BEP Systems Helps Wales & West Utilities Implement an Enterprise Content Management Solution

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 15 March 2012

In April 2011, BEP Systems began working with Wales & West Utilities (WWU), the gas distribution company covering Wales and the South West, to support the company’s deployment of its Extended ECM platform from Open Text. WWU was seeking to enhance the management and control of their corporate and operational documentation, whilst also providing an archiving solution to support their extensive use of SAP. BEP’s role was to design the filing plan for the system (informing the configuration work being undertaken by WIPRO, the systems integrator for the project) and define the information governance policies for the implementation.

Via a series of meetings and workshops, BEP engaged with staff across the business, including Asset Management, Operations, Business and Customer Services, HR & Training, Finance, IT, Procurement and Logistics. During these discussions a configuration plan was developed covering filing structures, metadata, access control and retention considerations. Simultaneous to this BEP undertook legal research and engaged with the Legal and Internal Audit teams to confirm corporate records retention rules and processes.

In November 2011, BEP provided WWU with a full Report on designing the filing system for all business areas, enabling a consistent use of business rules and rapid configuration phase. Additionally BEP created a Policy and accompanying Procedures documents for Information and Records Management. As well as containing the Records Retention Schedule, this included policy statements, processes and guidelines for managing both physical and digital content throughout their lifecycle from creation to disposition or long term preservation. This ensured that the ECM implementation was supported by suitable governance and that best practice in record keeping using the new platform would be embedded into business operations.

About BEP Systems:

BEP offers world-class advice and services for content management and information governance, including best-practices for retention and disposal, data protection, and information security.

The company’s services include:

    Information governance – development of information and records management policies, procedures, business classification schemes, retention schedules (legal research), and implementation of retention policy within IT systems.

    Business content analysis – A content analysis and diagnostics service that enables our customers to carry out audits of their information assets. Solutions include analysis of unstructured and semi-structured data, cleansing information, assessing data security, and preparation of content for migration.

    Microsoft SharePoint Implementation Services.

©Copyright 1997-

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

Related Enterprise Asset Press Releases

Sunflower Systems Offers Software, Advisory And Training Asset Management Services

Many businesses are quickly discovering the necessity and benefit of using asset management services to enhance their enterprise asset management practices. Multiple industries have been reducing their costs, keeping up with regulations and are more informed due to the solutions that enterprise asset management brings into an organization. Asset management services can supplement an organization’s asset management software by assisting with software deployment, improving processes and compliance and providing end user training.

Asset management firms have a goal to not only implement software solutions into a business’s protocols and company culture, but to ensure that the staff makes the most of their solutions to unleash the potential of what these products and services have to offer.

1. Lifecycle Asset Management Software and Solutions

Asset management is simplified when the appropriate software tools and business solutions are available. Lifecycle asset management refers to the entire lifecycle of a single asset; from its purchase, throughout its use and until it is disposed. This control over assets can reduce company costs, increase utilization and enables better decision making abilities.

]]>

Other solutions can include reporting, analyzing software and mobile solutions. Mobile solutions help organizations simplify their property processes. By bringing property management to a hand-held device, property managers are able to conveniently track the entire lifecycle of an asset, no matter where they are.

2. Advisory Services

To maximize the potential of asset management software, advisory services can supplement the company’s need to grow and progress. This is achieved by operating more efficiently and increasing revenue. Services can address various needs including:

• Needs Assessment

• Strategic Planning

• Reporting and Communications

• Executive Education

• Policy and procedure review, revision and development

These management solutions are a few of the advisory services that an asset management firm can offer to a company, to improve the property program.

3. Training Services

An asset management solutions company should be available to help train staff on how to properly use the software so that the business can get the most out of their solutions. Training courses may be offered on-site, online or at an offsite location, and should teach the fundamental concepts of the software. Courses are designed to include both an academic and hands-on approach. Custom user training allows the business to learn the software with only their company’s needs in mind. Courses and materials can be customized to address the modules that pertain to the organization’s needs.

Students will also be taught how to update and maintain their systems according to their role, to ensure that the software is always working at its optimal capacity.

Sunflower Systems offers their Lifecycle Asset Management software solutions to industries such as government, technology and higher education. Their asset management services include advisory, training and multiple software services to improve operations by saving costs and time. Visit, Sunflowersystems.

Related Enterprise Asset Management Articles

Using Portable CMM Systems to Eliminate Quality Analysis Bottlenecks

When it comes to parts measurement in fabrication plants, the actual inspection facilities normally tend to be located in an area separate from the main production facility. Manufactured parts have to be brought into this special measuring facility to be scanned and analyzed by coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). This creates a bottleneck in the quality control process since the manufactured parts have to be transported from the assembly line to the measuring area and then, depending on the measurement results, they are either shipped out or scrapped due to not matching proper manufacturing specifications.

This bottleneck can, over time, amount to a great reduction In the efficiency of the manufacturing plant. Aside from the time needed to transport the parts between separate factory areas there is also the time cost of actually placing the parts on the measuring surface. While seemingly insignificant in situations where only one or two parts need to be measured, in an assembly line operation where thousands of parts may need to be measured each day the inefficiencies soon add up. This, coupled with the increased risk of part loss and/or damage during handling make this a significant problem for manufacturing operations.

Lately, however, there has been a movement towards the utilization of portable CMMs. These are CMM systems that are specifically designed to be both lightweight and mobile. Typically shaped like arms these CMMs make a perfect addition to assembly line operations.

A portable CMM consists of a measuring arm consisting of various segments connected by joints and terminating in a sensory head. The sensory head, like most CMMs, consists of a highly sensitive sensory probe that is protected from both damage and outside interference. The portable CMM comes equipped with its own computing unit for both recording and analysis purposes. This makes the portable CMM an attractive alternative to regular stationary CMMs.

By utilizing a portable CMM significant cost and time savings can be achieved by most manufacturing operations. This is why portable CMM systems are now a popular choice for most manufacturing operations worldwide.

Related Cmms Articles

Every year, Wall Street analysts take a look at some global icons and place a few on a list of companies or brands expected to go out of business in the near future. More often than not, a low expectation of survival is a result of poor management that has led to a failure to react to a changing competitive environment.

Some examples of companies and brands that have fallen by the wayside include, Pontiac, Life Magazine, Blockbuster, House and Garden. Other brands and industries in dire shape include but are not limited to; soap operas, record stores, photo kiosks, Sears, Kellogg’s Corn Pops, MySpace and print publishing (newspapers, magazines etc.).

In some industries such as textiles and manufacturing, sharp declines have occurred over the years as cheaper foreign labor has made domestic operating margins more difficult to achieve. However, for most industries including record stores and newspapers, it wasn’t technologic change that spelled their doom, it is their inability to adapt and change that is sinking the ship.

Defining a Changing Competitive Environment

What is a changing competitive environment? A changing competitive environment describes the business dynamics every organization or part of an organization (such as a product line, business unit, subsidiary etc.) must adapt to in order to survive as a viable business entity.

Business Survival Necessities

An organization’s ability to handle a changing competitive environment is dependent upon their:

1. Having adequate cash flow to make changes: Once a need for change has been determined, there must be enough resources to make it happen. Hindsight is great but it doesn’t help a company survive.
2. Balance of sales and operations objectives: For some organizations the reason operational costs are out of control is because the company has always been sales focused with most development monies going toward the sales process. The balance is part of the company culture and must be addressed at the top in order to fix.
3. Operational flexibility: Underfunded operations in purely reactive or firefighting mode can never make the adjustments necessary to survive.
4. Understanding technology implications: Organizations should always be keeping an eye on changing technology. Ignoring technological change will not make it go away (just ask Blockbuster). Technology can also be used to improve sales and/or maintenance operations to remain competitive in a global economy.
5. Ability to make good long-term decisions: Many of today’s companies got in trouble because they failed to plan accordingly. Decisions (acquisitions, adapting technology etc.) should be well thought out with an understanding to the organization’s bottom line over the years to come.

Thriving with an EAM System

Organizations lacking in the listed areas run a significant risk of not being able to adapt and survive. The good news is that an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system can make an impact in 4 of the 5 variables.

Having adequate cash flow to make changes

The biggest cash drains in operations are labor, energy and repairs. A quality EAM solution will:

• Lower labor costs by scheduling work. Scheduling allows time to be used more efficiently and effectively.
• Reduce paperflow by automating manual processes such as work requests, work orders, inspections and rounds. Less paperwork enables maintenance management to accomplish more with the same amount of resources.
• Better maintained assets require less energy to operate often bring an energy savings up to 30%.
• EAM solutions have tools for document handling and storage. No more lost documents, making copies or spending hours trying to locate important information.

Operational flexibility

An EAM system allows maintenance management to be proactive instead of constantly fighting fires. This not only saves money but enables facility management to have greater flexibility in addressing new or old issues.

Understanding technology implications

Operating margins are not just determined by labor costs. More importantly, the proper use of EAM and mobile technology can add significant margin improvements by controlling costs, increasing uptime, lengthening the useful lifecycle of assets as well as increasing asset reliability.

Ability to make good long-term decisions

Implementing an EAM system is a long term decision with benefits that grow over time. For example, an EAM system keeps an accurate historical record of all work performed. Having an accurate work history database enables:

• Better capital budgeting freeing up cash reserves in the process.
• Establishment of standard operating procedures.
• Liability claims to be contested by demonstrating consistent quality care of assets.

Tell us how your organization manages change. If you lied this article you may also enjoy reading:

• Is Waiting Until Equipment Breaks Good Asset Management
• 7 Deadly Sins of Asset Management
• Why Don’t We have Time to Plan Maintenance

Enterprise Asset Management 101

Increased Popularity of Portable CMM Systems

When it comes to accurate, speedy, and precise measurement of parts there is nothing better than a Coordinate Measuring Machine. These devices utilize a physical probe (although some come equipped with laser scanners) to create a 3d representation of the object being scanned. Intended for use in a variety of applications CMMs provide a great advantage over part measurement performed by hand.

Whether reverse engineering a part by generating a 3d CAD model or analyzing a portion of an assembly for manufacturing flaws, CMMs have revolutionized the world of accurate physical measurement. Being able to either generate a precise software representation of the object scanner or being able to compare it against an existing “map” to check for deviations from spec, CMMs are able to significantly increase the quality of part production in all sorts of manufacturing industries.

With new data processing advances and various miniaturization advances along with various design improvements have bought about a revolution in CMM technology. One of the newer segments of CMM technology is in portable CMMs. Being much lighter and more maneuverable than ordinary CMMs they are finding use in various manufacturing operations around the world.

A great advantage of a portable CMM is just that – its portability. Ordinarily large CMMs needed their own designated area for which to perform accurate measurements. Advances in sensory technology have enabled the production of portable CMM systems that are able to be moved from location to location without needing to be recalibrated and certified. This has made it easy to accurately measure and graph the structure of large and/or heavy objects when moving those objects would not be possible or cost-effective.

Portable CMM systems have also found an enhanced use in the automotive parts manufacturing industry. These portable CMM “arms” are able to accurately measure parts to check if they meet the exacting specifications and tolerances required for the construction of automobile-related parts and assemblies. This has greatly sped up and improved the efficiency of quality control in these part fabrication plants.

Related Cmms Articles

(PRWEB) March 29, 2005

Sunflower Systems, the company that has redefined lifecycle asset management as a strategic imperative, today announced that they have joined the International Association of IT Asset Managers (IAITAM) as a provider member.

“As a Provider Member, Sunflower Systems bring their dedication to education, best practices and improving accountability,” states Jenny Schuchert, vice president of program development. “Their expertise working with many different types of organizations is also a welcome addition for a significant segment of the membership.”

“Sunflower Systems and IAITAM share the combined vision of bringing standardized and repeatable asset management processes to the global community,” commented Robert Kaehler, vice president and general manager, Sunflower Systems. “Lifecycle Asset Management clearly has a direct impact on corporate financial performance. Holistic asset management provides not only productivity improvement and financial benefits, but also enables enterprises to mitigate risk to their company, their employees and customers, and the environment. We look forward to working with the IAITAM and partnering with member organizations to bring the vision of holistic asset management to all organizations.”

IAITAM Provider Membership is offered to companies that offer products and services that serve IT Asset Managers, directly or indirectly. As visionaries and industry leaders, these companies provide solutions that support the successful implementation of IT asset management initiatives and have joined the association to share their experiences.

About Sunflower Systems

Sunflower Systems significantly improves fiscal and operational accountability by optimizing asset management processes across the enterprise. The Sunflower Systems solution enables organizations to increase asset utilization and re-use as well as tighten financial accountability by providing a holistic view of every asset throughout its lifecycle.

Enterprises benefit because Sunflower Systems:

• Provides a system of record to substantiate financial reporting

• Enables the single version of the truth for better asset allocation and utilization

• Maximizes accountability to ensure proper stewardship of every asset

Built on best practices for the composite enterprise, Sunflower Systems provides a complete and actionable view of the entire asset base, from the smallest mobile device to the most expensive classified equipment. The company is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon. For more information please call 925-355-0700 or visit our website at www.sunflowersystems.com.

About IAITAM

The International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers (IAITAM) is the professional association for IT Asset Management, serving Software and Hardware Asset Management professionals and providers of software and IT services in more than eighteen countries around the world. IAITAM provides these professionals with centralized professional skills development applicable across industries, goals and company size. The organization educates the business community on the value of information technology asset management and on how to implement cost saving life cycle management strategies to reap the benefits. IAITAM is the publisher for ITAK, the only professional magazine for the IT Asset Management Professional. IAITAM is based in Ohio, USA. For additional information contact 866-942-4826 or visit our website at www.iaitam.org.

Media contacts

Sunflower Systems

Maria Miller

Director of Marketing

2613 Camino Ramon, Suite 120

San Ramon, CA 94583

mmiller@sunflowersystems.com

925-242-4213

IAITAM

Lynne Weiss

VP Sales & Marketing

International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers

1915A Gingerich Street

Hartville, OH 44632

Phone +1.866.9IAITAM (+1.866.942.4826)

media@iaitam.org

###

(PRWEB) March 29, 2005

Sunflower Systems, the company that has redefined lifecycle asset management as a strategic imperative, today announced that Robert Kaehler, vice president and general manager, will brief press representatives on the paradigm shift that has occurred in asset management at the company’s scheduled press conference during FOSE 2005, Washington, D.C.

Where:    FOSE 2005 Washington, D.C. Convention Center

Booth #3158 – directly adjacent to the Press Office

When:    April 6, 2005

Time:    10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Who:    Robert Kaehler, Vice President and General Manager, Sunflower Systems

Kaehler will discuss the paradigm shift in asset management and significant drivers for this strategic initiative and the six mega-trends in the area of Lifecycle Asset Management being adopted by forward-thinking organizations – including executive level attention to asset management and Service-Oriented Architectures. He will then unveil Sunflower Assets 4.0 and how it further enables enterprises to achieve the single version of the truth across departments and channels. He will conclude with examples of how Sunflower Systems’ customers are mitigating corporate and personal risk through comprehensive Lifecycle Asset Management with Sunflower Assets and open the forum for questions.

Questions prior to the press conference should be addressed to Maria Miller, Director of Marketing, at mmiller@sunflowersystems.com.

About Sunflower Systems, Inc.

Sunflower Systems significantly improves fiscal and operational accountability by optimizing asset management processes across the enterprise. The Sunflower Systems solution enables organizations to increase asset utilization and re-use as well as tighten financial accountability by providing a holistic view of every asset throughout its lifecycle. Enterprises benefit because Sunflower Systems:

• Provides a system of record to substantiate financial reporting

• Enables the single version of the truth for better asset allocation and utilization

• Maximizes accountability to ensure proper stewardship of every asset

Built on best practices for the composite enterprise, Sunflower Systems provides a complete and actionable view of the entire asset base, from the smallest mobile device to the most expensive classified equipment. The company is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon. For more information please call 925-355-0700 or visit our website at www.sunflowersystems.com.

# # #

Find More Enterprise Asset Management Press Releases

Boston, Mass. (PRWEB) July 19, 2006

St. Croix Systems, the leading provider of capital asset lifecycle management solutions for the healthcare industry, and CIBER, Inc. a leading international systems integrator, today announced an alliance to cooperatively help healthcare providers identify and implement strategies and solutions to increase optimization and safety of enterprise assets.

The alliance combines St. Croix Systems’ Capital Asset Lifecycle Management suite (CALM), a set of applications that enables healthcare providers to gain visibility and control over the management and maintenance, movement, and safety of all facility and equipment assets—from acquisition through retirement, and CIBER’s consulting experience in developing and implementing enterprise asset management, service management, supply chain, and enterprise resource planning solutions.

The two organizations are coming together at a time when healthcare providers are seeking an integrated approach to optimize hospital assets through standardized processes that enable effective preventive maintenance, improved asset tracking and utilization, integrated safety measures, and better planning and acquisition decisions. St. Croix Systems and CIBER offer clients software solutions and services to automate disparate process to increase asset and care giver productivity while reducing costs.

“Our healthcare clients want solutions that more effectively manage and maintain their capital assets to increase lifecycle and resource productivity,” said Robert Dickey, Strategist, CIBER, Inc. “Working with St. Croix Systems we will deliver a solution that combines technology and process automation and allows our clients to leverage and protect the significant investments they are making in assets and equipment.”

St. Croix Systems Capital Asset Lifecycle Management suite is a comprehensive suite of products built on a single platform and includes functionality to integrate and automate asset management and maintenance, service requests, resource scheduling and dispatching, mobile asset logistics and patient utilization, safety issues and hazardous alerts, and essential operational and compliance reporting.

“Enterprise asset management solutions are the catalyst for change that many healthcare providers seek to unify asset data and leverage the resulting knowledge for improved asset utilization, asset safety, and capital performance,” said Sam Adams, president and CEO of St. Croix Systems. “This agreement allows both of our organizations the ability to demonstrate and deliver to our customers a solution that provides them with immediate benefits and creates an infrastructure for long-term financial and operational benefits.”

About St. Croix Systems Corporation

St. Croix Systems (www.stcroixsystems.com) is the leading provider of software and services designed to integrate the core functions of asset management, asset logistics, safety management, and capital planning for healthcare providers worldwide. Since 1993, health systems have been utilizing our applications to improve asset and facility management, increase operating and financial performance, and enhance service and safety in the environment of care. Privately owned, St. Croix Systems is headquartered in Burlington, MA.

###

When people think of wastewater management more often than not the smell of a sewage treatment plant comes to mind. On the other hand, the thought of industrial wastewater brings to mind pictures of green luminescent radioactive liquids leaking into water supplies causing mutations and illness. Fortunately, the latter is not the case as industries that generate large amounts of wastewater typically have their own on-site treatment systems. For plants without their own system it is common to have a pre-treatment system to remove toxins before sending the water to municipal wastewater plants. In either case, it is important to make sure wastewater assets are properly maintained with a CMMS to avoid contaminating groundwater supplies.

Sources of Industrial Wastewater

Major industry producers of wastewater requiring pre-treatment or on-site wastewater treatment are usually industries that require water for cooling or processing. Major industrial waste industries include:

• Iron and Steel: Water is used as a lubricant and as a coolant and can pick up a variety of toxins including benzene, hydraulic oils, particulate solids, and acids.
• Mining and Quarry Operations: Water is used to wash minerals which becomes contaminated with slurries of rock particles, hydraulic oils, discarded metals, arsenic and other particulates that form very fine slimes which are difficult to separate. In addition, rainfall on terrestrial mining surfaces wash unwanted particles into water.
• Food Industry: The processing of food requires a lot of water to wash away organic particulate matter and organic residue. In addition, when animals are slaughtered the water used to clean the parts becomes contaminated by hormones, parasites and antibiotics.
• Chemical Plants: Chemical plants produce the widest range of contaminants depending on what is being produced. Contaminants can range from oils to pesticides to complex compounds byproducts.
• Nuclear Power Plants: Nuclear power plants use enormous amounts of water to cool radioactive rods. This water is contaminated by radium and other decay products. In addition, nuclear facilities produce enormous amounts of spent fuel that must be stored until the threat of radiation has been neutralized. Improper storage can result in leaks which is an environmental disaster.
• Water treatment: Many industries demand water that is of very high quality to reduce impurities or enhance production. An example would be the use of water in Boilers. This waste generated from such operations produces organic and mineral sludges high in calcium, magnesium and carbonates.
• Water purification: Desalination is an example of a water filtration process designed to produce drinkable water from sea water. Naturally, putting back high levels of salt into the environment can have a negative impact on the eco-system.

Treatment of Industrial Wastewater

The treatment of industrial wastewater will obviously vary depending on the type of contaminants and treatment is asset intensive. Each method or process is performed by specialized equipment. Some equipment may be straightforward to operate and other equipment may require IT support. However, the most common forms of industrial wastewater treatment include:

• Solids removal using sedimentations and filters.
• Oil and Water Separators often using heat intensive skimmers that keep grease fluid.
• The removal of biodegradable organic material using biochemical components and a myriad of tanks used for aeration or settling and trickling filters.
• Advanced oxidation process, adsorption,vitrification, distillation and incineration.
• Acid neutralization
• Advanced Oxidation Process
• Aerated lagoons
• Fermentation

The object of wastewater management is to reduce the amount of contaminants that can find their way back into the groundwater or reclaimed water. There is a growing need for reclaimed water in industry, as reusing water for other purposes can lower energy costs. For example, cooling towers do not normally require the same quality of water as a boiler. Water could also be used for toilet flushing or any other purpose that does not require drinking water.

CMMS Software Can Ensure Energy Efficiency

The treatment of wastewater produced through industrial activities requires a fair amount of energy. This is because the equipment needed to perform the detoxification needs power to operate and with some equipment like, oil and water separators, may require intensive heat generation. In addition, wastewater systems components are subject to accelerated corrosion due to particulate matter reacting with water and other chemicals. Equipment left uninspected for damage or lacking regular preventive maintenance can deteriorate quickly.

Deteriorating assets causes the assets to try and draw more power to accomplish the same results as well as subject them to excessive repair and downtime losses. A CMMS solution reduces this outcome by automating work order processes eliminating manual tracking systems. More importantly, CMMS software provides wastewater maintenance teams with a powerful scheduling tool that ensures inspections and preventive maintenance are performed routinely. Combination automation and scheduling frees up valuable time for inspections and preventive maintenance allowing maintenance teams to operate in a proactive environment resulting in greater asset energy efficiency.

Wastewater efficiency is important to everyone, share with us how your plant is addressing wastewater maintenance issues. If you liked this article, you may also enjoy reading:

• Plugging the Water Utility Leaks with Increased Inspections
• Halting Wastewater Inefficiency with a CMMS
• 15 Questions For Every Maintenance Manager

Enterprise Asset Management 101

Integrating Thermography With Your Cmms-eam Systems

Introduction

More and more companies are investing in CMMS systems to organize the complex task of managing capital equipment and facility infrastructure whether it is process or production equipment or building systems like HVAC and computers. CMMS is a great organizational tool but cannot directly monitor equipment conditions. PdM technologies including thermography excel at monitoring equipment condition but do not have the ability to organize overall maintenance operations and have historically been closed proprietary systems. If maintenance practices and investments are to really pay off, the integration of the two tools is necessary. As organizational systems become more computerized, the overall access and quality of data substantially increases. The challenge is how best to create, organize and disseminate the vast amount of data that computerized database systems like CMMS inevitability create. In addition, inevitably the added workload will be required without additional staff. To achieve this, one must make sure that any data collected is integrated with the original database. In this way, the investment in building asset databases is leveraged across the many interfaces and platforms. Techniques to push out this data and take back updated machinery health data is what this paper will discuss and provide specific examples of doing this in practice.

Disadvantages of Current PdM/CMMS Systems

No common data formats between systems

No way to integrate CMMS asset data into PdM devices

Data transfer is manual and time consuming, limiting the ability to build an integrated program

No ability to “drill down” and extract metrics

Lost opportunity to develop correlations between PdM methodologies

Advantages of Integrated PdM/CMMS Systems

Asset data entered once is leveraged across multiple systems

Common nomenclature delivers consistent results regardless of operator skill and training

Significant efficiencies can be realized and costs and or effectiveness of PdM tools increased

Route-based data collection derived from historical data results in better utilization of manpower resources

Integrating CMMS Data with Your Thermography Program

To begin you need to create a thermography camera system that can operate like a data logger. Common elements in data loggers are: a touch screen, a sophisticated file management system, the ability to handle data formats like XML and an easy way to input and output data. A tablet form-factor makes it practical to use your finger or stylus to execute software features. Many of today’s popular portable vibration data collectors are excellent examples of product designs that are conducive for integration. Similarly, the thermography camera – data logger system is also best designed to be a ruggedized tablet style computer with a thermal camera channel. Some of the most common features of data loggers that make them easily integrated into CMMS systems are:

Rugged small tablet form factor

Touchscreen user interface

Application-specific software functionality

PC-familiar internal file management

Simple-to-execute file exchange between PC and device

Once the portable user interfaces has been established, a desktop software application must be implemented that interface both to the camera and to CMMS databases. A software wizard can be used to map CMMS source data to a thermography asset database. Data must be exported from the CMMS system as a CSV file. The wizard then imports those fields that are desired to be tracked. The wizard must assure that each record of asset data that is exported from the CMMS system maintains sufficient identification to ensure that links between the CMMS source and the thermography program database are maintained. By automating the population of the thermography asset database, the user eliminates the need to enter potentially hundreds if not thousands of records into the thermography program making it more likely the tool will be used effectively. Once the CMMS source data is in the camera it is highly efficient to tag asset information to captured images during the inspection process using intuitive pull temperature rise, incident severity, repair recommendation, a visible control photograph and the asset descriptions are permanently stored in the infrared camera’s thermal image where they can be automatically loaded in pre designed report templates for quick and easy report generation. In addition to simplifying data gathering and automating report generation, the asset lists can be organized into route files. Such a thermography camera can take asset files and organize them into routes that the thermographer can then use to guide them through all the inspection points assigned for the next inspection cycle, an enormous step toward efficiency and savings.

Summary

Field inspection is a data intensive process

Leveraging a source database across all PdM modality is efficient and cost effective

Standardized data ensures consistent results (for example 3 operators might call the same asset three different names)

Data can be organized into routes and operators can be trained to conduct data gathering

Future potential to correlate data across PdM modality to improve route cause analysis of various equipment problems

Software when used as intended can lower program costs significantly and by eliminating manually intensive data entry the prospects of using an integrated data base within a portable PdM instrument like a thermography camera are greatly enhanced.

Please visit us at www.electrophysics.com/abtempcmms

For more comprehensive White Papers visit our online Knowledge Center.
www.electrophysics.com/thermal-imaging

Electrophysics – IR Cameras for Thermography Professionals
373 Route 46, Fairfield, NJ 07004 Phone: 973-882-0211 Fax: 973-882-0997