Vincent Giordano Corporation Selects AssetPoint’s Cloud Computing CMMS/EAM Solution for Asset Maintenance

Makers of TabWare EAM CMMS

Greenville, SC (PRWEB) April 18, 2012

AssetPoint, a leading provider of (EAM) Enterprise Asset Management and (CMMS) Computerized Maintenance Management Software solutions, announced today that Vincent Giordano Corporation has selected the TabWare CMMS/EAM software solution for their asset management needs.

The Vincent Giordano Corporation is a family owned and operated meat-processing company located in Philadelphia, PA. In operation for over 40 years, they are a premier supplier of roast beef, corned beef and pastrami products to retailers, foodservice and QSR’s. A leader in product safety, Vincent Giordano Corporation has a history of going well beyond what is mandated. As part of their continued commitment to product safety, all cooked deli meats, both bulk and pre-sliced, will go through their revolutionary High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) system. This will offer customers and the consumer the safest deli meats with dramatic extended shelf life. The HPP process virtually eliminates all food borne pathogens and is chemical free.

Guy Giordano, CEO and President of Vincent Giordano Corporation said, “We chose the TabWare solution to manage our inventory and maintenance records for its demonstrated ease-of-use and cost-effectiveness. TabWare will work for us by capturing accurate maintenance information that helps prevent any unplanned downtime, and continually increases our high level of quality and safety standards. Also, since TabWare is a cloud computing solution, getting up and running couldn’t be easier. This is very important to us, as Vincent Giordano Corp. has been HPP processing all of our products since November 2010, placing us ahead of the pack when it comes to food safety. TabWare will play a crucial role in sustaining our long-standing commitment to producing safe, quality products for our customers by giving us the leading-edge in asset management technology.”

“AssetPoint is proud to be able to provide Vincent Giordano Corporation with a solution that will not only streamline day-to-day operations, but will also enhance their SQF standards,” said AssetPoint Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Paul Crist. The ability to collect accurate and timely maintenance data will continually improve Vincent Giordano Corporation’s SQF scorecard. We look forward to working with them to reach these goals and stay on the forefront of technological advancement in the field.”

AssetPoint (http://www.AssetPoint.com) has been a leader in CMMS/EAM solutions for over 30 years, and its TabWare CMMS/EAM solution is designed by maintenance professionals for maintenance professionals. TabWare is easy to learn, easy to use, and easy to own, so companies are able to get up and running in days. AssetPoint offers flexible deployment options, including a Cloud computing solution (SaaS) or on-site solution for companies who want TabWare on their own servers. TabWare is the leading EAM solution for companies who want full functionality without the expense, resources and time other solutions demand. TabWare is proven to maximize asset performance, resulting in reduced operating costs and higher profit margins.

About AssetPoint:

AssetPoint, makers of TabWare, is the leading provider of EAM solutions for companies whose success depends on the performance of their assets. For over 30 years, AssetPoint has led the market in helping customers control their maintenance costs, optimize spare parts inventory, streamline procurement and improve management, command and control.

Designed by maintenance professionals for maintenance professionals, TabWare is easy to learn, easy to use and proven over time to be the most effective product in the market. That’s why tens of thousands of users trust their critical assets to TabWare each and every day.

About Vincent Giordano Corporation:

The Vincent Giordano Corporation is a family owned and operated meat-processing company located in Philadelphia, PA. In operation for over 40 years, they are a premier supplier of roast beef, corned beef and pastrami products to retailers, foodservice and QSR’s. November 2010 marked another milestone in the company’s long dedication to food safety — the implementation of High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) of all of their products set Vincent Giordano Corporation ahead of the pack when it comes to food safety. This revolutionary technology almost triples product shelf life, eliminates the need for chemicals and preservatives and does so without compromising the taste or texture of their products. The HPP process completely eradicates all bacteria and ensures not only brand protection and reputation, but also that of their customers. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.vgiordano.com.

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ADVACO Gains Customized Maintenance Automation and Reporting with SaaSMaint CMMS/EAM, Configured Solution Also Supports Performance and Availability Analysis

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 09, 2011

SaaSMaint.com today announced Advanced Vacuum Company, Inc., (a.k.a. ADVACO) has deployed SaaSMaint CMMS / EAM to automate maintenance reminders and reporting for its field teams servicing large clients. With SaaSMaint CMMS / EAM, ADVACO’s field teams have realized a significant reduction in administrative time, expediting maintenance workflow for clients with thousands of pieces of ADVACO-maintained equipment.

“Companies that perform equipment maintenance—especially those serving customers with very large inventories—are challenged in this economy to keep maintenance plans affordable and profitable,” said Mike Edwards, founder, SaaSMaint.com. “With SaaSMaint CMMS / EAM, companies keep their field service teams off the computer and on the job, tremendously increasing productivity while reducing labor expense.”

ADVACO needed a maintenance automation solution that would be easily accessible by all technicians, could generate accurate, in-depth reports, and was capable of logging daily technician activity for both corrective and preventive maintenance (PM). The firm wanted to leverage its existing investment with a solution whose infrastructure supported customizations and tight integration into Salesforce CRM.

“With thousands of pieces of equipment it wasn’t feasible for technicians to enter preventive maintenance orders manually,” said Mike West, ADVACO’s Director of Subfab Engineering. “SaaSMaint increases productivity significantly because it frees our technicians to do their work. We had a really defined focus on what features we needed, and SaaSMaint had exactly what our guys were looking for.”

SaaSMaint’s reporting features added a layer of functionality beyond what ADVACO expected from the solution. “With the information SaaSMaint gathers, I can easily calculate performance metrics such as man hours spent on equipment and mean repair time, so customers see the reliability value. Our customers want to know how many hours of availability or percentage of total time their equipment was available,” said West.

About SaaSMaint.com

SaaSMaint.com is a privately held company with deep domain expertise in Enterprise Asset Management. SaaSMaint CMMS/EAM is a native Force.com application, benefiting from the reliability, scalability and performance of salesforce.com’s trusted enterprise cloud computing platform. For more information about SaaSMaint.com, please visit http://www.SaaSMaint.com or call 678-932-9286.

About ADVACO

Since 1972, ADVACO has been the benchmark in comprehensive vacuum equipment remanufacturing and subfab services. From standard preventative maintenance rebuilds to major overhauls, ADVACO offers the most comprehensive, reliable, and cost effective vacuum and abatement equipment service solutions available. The remanufacturing facility in Westminster, MD is equipped with state-of the-art technology and equipment, which enables ADVACO to provide service to customers on a global basis. Visit http://www.advaco.com or call 800-272-2525 x211 to discuss how ADVACO can increase your process uptime and reduce overall maintenance costs.    

Media Contact:

Michael Edwards

SaaSMaint.com

678-932-9286

info(at)SaaSMaint(dot)com

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Related Facilities Asset Management Press Releases

MicroMain Releases First Tag Technology for Maintenance Management

Snap this Tag!

Austin, TX (PRWEB) January 19, 2011

MicroMain is pleased to announce the release of InfoTag, which uses Microsoft Tag technology for instant access to maintenance information via a smartphone. Tag is a new type of Microsoft 2D bar code optimized for displaying information on mobile phones. In order to read a Tag, users first download the free Microsoft Tag Reader. They are then able to snap the Tag, which connects to the customer’s MicroMain database. This live feed instantly displays asset information on their iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry or other smartphone.

MicroMain is the first computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) vendor to release Tag technology for facility management.

“We are used to tapping mobile phones for instant information,” says Pat Conroy, President of MicroMain. “So now our customers can immediately see the maintenance history of an asset in the same way they can find a restaurant or look up directions on their smartphone. This new technology opens up a whole new way to track and manage equipment.”

With Microsoft Tag, users snap the image and immediately view information. They do not need to type in long URLs or SMS messages. Tags are dynamic and reflect live data unlike the static readings from bar codes.

MicroMain InfoTag instantly displays an asset’s maintenance service record. More details such as task steps and technician comments are available with one more click. In addition to maintenance history, standard asset details include warranty, location by property, manufacturer, install date and replace by date.

With MicroMain InfoTag, users can create Tags for their equipment or have MicroMain provide this service for them. Tags are available in black and white or color and can be sized as small as a dime.

“We are already working on new add-ons for InfoTag, such as repair manuals, floor plans, and video clips,” says Conroy. “We are pleased to be the first to tap Tag technology for maintenance management, and we are very excited about the many advantages for our customers.”

Use your smartphone to get the free Microsoft Tag Reader at http://gettag.mobi. Then scan the Tag above.

MicroMain Corporation has been helping customers worldwide improve their maintenance, facility management, and capital planning operations. MicroMain products are delivered with source code, an unprecedented offering that gives each customer complete solution control and flexibility. Since 1991, more than 3,300 customers have chosen MicroMain.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Online Review: Maintenance Connection – Enterprise Maintenance Management Solution

Davis, CA (PRWEB) January 12, 2011

On February 7th, 2011, at 2:00pm EST, Maintenance Connection will be hosting a one-hour online presentation which includes an introduction to our Enterprise Web-Based Maintenance Management Solution.

Maintenance Connection provides Enterprise Web-Based Maintenance Management for organizations needing Work Order Tracking, Preventive Maintenance, Asset Management, Asset Tracking, Maintenance Procedure Libraries, Inventory Tracking, Purchasing, Maintenance Scheduling, Service Requests, and Maintenance and Asset Reporting.

Maintenance Connection connects maintenance personnel to extend asset lifecycle, track maintenance costs, prevent and predict equipment failures, improve labor productivity, reduce costly equipment downtimes, minimize investments in inventory, and lower the total cost of maintenance. Our unique combination of cutting-edge CMMS/EAM technology and emphasis on service excellence for customers has led to thousands of satisfied users worldwide.

Our Facility Maintenance and Asset Management Software is designed to help your organization manage maintenance, not software. Packaged in a simple, user-friendly, yet powerful application, Maintenance Connection’s CMMS connects maintenance professionals to their operations with a unique style that continues to revolutionize the way maintenance is performed.

To register for this webinar, please Click Here

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Cmms Press Releases

Preventive Maintenance and Inspections For Yachts

Yachts are beautiful and expensive so it makes sense to care for them. I can’t imagine anything that would look sillier than a 25+ m yacht drifting or listing because someone failed to do an adequate inspection of critical components. Just like a larger cruise ship, yachts are subject to intense elemental effects. Without proper care the impact from the elements combined on the myriad of onboard mechanical systems can turn the summer yachting season into a disaster. Proper care for yachts means extensive inspections and preventive maintenance both at sea and in dry-dock.

There are several keys to establishing good maintenance management practices for yachts. The first is to define what assets need to be maintained. The second is to define how the items are to be maintained. Lastly, defined items need to be scheduled according to experience and best known practices. For example, the following checklist provides a basic outline for 35 tasks to be completed as well as their frequency.

Sample Checklists

Daily or Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annual

The Usefulness of a CMMS

Yachts have thousands of components that may need inspection or maintenance and even an experienced crew can forget to perform a tasks leading to possible trouble at sea. To avoid oversight, Yacht Captains or engineers should make use of Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS). This software will help inventory all yacht equipment as well as enabling the scheduling of inspections and preventive maintenance. Upon inspection any item identified as needing repair can then be transformed into a work order.

The advantages of using a CMMS don’t stop here. A CMMS will record the entire maintenance history of assets allowing for accurate projections for replacement of items or the amount of inventory needed for spare parts. This is a definite advantage to yacht owners who want to make greater use of seasonal crew members. The historical database provides an excellent resource for training and knowledge.

Share with us how you keep track of inspections. If you liked this article you may also want to read

• Why Cruise Ships Need an EAM to Stay Afloat

Springtime has arrived and all across the south, tree pollen and dead growth are falling like snow covering parking lots, cars, roofs and lawn furniture. It is the signal for property managers to break out the blowers and move the pollen along its merry way. However, blowing pollen from one location to the next is only cosmetic and may often result in additional maintenance and repair expense.

The Laws of Physics

As my old friend Joe once said “the stuff has to go somewhere.” This is consistent with some of the laws of physics, most notably The Law of Gravity and the conservation of mass and energy. A walk around any apartment complex show how right he was. For example, although the wind may blow pollen around, it still has to come down somewhere and using blowers only relocates the dust, it does not make it disappear. Pollen may resettle on coils in HVAC units, roofs, pools or even cluster around drains.

The Answer Is Not Blowing In The Wind

Some maintenance options are obvious such as making sure air and pool filters are checked and cleaned regularly or making sure the storm drains are not obstructed. Other tasks may require specialists or specialty tools. This may include

• Removing debris from HVAC coils. Debris and dust can interfere with heat exchange or absorb moisture and begin to corrode critical parts.
• Clearing rain gutters. Pollen, leaves and other debris can prevent rain gutters from flowing smoothly resulting in water draining down the sides of building or possibly back flowing into cracks and crevices. Debris collection areas are a natural habitat for many insects.
• Pressure washing roofs. It is not difficult for pollen to collect under the corners of shingles. As it collects this pollen will absorb moisture and attract insects. In addition many pollens have a tendency to stain roofing materials which may result in additional cleanup costs as well as affect property image.

Schedule a Solution using a CMMS

The key point is pollen is a form of dust. It may be very fine or thick in nature. Regardless of the size, pollen, dust, and debris removal should be should be scheduled in accordance with local spring growth cycles. Property managers can better manage this issue by making use of a CMMS to schedule inspections and preventive maintenance. Using a CMMS will ensure that both in-house staff and vendors are on top of the situation as well reduce the likelihood of

• Higher energy bills due to inefficient HVAC units
• Premature roof replacement as a result of discoloration or corrosion
• Water damage as a result of drainage issues.
• Insect infestation

Share with us how you combat the accumulation of pollen.

If you liked this article you may also like

• The Secret Damage of Dust
• Preventive Maintenance and Inspections Can Defeat Corrosion
• How HOAs and Property Owners Can Use Their Reserve Study To Save Money

Enterprise Asset Management 101

CMMS Tools – A Closer Look At Preventive Maintenance

The basic idea behind buying assets for your company is to have them working for you for the longest time possible. It’s the reason so much care is given to them to ensure that they are in working condition for the longest time possible. But what if you expand your horizons to a huge company? And what if this company has a CMMS to run their equipment? Manually keeping track of any fault that may arise is taxing. The good news is that the CMMS takes up this role. It has an integrated tool for preventive maintenance.

Preventive maintenance, in the most simplest terms, can be described as maintenance before there is an actual breakdown in function. It is meant to increase the life of the equipment in focus by averting any chances of breakdown in future. In text it sounds easy, but it can be a complex process when all factors are considered. Since human prediction is not entirely reliable when it comes to this kind of maintenance, a CMMS system does it almost without flaw.

How does EAM software achieve this function? Well, it is integrated into the workings of the equipment. Oil levels are checked, deterioration percentages are recorded, and together with other intricacies, the equipment receives a complete system check. This enables the personnel in charge to carry out the needed maintenance steps to ensure that the equipment runs better. In the long term, this means saving costs on replacements and repairs, which for any business, is a win.

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Condition based maintenance is sometimes included as part of preventive maintenance. This, by definition is maintenance when there is pressing need. It could be right before equipment fails or looses its function. A CMMS system monitors the equipment and raises the flag when the equipment’s health is failing, and in need of correction.

When purchasing any CMMS program, it is very important to ensure that preventive maintenance is one of the availed tools or components. Its essence cannot be understated as it creates a difference between effective machines and faulty ones in need repair. The preventive maintenance tool is incorporated in a user-friendly interface that is easy to interpret and understand. If the component has complexities of its own, then it would defeat its overall purpose since sophistication usually discourages workers from using it.

The only downside to having a CMMS program with an intuitive preventive maintenance tool is the overall cost that is involved. In the long term, the results speak for themselves, but during the purchase period, the capital investment is felt. Even in text, the whole working of the component sounds sophisticated, and in life it is. But looking at the bigger picture, there is usually more to gain than loose since equipment repair, which can be prevented, becomes a huge cost, especially when it’s a lot of equipment we’re talking about.

With Ashcom Tech, you can expect competitive prices for your CMMS systems, and that is with the preventive maintenance tool being included.

The economic stability of our nation has seen many stalwart fields of endeavor shrivel up resulting in unemployment well into double digits throughout the land. In contrast the facility/plant maintenance arena is in danger of not finding enough skilled personnel to meet basic needs. Although there are several schools of thought are behind this phenomena, the fact is the average age of the skilled maintenance professional is in their mid-50s. These workers are the professionals who keep much of our industrial infrastructure up and running and soon many will be retiring. 

The Stakes

The issue of an aging workforce is two-fold. The first issue is whether enough workers can be found to replace retiring workers. The answer is an unequivocally yes. Unemployment is very high, labor can found both domestically and internationally. This is the basic premise of  Supply and Demand. Debates on the merits of the validity of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics report that there will be up to 14 million unfilled skilled positions open by 2010 are irrelevant. In the grand scheme of time any temporary disturbance in the labor force will eventually be offset long before buildings and infrastructures crumble.

What does warrant concern is what will happen to the decades of practical experience that maintenance teams, engineers and companies have amassed. Because each industry/situation is different we have various shades of grey with regard to the true impact. In industries where the technology has remained almost stagnant the equipment knowledge and workarounds experiences maintenance crews have developed over time may be lost. In other industries where new maintenance techniques such as vibration analysis or sophisticated sensing devices are being used the loss of know-how is likely to be less. Similarly, new facilities containing new equipment should initially be less maintenance intensive giving new hires the ability to progress on the learning curve. In contrast, older buildings or equipment probably require more seasoned professionals.

Creating A Solution

Good facility managers, human resource professionals and executives should be able to identify their individual situation in a heartbeat. For facilities where a substantial loss of know-how is less important, the alternatives are proper recruitment and training. This is also the ideal time for these types of facilities to begin the creation of a knowledge database as new recruits will eventually age. For facilities where the loss of know-how will increase maintenance response time as well as subsequent MRO expenses, management must act quickly and decisively to capture the knowledge of older workers and develop training methods or tools that can expedite the knowledge transfer.

Tools for The Trade

Mintek wishes we could tell you there is one tool that will be the best solution for all industries as well as all types of facilities. We can not do that because that tool does not yet exist. However, we can explain how an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system works to address the preceding problems. For discussion purposes 

“Enterprise asset management (EAM) differs from Asset Management because it treats the asset from a company (enterprise) perspective. It refers to the management of assets to the benefit of the organization as a whole and not limited to a specific area such as a department, location or division. It includes the entire process from initial planning, designed use, installation, training, operations, maintenance and eventual retirement/replacement.”

Source: Mintek Glossary of Terms

Properly implementing an EAM brings one other very significant benefit. By tracking the history of each asset from beginning to end, the system collects an enormous amount of maintenance data including but not limited to the original work order request, why work needed to be done, what work was done, who did it, the costs, the parts/inventory needed and the results. Best of Breed EAM solutions make this even easier by integrating mobile handheld devices for near real time data exchange. The result is a very manageable source of data that can be used for training new recruits or increasing operator maintenance skills.

Getting The Buy-In

The key to a successful implementation is achieving buy-in at all levels.

• For Maintenance teams this means showing them how the system will organize the work flow process giving them more time for proactive maintenance issues as well as greater flexibility in handling reactive/emergency repairs.


• For Plant and Facility managers the EAM will decrease reactive repairs (lowering emergency overtime labor costs) and minimize downtime as a result of better inspections and preventive maintenance organization


• For Human Resources this means making sure they understand the FTE equivalent of a senior experienced engineer is greater than one. Also make mention that training costs will be lower and employee satisfaction higher.


• For Bean Counters buy-in can be achieved by utilizing the capital budget analysis piece of the EAM. Good historical data collection enables capital planners to more accurately project the expected retirement or replacement date of an asset. If overtime is an issue then they will love how an EAM can lower labor costs by streamlining the workflow process.


• Last but not least, Executive management has to be 100% supportive. Win your case by the numbers. When cash flow is tight non-revenue producing actions are few and far between. Work with your vendor to ascertain a workable ROI.

What else can an EAM Bring to the Table?

As previously mentioned an EAM is more than just an asset management system. The core features of an EAM include the automation of many maintenance management functions such as inspections, preventive maintenance and work orders. The goal of these features is to provide facilities maintenance the organizational tools necessary to decrease reactive firefighting and increase proactive maintenance functions. The effect is to reduce labor cost, minimize equipment downtime and lengthen the useful lifecycle of assets.

We want to know how your company is addressing the aging of the maintenance workforce and what you think. Share with us your stories or thoughts by leaving a comment below.

If you liked this article you may also like

• Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Getting Buy-In for CMMS/EAM


• How Mobile Devices Increase Adoption Rates of CMMS


• 4 Steps to Manufacturing Maintenance Excellence

PlantServices.com recently published a 2010 EAM/CMMS review that listed selected vendors based upon 10 key trends occurring in the industry. A recently published article by David Berger discussed how these key trends should be considered when examining the features and functions of EAM/CMMS software. Although not listed as a vendor on this years list, Mintek looks forward to being listed the future year. With that we would like to add some key points to the article’s 10 key trends.

The top ten trends identified in the article 2010 CMMS/EAM Review: CMMS/EAM software tackles today’s toughest challenges authored by D. Berger were:

1. Industry specialization.
   

   “In the eyes of customers, one of the most important criteria in selecting a CMMS/EAM vendor and its products or services is the perception of how well vendors can demonstrate that they fully understand your business ”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   This section has very valid points. It is important to note that rarely will an off the shelf product have the necessary tools to address the specifics of a given industry or application. The selection of a vendor is a process that is best accomplished by determining the company needs in combination with the quality of services offered. Price should not be the driving force for vendor selection. The ability to address the pain of the organization is paramount.


2. Enterprise thinking.
   

   “The trend towards more strategic asset management across the enterprise is accompanied by a greater need for integration of various applications, from the shop floor to the executive suite.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   A true Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system enables facility/plant managers to manage assets from the planning stage through retirement thus increasing the useful asset lifecycle by organizing the maintenance function. Since each organization or industry is different, decision makers must realize that a Best of Breed EAM has the capabilities to increase the visibility of asset management. Using an EAM will help standardize operating procedures, stabilize inventory, and enhance the ability of maintenance staff to do more with less time significantly cutting labor costs.


3. The Web.
   

   “…many customer IT departments insist on web-enabled software only, due to a long list of advantages ”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   Mr. Berger’s description is very good. When moving to a web based system it is important to consider the impact that your EAM will have upon the IT department as well as reliability and security. Options include




• Internal solution development.


• SaaS solutions where the software is run on local servers. data storage is this case is normally the responsibility of the facility company. More control by the IT department but also has higher costs associated with additional IT capacity, staffing and support.


• Hosted solutions, the same software, but hosted by vendor or in combination with an established third party data center. IT costs are incremental, all data is available 24/7/365.


4. Operational excellence and best practices.
   

   “With today’s intense global competition and the recent economic downturn, it’s not surprising that companies are fixated on best practices, measurement and the pursuit of operational excellence.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   An excellent reference for operational best practices has been published by the Aberdeen Group.


5. Sustainability.
   

   “…on average, manufacturers spend almost four times as much on energy as they do on MRO capital equipment and services.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   Energy consumption and power costs are the hottest trend of all. From government incentives to pending legislation on carbon footprints no company can afford to be behind the curve. Well written section by Mr. Berger.


6. Risk management.
   

   “As assets become smarter, computers more complex and humans more dependent on technology, the risk of catastrophic failure increases.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   Safety and liability varies by industry. We agree that you should make sure your EAM can handle the tracking of required information necessary to be complaint with regulations and lower liability.


7. Mobile technology.
   

   “In my view, one of the most important emerging trends is the growth of mobile technology.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   Mobile technology is critical in increasing efficiencies and reactive flexibility. In fact, mobilizing employees saves 44 minutes per day per employee. But there are numerous other benefits and considerations for integrating handheld devices making mobile technology no longer an option but a requirement for many companies. A few of these are




• Understanding the TCO of the selected devices. Although Blackberries, iPod etc. are cute and relatively inexpensive they often lack the durability and reliability of commercial devices such as those found on the Motorola lines. Productivity will stop and expenses skyrocket if the handheld device cannot function after being dropped on cement or gets wet.


• Handheld devices are fantastic for inspections as they can be set with predetermined questions that must be answered. The data transmitted back will include the results, who checked and be able to retransmit actions.


• Mobile applications should be able to work in both in connected and disconnected environment. This is important when maintenance staff may be in basements or other locations where signals are blocked.


• Integrating handheld devices has direct benefits for the corporation as a whole. The training and use of devices increases adoption rates, is very easily learned by employees at all levels (not just young ones) and is a transferable skill.


8. Condition based maintenance.
   

   “For many years, there has been a growing interest in reliability as maintenance departments move from a firefighting mentality to a more planned environment. To accomplish this transition, managers must establish for each asset or component a maintenance policy describing on what basis maintenance is triggered.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   Condition based maintenance is and should be highly dependent on the type of facility. If the equipment being maintained is of moderate value or is serviced by outside vendors expensive techniques such as vibration monitoring etc. don’t make a lot of economical sense. On the other hand, if the majority of equipment costs more than a few thousand dollars to replace a different strategy should be used. Regardless of the situation, an EAM will help track the repair history and organize the maintenance workflow so the best decisions can be made. There is an interesting discussion thread on this subject at myfacilitiesnet.com.


9. Scheduling.
   

   “Moving to a more planned environment requires better tools for planning, scheduling and coordinating maintenance activities, including major shutdowns.”

   
   

   Source: Berger

   One of the biggest advantages a properly implemented EAM has is its ability to capture historical data. This data includes work order, inspection and maintenance history including details such as what, where, who performed work, costs, parts needed.
   

   The collection of the historical database does more than just enable better maintenance or replacement forecasting. The data acts a reservoir of knowledge or know-how. Mr. Berger makes mention of the potential issue of aging workers retiring without passing on their knowledge. It is out belief that the procurement of knowledge gathering and transfer tools will be the most important issue over the next ten years.



10. Pricing.
    

    “There are almost as many pricing schemes as there are CMMS/EAM packages available. The latest trend in pricing appears to be the recent rise in popularity of software as a service, or SaaS.”

    
    

    Source: Berger

    It would be nice if there was a better way one could compare apples and oranges but the truth is price is the value you place on a product that addresses your pain. Hence the key point is to find a product that adds value to your asset management program. Two additional critical price components are training and support. Good training is not free and makes significant difference to the adoption rates of employees. Lower adoption rates means less than anticipated savings. Technical support should be available during your hours of operation. Identify issue escalation procedures as well as the quality of support. After selecting 1-2 vendors that meet your needs, you can then start to consider negotiating pricing. Due to the complexities of software installation, integration, and training there are numerous areas where a software vendor and integrator can potentially reduce costs. Look for an upcoming article on the best ways to negotiate EAM/CMMS pricing soon.

Cause for the trends

Every year new trends surface and others fade. The driving force behind the recent trends is a result of the increased visibility of the maintenance management function as well as a better recognition of the impact that good maintenance management can have on the bottom line of an organization. The result is facility management has taken on a whole new perspective and asset intensive organizations are becoming more sophisticated and professional in their approach to solving the problem.

Tell us how your company is handling the increased visibility of asset management.

More information can be found at

• 4 Steps to Manufacturing Maintenance Excellence


• Replacing Hand Holding with Handhelds For Your EAM


• Capital Budget Planning With an EAM

If you have had travel plans to Europe you know that UK airspace is closed and air traffic is at a standstill over much Europe. The culprit is a volcano just of to the side of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier that has been erupting since March 21, 2010. The eruption has been spewing sand to silt size ash into the atmosphere non-stop and shows no signs of abatement. In fact the last time this volcano erupted it lasted two years. The issue with air traffic is the most immediate but not the only issue Europe will face as a result of ash fallout.

How The Damage Occurs

With visibility reportedly less than 150 meters in some spots, the thick ash would result in huge repair costs to the engine of any aircraft flying through the ash clouds. Unlike normal dust, volcanic ash from this volcano is composed mainly of silicon based particulates. Because of the fine particle size, this type of debris can enter into engines and other air intake equipment relatively easy.

“The volcano is erupting small, jagged pieces of rocks, minerals and volcanic glass the size of sand and silt into the atmosphere, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This volcanic ash can even be as small as 1/25,000th of an inch across.”

Source: Sally Sennert, Smithsonian Institution

The damage occurs when the silica is heated back up by the crafts engines, melts and them shuts downs the engine. If in flight, this would spell tragic disaster for the aircraft and passengers. The problems will continue to mount, any and all air intake units, air handlers, ventilation equipment from buildings to automobiles are at risk without some form of preventive maintenance now and on a very frequent basis until the ash cloud dissipates.

Other Areas Of Risk

Airlines, industry and HVAC units are not the only areas subject to damage from the dust. Greenhouses, agriculture, water ways are some others just to name a few. For example:

• Hydroelectric plants are susceptible to the increase in silt buildup in their assets. Energy efficiency is greatly diminished and constant maintenance must be done to remove silt.
• Agriculture can be severely affected by a lack of light but just as importantly a change in the soils PH levels from the ash settling. Too high or too low will destroy crops possibly causing famine conditions.
• Greenhouses rely on summer time sunshine for success. Maintenance efforts must be at an all time high to prevent ash on greenhouse covers from blocking sunlight.

The reality is a major ash cloud can have short and long term effects. But there are ways to minimize the effects.

Minimizing The Risk

You cannot defeat Mother Nature, however, you can engage in intelligent actions to lessen the impact of a natural disaster. As you expect from our blog, the keywords are preventive maintenance and inspections. All air filters must be checked, cleaned or replaced far more frequently than normal. How often depends on the amount of ash that blows your direction. Windows, roofs as well as other collection points must be inspected and cleaned more frequently. One very important note, volcanic ash is not the same as pollen or human dust it is more like a fine sand which will negatively impact the efficiency of almost anything mechanical if allowed to enter into a system. As a result preventive maintenance should focus on ash removal versus blowing the ash deposits into unseen locations. For industrial settings, best results will of course be achieved with an EAM system to help organize and schedule maintenance management.

Tell us about your emergency plans should a natural disaster strike.

If you liked this article you may also like

• The Secret Damage Of Dust
• Lessons Learned From The Earthquake Tragedy In Haiti
• Preventive Maintenance and Inspections Can Defeat Corrosion

Enterprise Asset Management 101