Summary of the top 5 enablers to drive equipment reliability

#1: FOCUS ON ELIMINATING CATASTROPHIC FAILURES

• Need to identify failures in their early stages,
• Achieve this through use of CBM technologies,
• Refer to the P-F Curve,
• Key CBM technologies to use include;
• Acoustic Emissions,
• Vibration Analysis,
• Thermography,
• Ultra Sound,
• Oil Debris Analysis
• CBM technologies should be the primary methodology for identifying potential failures,
• Review PM’s to ensure they actually quantify the state of the equipment. The inspection
needs to confirm its state is correct and not defective.
• Utilise R.A.G rating to monitor condition of equipment so it is easily indicated when an
item of plant starts to show signs of deterioration that will lead to a potential failure.
• When an indicator of a potential failure is required, the corrective actions are
implemented without delay.

#2: Strive to Reduce Shutdowns

• Based on the failure patterns for rotating equipment, approx. 90% fail randomly.
Therefore scheduled overhauls based on equipment failing due to time (age related) is
incorrect.
• Replacing parts just because the plant is planned out means some parts will be replaced
when there is probably nothing wrong with them. However the main concern is that
when engineers carry out overhauls they are likely to induce failures into the equipment.
• Undertake a FMEA or RCM study and act on the results of the study. By examining
every function and understanding what the failure mode are then using the RCM decision
diagram to confirm the corrective action.
• Using CBM will ensure only the parts that need to be replaced are actually replaced.
This reduces the risk of high induced failures and reduces overall maintenance costs.
• All persons involved with CBM methodologies must be trained to understand the
process.
• Always review the decision to shut a plant down for overhauls,
• Only then will it be necessary to undertake a shutdown,
• Maintenance planners role to ensure this is implemented effectively.

#3: Aggressive Elimination Of Failures/Recurring Failures

• Must create a culture where failures of equipment are unacceptable,
• When a potential failure point has been reached, corrective actions must be implemented
so as to prevent a breakdown.
• Use of root cause analysis techniques with key involvement from operations, technical,
engineering etc.
• All personnel must be extensively trained in the use of “Root Cause Analysis”
• Driving down recurring failures/breakdowns will ensure the plant is operating from a
stable platform.
• As the focus is on eliminating failures, the scale of the problem being experienced will
reduce,

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 Summary of the top 5 enablers to drive equipment reliability

• To identify these problems have to carry out detailed RCFA ensuring all members of the
multifunctional team are fully trained in the practice.
• Also do not use just one methodology, identify appropriate methodologies and the people
working with the equipment and process know how to use them.
• The engineering/maintenance strategy needs to be live, which means undertaking
regular reviews of the process to ensure it is adding value;
• Review the tasks and frequencies, are they correct, applying value.
• Review all the failures, their severity and impact on the business, and did the
maintenance tasks identify the problem or did they prevent a failure. This is
where the PM’s need to be removed.
• Determining the failure modes for historical failures and what needs to be done
to prevent a failure. This is where the PM’s need to be reviewed.
• Determine the failure modes from historical failures and what needs to be done
to prevent them, “Failure Elimination”
• Change the maintenance strategy to meet the requirement to improve
“Equipment Reliability”
• Identify the top 10 worst offenders,
• Utilise accurate failure data, what is it telling you,
• Fully utilise the works order system to ensure all jobs are carried out right first time.

#4: Eliminate Self Induced Failures

• This is much to do with the impacts of planned shutdowns to undertake scheduled
replacement of rotating part.
• Poor start ups after scheduled overhauls are common, so not doing them will reduce or
improve the start up of plant,
• Don't replace parts just because the plan is to plan out equipment, this can lead to
induced faults/failures as well as high maintenance costs.
• If overhauls have to be undertaken, all engineers need to be fully trained to carry out
precision maintenance,
• Must upscale operators and engineers,
• Do the work right first time,
• Avoid quick fixes which end up being the actual repair, they are never revisited so will
eventually fail,
• Always use precision parts and ensure precision installations take place to eliminate
defects being induced,
• Follow the outcomes from a robust CBM process,
• Where possible utilise refurbished equipment that has been overhauled using precision
maintenance methodologies,
• Fully integrate and utilise CBM technologies,
• Ensure all spare parts are stored correctly (Dry, closed and not subjected to vibration)

#5: Drive decisions based on Sound data from the shop floor processes
• Must manage based on fact, not gut feel
• Robust data capture systems which are up to date and accurate,
• Resources to analyse the data from failures/incidents,
• A “Master Asset” list must be generated for all equipment in the plant, not just for critical
plant,

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 Summary of the top 5 enablers to drive equipment reliability

• Must carry out a “Machine Criticality Analysis” and document the results. This info will
drive the maintenance strategy.

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