect two distinct areas in the Statement of Income statements found in annual reports. These areas are sales (improved reliability translates to more product to sell) and cost of goods sold (fewer failures reduce resource expenditures).

Impact on sales
At the very top of the Statement of Income is Sales. As the reliability of a corporation's plants improves, there is a measurable increase in the production of goods. When production increases, sales can increase, provided there is sufficient market for the goods produced.

Reliability affects the production of goods in three distinct ways. First, if a plant is more reliable, it will be able to produce goods during a greater portion of each day, month, or year. This result is called availability and is expressed as a percentage by dividing hours available to produce by total hours available. For example, if a plant produces goods 8497 hr/yr but it is available 8760 hr/yr, the plant has an availability of 8497/8760 = 97 percent.

Reliability also affects another aspect of production: the rate or speed at which the plants produce goods. All plants have an inherent capacity to produce at a certain run rate. In many process plants, the rated capacity is far less than the capacity to produce at a sustained rate (nominally three consecutive months). With improvements in reliability, a plant will be able to run at a higher rate against its sustained rate. The calculation of rate is expressed in terms of the unit of finished product, in pounds, gallons, tons, or whatever measure is used for tracking production. For example, sustained capacity of a plant is 800,000 tons and the amount produced for the year is 760,000 tons. The run rate is the percentage represented by dividing the amount produced by the sustained capacity, 760,000/800,000 = 95 percent.

The third area of production affected by reliability is a measure called first-pass quality. First-pass quality is a measure of the amount of on specification product that is produced during the first pass through the production sequence. For example, if the plant is producing 760,000 tons had only 699,200 tons passing specifications during the first pass, the first-pass quality percentage would be 699,200/760,000 = 92 percent.

Multiplying these three percentages together reveals what is commonly termed the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of the plant. OEE was first used by Seiichi Nakajima, the father of total productive maintenance, in describing one of the fundamental measures to track production performance. OEE was first applied within discrete manufacturing. It is now used throughout process, batch, and discrete production plants. Improvements in reliability affect OEE, and OEE affects sales.

The calculated OEE of the plant in the previous example is shown in the base year in the accompanying table. We will use this OEE for the base year of a multiyear reliability improvement program. The third column in the table shows how reliability improvements affected the plant during the first year. In this example, production personnel using operator-driven reliability procedures prevented pump cavitation that annually had caused downtime averaging 88 hr. In addition, because motors were lubricated on an optimum frequency, production increased 16,000 tons the first year. Finally, because operators had become more focused on reliability, first-pass quality improved by 30,000 tons. OEE in the first year increased from 85 percent to 89 percent. How did this improvement affect sales?

In the base year, sales of $1,236,500,000 were achieved with an OEE of 85 percent. Therefore, each percentage point of OEE represents $15,135,000 of sales. With the increase in product represented by improved OEE, sales would increase $60,520,000. Thus, reliability improvements that relate to availability, run rates, and first-pass quality can be directly calculated using the sales line of the Statement of Income. Figure 2 illustrates this change.

Impact on income
One of the most important changes corporations achieve when they focus on improving reliability is the impact on the cost of goods sold in the Statement of Income. But how can a reliability improvement project affect costs? One of the most significant areas is the level of preventable or unnecessary work that occurs in every plant. On average, at least 40 percent of plant work can be prevented. In addition, as roles and responsibilities are refined and defined, some minor maintenance work can be transferred to production personnel. This tactic leads to operator-driven reliability. Many organizations have unnecessary layers of supervision and spans of control that are too narrow. When the organization's structure is optimized to meet world-class standards, the cost of these additional levels can be removed from the cost of goods sold.

Many measures need to be tracked to determine how effectively a reliability improvement program is operating. One of these measures is maintenance cost per unit of production. Another is ratio of maintenance cost to replacement asset value, most often expressed as a percentage. Yet another is maintenance cost contribution to cost of goods sold. These types of measures can be integrated to automatically translate improvement in practices to financial impacts.

Calculating the impact of the reduced level of resources on the Statement of Income shows that maintenance expenditures relate directly to the cost of goods sold. How does this impact occur? As better practices are initiated, as unnecessary work is eliminated, as a more efficient organization structure is implemented, and as roles and responsibilities change, the price of maintenance goes down. It is not unusual for more effective practices to reduce maintenance costs by at least 10 percent the first year a reliability improvement project is implemented. This result is achieved even when reliability increases.

What impact does a 10 percent reduction in a maintenance budget of $152,500,000 have on earnings per share? In this example corporation, all plants have participated in a reliability improvement project, and a total of $15,250,000 has been taken out of the cost of goods sold.

There are additional areas where reliability improvements affect the financial tables found in annual reports. For example, when equipment reliability improves, the need to replace that equipment through capital spares replacement decreases. And as OEE increases, corporations often defer plant expansions or new plants when they find that sustained capacity, availability, and first-pass quality enable them to increase sales within their current investment. Improving reliability practices also affects employee morale and translates into greater loyalty and productivity.

The impact that reliability has on per-share earnings can be directly calculated through changes in OEE and reduction in the price of maintenance. In this highly competitive world, maintenance managers need to be able to communicate how improvements reach the bottom line. This approach answers the question: Can you tell me what impact reliability improvements will have on my company's per-share earnings? MT

Keith Burres is director of international operations for HSB Reliability Technologies, 900 Rockmead Dr., Kingwood, TX 77339; telephone (800) 984-0623

Figure 1. Faces of inner and outer races of aligned bearings are parallel.

Alternately, the races of aligned bearings are coaxial. It is surprisingly easy to misalign pressed-in bearings into aluminum housings. Plain bearings also can be misaligned when the bearing axis is not coaxial with the shaft. Thrust bearings are aligned when the thrust face is perpendicular to the shaft's rotating axis.

Why does misalignment matter? The symptoms of bearing misalignment are shock pulses and noise with anti-friction bearings, and rubs and higher temperature on plain bearings. These symptoms are identical to shaft-to-shaft misalignment. Therefore, it is not possible to positively diagnose misaligned bearings from vibration readings alone. A shaft alignment check must be done to eliminate shaft misalignment as a possible defect, and then move on to the bearings.

Figure 2. Bearing life varies inversely with misalignment.

How is alignment measured? A simple measurement of outer race runout detects the non-perpendicularity of the outer race to the shaft rotating axis as the shaft is rotated (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Indicator setup for measuring outer race runout.

Figure 4. Indicator setup for measuring squareness of inner race with shaft.

Other ways to deal with alignment issues The outer race is not always as easily accessible as shown in Fig. 5. There are other ways to handle it. One way is to carefully monitor the mounting of bearings onto shafts and into their housing, for the proper feel. This is described as no binding, about the right amount of force, or assembled easily. These all rely heavily on the experience of the mechanic. The use of excessive force is a warning flag that something is not right.

Another way to detect bearing misalignment is to slowly rotate the shaft by hand while feeling for binding and listening with a stethoscope. This is a good practice to do whenever repairing a machine prior to energizing.

Figure 5. Setup on shaft for checking new flange mounted bearing after installation on a fan.

Precision machine manufacturers control bearing alignment by one or more of the following methods:

• Shrink-fit assemblies
• Close tolerances on diameters
• Defining assembly tools and force
• Shaft shoulders (for squareness)
• End-bell concentric diameters on motors
• Precision machining practices on integral cast-iron housings, like gearboxes--defining position, perpendicularity, and orientation to datums
• In-line machining of bearing bores on integral housings, like pumps.

Precision machine manufacturers are well aware of the need for bearing alignment because their precision bearings have little, or no, clearance remaining to accommodate misalignment after the machine thermally stabilizes at operating temperature. However, in the process industries and facility equipment, not enough attention is given to this simple but critical parameter. We check bearing alignment on every repair job and since doing that, have never had a call-back on that machine. MT

Information supplied by Victor Wowk, P.E., president of Machine Dynamics, Inc., Albuquerque, NM; (505) 898-2094 . The company manufactures and sells bearing alignment tools.

Robert C. Baldwin, Editor

The team I'm working with is developing the equipment reliability skills set. Our current list of top-level skills specifies that a competent maintenance and reliability professional should be able to:

• Establish performance specifications to match company business plan
• Establish current reliability performance levels and analyze gaps
• Establish a maintenance strategy to assure performance
• Cost justify tactics selected for implementation
• Execute a maintenance strategy
• Review performance and adjust maintenance strategy
• Apply maintenance and reliability best practices to initial design, procurement, and installation of new equipment
  
• Use analysis tools effectively
• Use maintenance technologies effectively
• Use information technologies effectively.

When you get practitioners with broad experience and knowledge together to examine the profession, as in this working group, they all begin to see the true breadth of plant equipment reliability, maintenance, and asset management and better appreciate the number of skills it takes to be good at it.

If you examine your own job in detail, and break it down into its component behavioral skills, you quite likely will be surprised with the number of items in the list. How many of these items is your boss aware of?

Perhaps it is time to take stock, sharpen your skills, and demonstrate your proficiency to yourself, the team, and the boss. The last four items on our top-level list suggest that if you want to be successful, you will be committing yourself to continuous learning for the rest of your professional career. MT