Please join Richard Pullen of Isograph Ltd. for an SAPCenter.com 60 minute webinar that provides details about the SAP Portal for Availability Workbench (AWB) to:

• Download locations, equipment and existing plans to the AWB RCM simulator

• Automatically identify critical equipments for analysis using SAP data

• Use AWB to simulate alternative PM strategies

• Upload new and modified maintenance plans to SAP

If you are involved in Reliability Engineering, please make sure to register for this informative web workshop.

Reserve your Webinar seat now

Please join Steve Turner in an iPresentation tutorial to understand maintenance losses and how to work out a simple but accurate way, the magnitude of those losses and what is achievable through a PM Optimization /RCM program.

Start your iPresentation Tutorial now

Performance Appraisals are around the corner

If not already that time in your organization, it may soon be time for the often dreaded Performance Appraisal process. I sincerely hope that none of your people will be surprised by what they learn from you when you review their performance. If they are, it means that you have failed to do your job as a manager. Matter of fact in “First, Break all the Rules”, it is noted that as a manager you should spend at least one hour per quarter with each of your direct reports discussing their performance and development. The book’s authors go on to say that if you don’t, maybe you should not be a manager.
Recognize that:

• Feedback should be ongoing and continuous throughout the year.
• As a manager, you are responsible for the development of your people; you are the shepherd of the flock.
• You have the duty to do their bidding for them in certain occasions and environments.
• The Performance Appraisal process is where you formalize the feedback and address the development plan.
• Being a manager, you have the responsibility to hold people accountable and set expectations. Don’t turn the cheek, address the concerns.
• You have to walk the talk everyday because your people are always watching everything you do or say.
• You can create a strong, vibrant and engaged team.
• Praise can be as simple as a sincere Thank You. Have your people received praise or recognition in the last week from you? If not, why not?

I’ll share a parting tip in addition to the above. You always remember the bad and rarely, do you remember the good events that someone does across a year long period. As you see things, make a simple note of the good items and the opportunities for each of your people throughout the year. Drop the note in a locked file drawer or send yourself an email. When it comes time to write their appraisal, you have honest observations to reflect on rather than memory. Believe it or not once back on the floor, your people do compare notes. Nothing is worse than 2, 3, or more appraisals that read alike to show your people how much you really care about them. Remember, managing people is about building relationships with them.

Tip provided by Jeff Shiver, CMRP, CPMM, People and Processes

Find out more about People and Processes

A reliability engineer for a large chemical company has the responsibility to monitor and analyze gearboxes, and develop specifications for their repair and overhaul. He is a member of the machinery support group that analyzes gearbox vibrations, spent oil, and reciprocating compressors where he monitors pressures and volumes.

Several large gearboxes on site occasionally need to be line-bored and completely stripped down for overhaul. But because of the high cost of the repair, it’s imperative that the gearbox not be overhauled either too soon or too late.

Read the application note

Causal Analysis

It seems obvious that causal analysis is an important part of Root Cause Analysis but it is an area which is often performed badly. A common mistake is that people stop asking why too soon. It is almost like if I ask why too much then I get too much detail. (I think the 5 whys do some harm in promoting this perception.) So how far should you go? Go as as far as you need to, to have a good understanding of the causes. If you can find a solution that prevents recurrence of the problem and meets your goals, within this causal set, then you have gone far enough. If you have not found a good solution, you need to go back to the cause chart and challenge the causes!

Tip provided by ARMS Reliability Engineers

iPresentation Invitation: Conundrums in Asset Management

Balancing? We have made it simple. Online monitoring if 1X vibration couple with Active Balancing Technology. Keep your critical machinery running at low vibration levels…

Find out more about Lord Corp’s Online Vibration Monitoring System

Lots of books claim they can change your life. But how many actually teach you how to take the many small steps that lead to success each and every day of your life?

Leadership, especially in times such as these, is not about what happens tomorrow, but rather focusing on the day at hand.

In Today Matters, motivational teacher and bestselling author John C. Maxwell shows you how to seize the day. In this hands-on and inspiring guide he offers twelve daily practices to help you control your daily agenda, make time for people you love, and find success in your career.

• Today’s ATTITUDE Gives Me Possibilities
• Today’s PRIORITIES Give Me Focus
• Today’s HEALTH Gives Me Strength
• Today’s FAMILY Gives Me Stability
• Today’s THINKING Gives Me an Advantage
• Today’s COMMITMENT Gives Me Tenacity
• Today’s FINANCES Give Me Options
• Today’s FAITH Gives Me Peace
• Today’s RELATIONSHIPS Give Me Fulfillment
• Today’s GENEROSITY Gives Me Significance
• Today’s VALUES Give Me Direction
• Today’s GROWTH Gives Me Potential

Focus on making today the most important day you have.

Learn more about Today Matters

Costs cannot be permanently reduced without making work go away.

We live in a global economy. Most North American industries compete with companies in countries that have significant business advantages, such as lower taxes, lower labor costs, or government subsidies. There is tremendous pressure to cut costs to keep market share, and maintenance costs are typically a big target. In fact, it’s really easy to cut maintenance spending – just lay off maintenance crafts people and decide not to do routine maintenance. You’ll be a hero – for a little while. Sooner or later, neglect will come back to haunt you.

The only true way to permanently reduce maintenance costs is to permanently eliminate work. There are several ways to do this. Make sure the basics of cleaning, lubrication, and contamination control are in place. Implement a precision maintenance program to make equipment last longer (point 5). Use PdM to reduce the scope of repairs by correcting incipient problems before failure (point 9). Avoid unnecessary “open and inspect” intrusive maintenance that usually causes problems due to contamination and reassembly errors. Ensure that the craftspeople have sufficient skills and procedures (point 4) to do the job right the first time. Carefully assess all work requests from the field to determine if it truly adds value and should be done – otherwise, reject it.

Deferring maintenance spending is a short-term fix that has long-term implications. If you have not changed the “system” (see point 6) by any of the above techniques, expect the costs to rise six to twelve months in the future – and they will keep rising. Sustainable maintenance cost reduction is a result of doing the right things to make the work go away, not because of some misguided attempt to stop spending money.

Tip provided by Bruce Hawkins
MRG
http://www.mrginc.net

Attend Maintenance 101 and 201 Workshop at IMC-2008 - December 8-11