Surviving the recovery – part 1

2021-05-10

Are you ready to ramp back up after your Covid-19 slowdown?

Part 1 – Did you fall into the reliability trap?

Covid scared us all! Here you can see two Red Pandas with their version of a threatening response. When threatened, we will have one of three reactions – fight, flight, or freeze.

Our businesses also have similar responses. A few have fought – and they “pivoted.” Some fled – they folded up and went away. Many simply froze – they halted just about everything. If your business froze, then this article is for you. Read more “Surviving the recovery – part 1” →

Condition Monitoring

Look before you leap – part 3

2021-05-032021-05-04

Get it right on paper before attempting to computerize and automate.

The Work Management Process. One of the biggest uses of IIoT, ML, and AI in the industry (so far) is in the field of condition monitoring and forecasting times to failure. IIoT devices deployed on your equipment and systems, send exception signals (they use edge computing to filter out the vast majority of the data that merely tells you “all is well”) over some sort of network (usually wireless), then some sort of software interface produces a message for you to read (maybe triggers and work request, or sounds an alarm) and then act on. Read more “Look before you leap – part 3” →

Condition Monitoring

Look before you leap – part 2

2021-04-272021-05-04

Tech is needed, but do not focus only on the tool – implementation is key. For my musical aspirations that means the acquisition of a tool (the instrument), making sure it is set up correctly (tuning and positioning), investment in lessons and practice, using it regularly, and eventually, someone will tell me it sounds good. That’s my goal, and incidentally, I’m not there yet.

For technology, it’s much the same, but a bit more involved and a lot more expensive. There is the initial investment (the hardware and software). Then you invest in implementation (you need to set it up to do what you want it to do). Then you need the training to learn how to make it work those wonders you were promised. You can then “go live” and start using it to get value. Finally, but by no means lastly, you must keep using it correctly, or you won’t continue to get value. Read more “Look before you leap – part 2” →

Condition Monitoring

Look before you leap – part 1

2021-04-242021-05-04

Digital transformation for huge potential business benefit uses the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) combined. Like any technology or tool, they must be used correctly or the results you want will be elusive.

They are enablers of change, not drivers. The change you achieve is entirely up to you, the user. This is the first of a three-part series on the IIoT, AI, ML, and Digital Transformation. Read more “Look before you leap – part 1” →

Business case

The benefits of proactive maintenance

2020-09-122021-05-04

The benefits of proactive maintenance are the avoidance of consequences that occur when something fails. If you knew that you were going to suffer a heart attack and roughly when it would happen, wouldn’t you do something to avoid it? Or maybe you would just prepare better so the consequences of it occurring are minimized. Read more “The benefits of proactive maintenance” →

Assessment

Pay $3k to keep out of trouble, or more…

2020-07-212021-05-04

Pay $3k now to keep out of trouble or more to get out of jail later. Your plant asset performance is down and you know it. It’s only a matter of time before there is an accident. You need to improve but funds are limited.

The expert consultants will want to begin with some sort of an assessment. They will identify problems and offer solutions, for a price (likely $50k or more). You can’t afford it. Some consultants might even be former employees. Ask yourself, “if they worked here before, then why didn’t she/he fix what was wrong when they were here?” Consider getting a different consultant but you will still struggle with a big inconvenient truth! Read more “Pay $3k to keep out of trouble, or more to get out of jail” →

Asset Management

How to keep the boss out of jail

2020-07-162021-05-04

Here’s a case where they didn’t know how to keep the boss out of jail! In Jan 2019, a mine tailing dam (the structure used to contain waste from mining operations) collapsed. The video below shows the event. 259 people were confirmed dead and 11 declared missing. Cause – liquefaction – a commonly occurring phenomenon, and one that this particular mine had been warned about. Outcome – fatalities and associated human cost, suspended operations (for a brief period), company reputation, criminal charges (executives and engineering consultants). Risk management is an often neglected part of our job. Read more “How to keep the boss out of jail” →

Assessment

Business Case Estimator Insights

2020-07-092021-05-04

Our business case estimator insights show you both savings and earnings potential for improvements in maintenance and reliability. If you are reading this, you probably think there is some opportunity to improve your operational reliability and maintenance performance. You might want to create a business case for change that you can use to get senior management approval and funding. You are in the right place. Read more “Business Case Estimator Insights” →

Executive

The “new normal” can be much better

2020-06-192021-05-04

The “new normal” can be much better if we choose. Why go back to the same-old, same-old?

As we emerge from the 2020 pandemic and all the measures to contain it, your workforce will be returning to a “new normal”. What’s that? None of us really knows the details, but aside from being a cool phrase, it means being smarter and doing things differently with a great deal of awareness about disease transmission. Keeping our distance, wearing masks when ill, avoiding crowded venues, and patiently waiting for vaccines, will be a part of it, but what else will characterize the “new normal”? Read more “The “new normal” can be much better” →

Asset Management

Maintenance and Reliability Maturity – 2

2020-06-092021-05-04

In part 1 of this 2 part series, “Maintenance and Reliability Maturity”, I point out that achieving the maximum value from your physical assets will require excellence in 2 main dimensions, efficiency, and effectiveness. Those are described more fully in our recent book, “Paying Your Way“. I also promised a Maintenance and Reliability Maturity Assessment tool. That tool is now available to you, our readers.

The link below will take you to a web-page that is only accessible via the link – it is not included in our website’s menus or other links. When you click on it, you will see a brief explanation of how to use it and then a series of 10 questions, 5 on efficiency, and 5 on effectiveness. In a few of them we use terms that have precise definitions, so please read those definitions (in light blue boxes) before entering your answers to the questions in the light green answer cells. Read more “Maintenance and Reliability Maturity – 2” →

Are you ready to ramp back up after your Covid-19 slowdown?

Part 1 – Did you fall into the reliability trap?

Experience, Insight, Honest Advice