Page 68 - Intro Predictive Maintenance

Role of Maintenance Organization 59

• Accurate equipment history records
• Failure information by problem, cause, and action
• Experience data from similar equipment
• Manufacturer’s interval and procedure recommendations
• Service manuals
• Consumables and replaceable parts
• Skilled personnel
• Proper test instruments and tools
• Clear instructions with a checklist to be signed off
• User cooperation
• Management support

A typical initial challenge is to get proper documentation for all equipment. When a
new building or plant is constructed, the architects and construction engineers should
be required to provide complete documentation on all facilities and the equipment
installed in them. Any major equipment that is installed after that should have com-
plete documentation. Figure 3–7 is a checklist that should be given to anyone who
purchases facilities and equipment that must be maintained. One of the items on this
list is ensuring availability of complete documentation and preventive maintenance
recommendations.

Purchasing agents and facilities engineers are usually pleased to have such a check-
list and will be cooperative if reminded occasionally about their major influence on
life-cycle costs. This brings us back again to the principle of avoiding or minimizing
the need for maintenance. Buying the right equipment in the beginning is the way to
start. The best maintainability is eliminating the need for maintenance.

If you are in the captive service business or concerned with designing equipment that
can be well maintained, you should recognize that the preceding recommendation was
aimed more at factory maintenance; but after all, that is an environment in which your
equipment will often be used. It helps to view the program from the operator and
serviceperson’s eyes to ensure that everyone’s needs are satisfied.