Top EAM and CMMS Stories of the Week 9.03.2010

Chon | CMMS Software | September 4, 2010

I am positive that the kickoff of the new college football season has caught some attention, but I wonder how many people noticed that there was another oil platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico this week leaking more oil. Regardless of what caught your attention, there is always asset management to be done.

This weeks article Does EAM Document Handling Save Time and Money? took a look at how poor document management can prove to be a huge bottleneck to facilities maintenance operations. Without good document management automated work orders can lose their efficiency gains if work is delayed because the warranty, schematics or other key documents cannot be located timely. We hope everyone had the opportunity to read our blogs and check out our website, but just in case you did not have the time to see our blogs and voter links as they were published, we have summarized them for you here. Please enjoy them and be sure to check back for new articles during the week. You can find a complete listing on the Mintek Blog.

1. Does EAM Document Handling Save Time and Money?

Author: Stuart Smith

Document handling for assets is one of the more mundane yet important task that facility managers must deal with. The ability of an EAM to attach documents to assets cuts down on the tremendous waste of time that occurs trying to locate critical information. The average cost to locate a document is $ 20 – how much are you spending?

Key Point: If you are going to automate your maintenance functions then take the final two steps to organize and computerize the associated contracts, warranties etc.

Read Relevant Articles That We Found Last Week

But wait there is more. We have found several more articles that you might find to be interesting and even put them on our website for you to vote on. The 5 best this week are:

1. The growing value of a CMMS

Author: David Berger, P.Eng.

David’s article talks about how CMMS software is coming to age. He highlights the reasons by looking at how technology investments require better care, increased energy awareness, the need to measure results and regulatory pressures. David also includes a nice chart of the type of savings a facility can expect across various areas.

Key Point: The value of a CMMS that can be used to maximize asset availability, reliability and performance, while minimizing total cost of ownership for every asset class across your enterprise.

2. Integrating CMMS with Other Building Systems

Author: Lindsay Audin

A good article by Mr. Audin that talks about the growing role of a CMMS. Lindsay points out that the CMMS of old which was used for primarily scheduling maintenance is evolving to integrate with predictive and other monitoring technologies as well as an ever increasing role for sustainability monitoring.

Key Point: As technology evolves and new issues such as energy reporting develop, a CMMS should also evolve in its capabilities.

3.Quick 5 tips for backlog management

Author: Daryl Mather

In this article by Daryl, he discusses 5 tips for addressing the backlog of work orders. His tips include, the separation of duties, planning all work, scheduling to capacity, prioritizing and review.

Key Point: Backlog will not go away on their own and require a conscious effort to reduce or get under control.

4.Investing in Building Efficiency is Smart As Well As Green

Author: Daniel Stouffer

Daniels article recognizes the growing importance of going green not only for energy efficiency but also to meet the changing market need of consumers who have an increased awareness of sustainability issues.

Key Point: Those who wait to jump on this bandwagon may be acting too late.

What We Learned This Week

This weeks top EAM and CMMS articles make it clear that CMMS and EAM software has to evolve to meet new market demands. CMMS software that can only automate the work order process and not enough to handle the increase pressure to meet sustainability issues or incorporate growing predictive technologies. This does not necessarily mean you need a new system but it does suggest that you make sure you are getting the most out of the system you have and are looking for upgraded capabilities.

Too read more visit our Vote on Links page.

Enterprise Asset Management 101

Change BIRT report logo to your company image

Chon | CMMS Tips & Tricks | September 4, 2010

To me the BIRT report logos are unnecessary and take up too much valuable space on a report where the data is the most important thing on there.  But if you don’t want to have the “tivoli” and “IBM” logos displayed, you can always remove them from the report designer when developing the report, but [...]
Maximo Times

Choose the Best Asset Management Provider for Maximum Growth

Chon | CMMS Software | September 4, 2010

Choose the Best Asset Management Provider for Maximum Growth

People often choose to get their assets tracked and their funds managed. This is easy for them when they hire people to do this for them. Asset management is the right method for getting this done whether the number of assets is big or small. However, the right choice of the asset management provider is also an important requirement to get the maximum services and facilities for the business organization that is being run.

While obtaining services for asset management, it is very important to check out details about the facilities that the provider has on offer. There can be minimum services as well as comprehensive coverage of facilities too that makes it highly beneficial for the company which owns the assets. Also, it is to be known that the facilities and services offered usually differ for different kinds of assets like equipments and tools, education equipment, digital assets, medical equipments, etc. the best asset management provider will make sure that complete tracking and management is offered according to the kind of assets in question.

A good asset management provider makes all facilities available to the enterprise like tracking of the assets which is a main and basic facility. This is done by the use of tools of bar codes and scanners for the same and even trans-receivers which are planted in the assets. Also, any use of the assets that is made by the employees of the company is also registered in a centrally accessible database. Also, notifications about lease, service, warranty etc for each asset are also provided at the right time.

Asset management providers are now available in good numbers online. According to the kind of assets owned, the services provided and facilities offered, the choice between the providers has to be made. With such services easily available now through these asset management providers, taking care of the assets is an easy task and that too without any stress or tension to the owners and managers.

Top EAM and CMMS Stories of the Week 7.30.2010

Chon | CMMS Software | September 3, 2010

This week marked the 100th day of the Gulf Oil Spill catastrophe and hopefully the end of an ugly footnote in American history. Now it is time to prepare for the new school year as well as supporting my favorite baseball team winning the pennant.

This weeks articles touched on the decision making process by corporate officers and government officials with regard to finding long term solutions for asset maintenance versus shorter term budget cuts that cause more harm than good. Our most popular posts of the week, A National Maintenance Crisis?, examined the impact of short tenures for leaders and how good long term asset management decisions are ignored to promote the perception of action being taken with short term planning. We hope everyone had the opportunity to read our blogs and check out our website, but just in case you did not have the time to see our blogs and voter links as they were published, we have summarized them for you here. Please enjoy them and be sure to check back for new articles during the week. You can find a complete listing on the Mintek Blog.

1. A National Maintenance Crisis?

Author: Stuart Smith

This article talks about how elected officials are one of the main reasons our nation’s infrastructure is falling apart. The post centers around why government officials make short-sighted self interest budget cuts rather than make good long term maintenance decisions. The post also draws a comparison to the average length of time a CEO and how it hinders sustainable actions.

Key Point: Courage to act in the long term interest of the people or business can be attributed to the short tenure of decision makers and a need to make immediate changes versus long term investments in EAM or CMMS solutions.

2. What Can Happen in 100 Days When Maintenance Management Fails

Author: Stuart Smith

The 5th and hopefully final installment of a series examining the Gulf Oil Spill in relation to the role that unacceptable asset and maintenance management took place. This post lists 10 noteworthy events during the first 100 days of the catastrophe. Note that maintenance management was not the only contributor to the disaster but it did play a vital role.

Key Point: There is absolutely no excuse for gambling with peoples lives to make money.

Read Relevant Articles That We Found Last Week

But wait there is more. We have found several more articles that you might find to be interesting and even put them on our website for you to vote on. The 5 best this week are:

1. Gov Contractors Must Track Emissions or Risk Losing Contracts

Authors: Posted on Environmentalleader.com

The article talks about how new rules by the General Service Administration (GSA) will require contractors for the federal government to track greenhouse gas emissions or risk losing their contracts. The report goes on to state that the ability to track greenhouse gases will probably influence who contacts are given to.

Key Point: Poor energy efficiency will lead to a larger carbon footprint. Maintenance management is becoming more important than ever before.

2. The Aging of the American Water System

Author: Sam Winchester

Sam discusses the predicament faced by many cities after years of poor asset management of their water systems. Many municipalities are now overwhelmed by an increased demand in major repairs and a need for capital replacements. Sadly the current economic crunch is preventing water system overhaul.

Key Point: It is not too late to take back control of maintenance using an EAM system.

3. Company at center of Mich. oil cited for problems

Authors: Tim Martin and David Runk

Tim and David’s article was included because it provides a good example of how disasters continue to happen as a result of poor maintenance policies and procedures. This article tells about a company responsible for leaking 1 million gallons of oil in Talmadge Creek in MI. the company has been repeatedly cited for improper maintenance such as failure to monitor corrosion and not following SOPs for maintaining couplings on the pipes.

Key Point: The Gulf Oil Spill was just a bigger example of what is happening through our country as a result of poor maintenance practices.

4. Wave of retirements could cause a shortage of qualified job applicants

Author: Posted on plantservices.com

This article posted on plantservices.com is another report on how the aging of professional maintenance workers will affect the ability of facilities to perform good work. The skill of retiring workers cannot be easily replaced leaving companies with untrained teams.

Key Point: The retiring of workers presents a larger issue in that it represents a reduction in the knowledge base. However, the knowledge base can be retained if facilities properly implement a CMMS or EAM system which will create a database of knowledge usable for training.

5. Answer 10 questions to attain reliability at the lowest cost

Author: Jeff Shiver

Jeff’s post list ten questions that can be asked to help make a plan for equipment reliability. The questions center around making sure plant managers understand what will happen with out a plan in terms of costs and downtime.

Key Point: Maintenance management is more than just keeping machines in working order, it also includes contingency plans.

What We Learned This Week

It is evident from this week’s articles that maintenance management requires long term planning as well as adequate management systems. Without proper planning of long term objectives our nations infrastructure will continue to crumble. Proper planning can be described as including; long term capital analysis, contingency plans, how to retain the knowledge base as workers retire and the use of EAM and CMMS systems to enable better controls.

Too read more visit our Vote on Links page.

Enterprise Asset Management 101

WebCast: Changing relationship between IBM and Actuate: Impact to customers, 2 of 2

Chon | CMMS Tips & Tricks | September 3, 2010

Abstract Audience: GRT, Level 1 Support, Level 2 Support, Support Planning, AVL, All Services, All Sales, Technical, Enablement, All Business Partners, Customer This STE session is a continuation of the earlier session on the changing relationship between Maximo and Actuate. – Will detail different reporting options available for clients enabled thru Maximo’s Open Reporting Architecture [...]
Maximo Times

COGZ CMMS Software Online Knowledge Base Now Available

Chon | CMMS Software | September 3, 2010

Woodbury, CT, (PRWEB) November 9, 2005 –

With the addition of the online knowledge base and complete program user manual to the COGZ preventive maintenance software Web site references, users now have a way of getting an enhanced understanding of the workings and many uses of COGZ work order software to benefit their entire maintenance management operation.

With a newly added link in the Help menu of COGZ directly to the online user manual, users can quickly access the online manual for a quick program reference. The PDF file of the manual is also available in the Help menu for reference as well. Each program update provides the latest program user manual for reference. The online user manual link automatically goes to the latest version of the online manual on the COGZ Web site so users have the most complete and up-to-date information.

The online knowledge base offers users additional reference information in one location on the COGZ Web site simply devoted to additional program how-to information, tips, recommendations, and uses for your system. This gives users a better understanding of how to use features in the program for overall maintenance improvement. With this new point of reference at user’s fingertips, they can easily and quickly determine the best options for their operation and improved maintenance operations.

To learn more about the COGZ CMMS online user manual click here http://www.cogz.com/help/index.htm

To learn more about the COGZ knowledge base click here http://www.cogz.com/kb/kbmap.htm

About COGZ Systems, LLC:

COGZ Systems, LLC is a leading provider of CMMS software for maintenance management. Since 1989, COGZ Systems has been supporting companies to effectively improve their maintenance management organization as they compete in the global marketplace. With the help of COGZ CMMS software, companies are increasing productivity by ensuring that their equipment is maintained for optimum performance and increased company-wide efficiency. To learn more about CMMS Software visit http://www.cogz.com/cmms.htm or visit the COGZ Systems, LLC Web site for additional information: http://www.cogz.com/

Contact:

Lori Ewen

COGZ Systems, LLC

203-263-7882

http://www.cogz.com/

###

Why Is Maintenance the First Thing You Notice at a Hotel?

Chon | CMMS Software | September 2, 2010

Just like meeting a person for the first time, it takes hotel travelers less than 60 seconds to form an initial impression of a hotel or resort. Travelers may first take notice of the parking, signage, decor, carpet, or even the smell. Although each visitor is keyed to something different, each first impression is influenced by maintenance management. 

The Maintenance Gauntlet

The First Maintenance Test – Arrival

How can a hotel make sure that travelers enter the premises with a positive attitude? A 5 star hotel on the inside can seem like a campsite if lights are missing from the neon signs, the parking lot is gutted with potholes or the smell once the doors are opened is like a bait shop. Some hotels make use of a morning or nighttime walk through to identify problems. The problem with a walk through is that staff are accustomed to the hotel smells, oblivious to signage unless it is spitting flames and generally do not notice something that is the same as the day before.

The Lobby Maintenance Test

Once travelers step inside the hotel or resort, the second set of maintenance test begins. Common items for travelers to notice include the decor, carpet, condition of lobby furniture, hotel shine and bathrooms. Stained carpets, leaking fixtures in the bathrooms, smelly or rusting furniture etc. can either negate a good first impression or convince travelers they are going to have a bad stay.

The Room Maintenance Test

Room maintenance is where a hotel or resort can permanently lose a customer. Room cleanliness is crucial to an enjoyable stay at a hotel. Room factors may include, bedspreads, carpet, bathroom/shower area, security and smell. Hotel cleaning staff may be responsible for neatness and bathroom soap scum but room maintenance involves everyone. For example, are the A/C vents clean? Do they shows signs of dust or rust? If A/C is provided with a room unit, how often is it inspected to be in working order? The same principle applies to game units, IPod docking stations, kitchen equipment or windows. Hotel rooms with assets that do not work will leave a bad impression.

The General Facilities Test

The last of the major maintenance tests are how well are the hotel facilities maintained. This covers assets such as common areas, boilers, chillers, elevators, fitness centers, business centers, pool, spas and safety equipment. Loose railings, broken fixtures, visible water damage and so on are more than just a negative image factor, they also present major liability issues.

How a CMMS Picks up the Hotel and Resort Maintenance Gauntlet

How can hotel management perform maintenance in so many areas and still keep a handle on expenses? One solution is a hotel CMMS designed to schedule, record and track all maintenance activity at a property. When implemented, a CMMS will schedule regular inspections of assets in all of the maintenance areas described above. For example, web-based CMMS software can schedule inspections on parking areas once a month or on room A/C units once a week.

Inspection results are transmitted back to management via handheld devices enabling minor repairs to be scheduled before they become major expenses or liability magnets. The early identification of problems also allows hotel management to schedule the work orders at low traffic or during regular hours. This avoids unplanned overtimes hours and minimizes traveler inconvenience.

Preventive maintenance with a CMMS is handled in much the same way as inspections. The CMMS schedules all work orders and records the results. This gives hotel facility two very important advantages. The first advantage is that maintenance is proactive which will keep assets in better working condition which makes equipment last longer and run more efficiently. Proactive maintenance practices save money on labor, parts, replacements and energy. For example, some hotels have door sensors that automatically shut off the A/C when the door is open. Making sure these are in working order can save a lot in utility bills.

The second major advantage is that by recording all asset detail and maintenance history, hotel and resort facility managers can have a very accurate record of an asset’s lifecycle. This can be useful for capital budgeting as well as showing proper care was performed to reduce liability claims from accidents.

The Test of Time

A CMMS solution is a long term investment that can also have a positive impact in the short term by lowering operating expenses and reducing the likelihood of major unplanned repairs. Well run hotels have well run facilities maintenance. These hotels stay in business over the years because travelers know they are well kept and return for multiple stays. It makes sense to use a CMMS when hotel management understands it costs less to get a client to return than to get a new client.

Tell us where your first impressions of a hotel or resort are formed. If you liked this article, you may also enjoy reading:

• 15 Questions For Every Maintenance Manager
• Changing Hotel Preventive Maintenance
• Grab The Low Hanging Fruit with a CMMS

Enterprise Asset Management 101

Why Companies Are Adopting Enterprise Asset Management System

Chon | CMMS Software | September 2, 2010

Why Companies Are Adopting Enterprise Asset Management System

As the global economy keeps throwing new challenges at companies that are dependent on the proper performance of their assets, some companies are opting for new and improved Enterprise Asset Management Systems to ensure lower cost of operations. Enterprise asset management (EAM) refers to the optimal use of the physical assets owned by an organization. It includes the designing, construction, operation, maintenance, and replacement of equipment and facilities. The word ‘enterprise’ is used to signify that the system embraces the management of assets that used by various departments in various locations. In some cases, the system embraces numerous business units.

Companies that are in industries like healthcare, in which the uninterrupted use of infrastructure, equipment, and buildings is of prime importance and disruptions are very expensive, are opting for newer models of utilizing these. They need to find out things like whether it would be more profitable to replace, overhaul, or maintain a utility that is not performing as required.

The primary aim of an Enterprise Asset Management System is to enhance the return on assets (ROA) by reducing capital costs and enhancing the performance of equipment. Organization are switching from the historical reactive model and adopting practices like life cycle costing, whole life planning, and proactive and planned maintenance to reduce costs of operations.

An Enterprise Asset Management System provides the framework for decision making with regard to labor and capital allocation so that organizations can prepare for expenditure in the short and long-term. The main advantage of such a model of management of utilities is that it provides a holistic view the asset base of a company. This makes it easier for the managers to optimize operations.

These days, more and more companies are opting for Enterprise Asset Management System software because these are far more efficient compared to the traditional methods.

Typically a system includes components like work order management and inventory control systems. If the software is fed the relevant details, it provides assistance with reserving material, assigning material, and scheduling jobs. The inventory control function of some systems provides alerts when new materials have to be purchased. It also facilitates the proper use and storage of tools, spare parts, and other materials.

This type of software has become very popular because they enable managers to take important decisions on the basis of updated and processed data that they make available on a regular basis.

Related Enterprise Asset Management Articles

Asset Management System Software and Hurricane Checklists

Chon | CMMS Software | September 1, 2010

As August begins, States along the Gulf coast and Atlantic seaboard start paying a more attention to tropical weather developments. With the number of hurricanes peaking between August 15 and October 15, now is a good time to make asset management is covered on your checklist.

Asset Management Checklist Tasks

Every business should have a disaster recovery plan in case of emergency and many of these plans will have checklist for managers to follow. Checklist items may include anything from inspecting assets to performing preventive maintenance on roof HVAC units. Below is a list of some of the more notable asset management checklist items that can easily be performed using asset management system software or its features.

Before a Hurricane

1. Vendor, documents and contract information. Electronic storage of this information is highly preferred
2. Make sure all your handheld devices used for inspections and work orders are fully charged. Fully charged handheld units can last 1-2 days which should be adequate complete inspections after the storm passes.
3. Inspect generators to make sure they are in working order.
4. Inspect and repair roof flashing, drains, windows, doors, gutters and so on. High winds will find weaknesses.
5. Document shutdown and start up procedures for equipment. Input data directly into your system for retrieval after the storm.
6. Make sure your EAM hosting data center has redundant backups not in the path of the storm.
7. Check and clear floor drains to make sure water can build up in interior locations.
8. Secure roof mount assets such as chillers and HVAC units.
9. Inspect gas and electric shutoff’s to make sure they function properly.
10. Make sure assets that will be connected to a generator have operational safety features in working order.

During a Hurricane

1. Make sure all non essential power and fuel sources are shut down according to planned shutdown procedures.
2. Disconnect all electrical devices to avoid possible power surges or unplanned reactivation.
3. Perform continual inspections for leaks, pipe breaks, fire and structural damage using handheld devices and record their status.
4. Monitor boilers or other equipment that must be left online.
5. Make sure someone is checking in on the person who drew the short straw to stay.

After the Hurricane

1. Inspect property for damage, debris. Report result using your asset management software. This is very important as it becomes a centralized point of access and can be used for insurance claims when data is compared to pre-storm inspection results.
2. Test sprinkler systems feeds to make sure water is available. This is done before repairs are scheduled.
3. Clean drains, remove debris.
4. Follow standard operating procedures for restoring power and fuel sources.
5. Complete work requests using the automation features of your asset management software.
6. Submit work requests and schedule work orders using your asset management software.
7. Recharge your handheld devices.

A couple of other checklist can be found at:

• Liberty Mutual Hurricane Checklist
• Local Government and Small Business Hurricane Checklist

Why Use Asset Management System Software

You know you need asset management software if you looked at the abbreviated list above and said we have a book for that stuff or wondered what a handheld device was. Paper based methods of asset management are cumbersome, slow to use and absolutely useless if the paper gets wet during a storm.

Automating inspections and work orders saves time and money. When you only have a few hours to prepare or react, it makes sense to have a tool like Transcendent® capable of moving at your speed. Implementing asset management system software has other advantages too. The most important advantage is that asset managers will know where their assets are, their condition and their complete maintenance history at the touch of a button.

What major checklist items would you add for your industry? If you liked this article you may also enjoy reading:

• 15 Questions For Every Maintenance Manager
• Building Maintenance Management and Technology
• Preventive Maintenance and The Laws of Physics

Enterprise Asset Management 101

CMMS Software for Manufacturing Projects

Chon | CMMS Software | September 1, 2010

CMMS Software for Manufacturing Projects

Manufacturing is a detailed and specific process that needs to be monitored almost on a minute to minute basis to ensure both efficiency and quality control. Most companies that operate as manufacturing plants are in need of 24 hour maintenance and monitoring for these criteria. This round-the-clock management requires a highly detailed procedure process for both management and staff including regular documentation and updates for plant systems. It also requires powerful CMMS software, Computerized Maintenance Management Systems, to handle the voluminous amount of information that must be tracked, recorded and assessed on a daily basis to ensure optimum plant efficiency.

Status Reports

Most manufacturing managers have floor managers who maintain and monitor various aspects of the CMMS software reporting and content building. They rely on these members of their staff to give them current and more importantly, accurate views of the performance and status of their particular department.

Each department head from quality control, to shipping and receiving, to purchasing and maintenance will have a set amount of criteria that they have to obtain at specific intervals during the course of plant operations. All of this data is obtained from the CMMS and is then logged as updated for the manufacturing manager.

Detailed Reporting

Most CMMS software is equipped for interval summaries along with more detailed reports detailing the specific status and criteria of each and every aspect of the manufacturing process. By keeping close tabs on the details in these reports, the manufacturing manager is able to get a solid perspective of the condition of the plant, the quality of the products being made and can make an educated assessment as to necessary changes or alterations that may be needed.

Liability Protection

Employing a CMMS software system is not only a time-saving tool for manufacturing, but also a vital requirement for liability protection In the case of a problem with a product or if the plant is being audited for production, the CMMS provides an ongoing track of the plants performance and an affirmation that all safety procedures were followed as required. Liability cases can be a significant threat to a manufacturing plant without a robust CMMS in place, and cost a company millions or dollars in fines or can even result in termination of plant operation.

Related Cmms Software Articles