Page 38 - Machinery Component Maintenance

Maintenunce Organization and Control ji,r Multi-Plant Corporutions 23

Reduction of clerical effort is used when filing, recording, and retriev-
ing become excessive. Sometimes a reduction in clerical staff may even
be possible after a computer system is installed. However, the relief of
key personnel from clerical responsibilities is usually more important as
a justification point. For example, a major oil company partially justified
installation of a fixed equipment inspection system at a large refinery on
the basis that inspectors could be relieved of the clerical duties of filing
and retrieving inspection information. This company also found record
keeping on inspection, thickness measurement, and corrosion rates to be
more consistent and far more accessible. As a result, information com-
piled by this refinery’s inspection department is far more useful today
than when such information was kept mostly in filing cabinets in the indi-
vidual inspector’s office.
Improved utilization of maintenancc manpower is widcly used as a
means for justifying turnaround scheduling systems, planning/scheduling
systems, and inventory control systems. Results from a carefully con-
ducted analysis of work delays created by existing manual procedures are
compared against improvements expected from computerized systems.
Man hours saved-multiplied by hourly rates for maintenance person-
nel-sometimes provide substantial justification for computer systems.
Improved equipment reliability, with resulting reductions in equipment
downtime and improvements in plant throughput, are obvious justifica-
tions for preventive and predictive maintenance systems. Some compa-
nies have found that benefits from this source alone can provide a payout
as quickly as one year from the initial computer system investment. In the
complex process environment of the modern refinery or petrochemical
plant, monitoring equipment performance, effective diagnostics, and
early recognition of equipment problems require computer speed and
support.
Improved management reaction to plant equipment problems also has
justified computer systems. This is a difficult area to quantify. However,
if previous costly equipment failures can be identified as preventable
through timely management information, this becomes a very real justifi-
cation for system installation.
Materials inventory and stock catalog systems have been justified by
many companies based on reduced inventory. Computer systems have
irnprovcd inventory management and control, reduced overal I stock re-
quirements, and improved warehouse response to maintenance require-
ments for materials and spare parts. Identification of obsolete parts and
materials is far easier and far more thorough when computer support is
available.