How can you measure and improve the reliability and availability of your assets?

Keep in mind that MTBF and MTTR have a whole range of pitfalls with them. Most plants and facilities should start with something as simple as: (1) scheduled downtime at plant, line or critical equipment level. This is the amount of time you plan for your equipment to not be available due to scheduled preventive maintenance and outages / turnarounds. This is in essence availability. (2) un-scheduled downtime at plant, line or critical equipment level. This is the amount of time that the equipment was not available to operate when it should have been available. This is a simple proxy for reliability. To get this data you need to get a simple system in place to record all your downtime and then allocate a cause. Trend it and analyse it.

Most of these standards and terms have been defined and thoroughly documented. It's important to pick what applies to a facility of your size and readiness - executing projects that are out of reach and creating metrics that are difficult to manage often leads to low morale and a slow turnaround of reliability improvement initiatives. I recommend keeping it as simple as possible: - Start by collecting OEE. - Establish how your team will identify bottlenecks. - Create a protocol for collecting information needed to run small projects aimed at improving the OEE of specific assets and eliminating bottlenecks. - Add other metrics as needed by the projects and supported by the returns from the initiatives.

Availability is an output and a lagging indicator. It is measured to indicate where we need to improve. Failure reduction and or downtime reduction. The two variables that we work the that when combined give you availability is reliability (failure) and maintainability (downtime). We have maintenance and reliability engineering but we do not have availability engineering. The issue is not the measures that are well defined but the their understanding and application.

Yo preguntaría ?Cómo medir la confiabilidad y la mantenibilidad de los activos? La disponibilidad no se mide directamente, es un indicador del resultado de la confiabilidad y mantenibilidad en conjunto. I would ask: How to measure the reliability and maintainability of assets? Availability is not measured directly, it is an indicator of the result of reliability and maintainability as a whole.

If you don’t have a data, or have poor data (even worst) means one of 2: 1) You need to change/add CMMS 2) You need to change/add people that works with CMMS Collection of data about maintenance events looks very simple, but most of “simple” solutions failed at short time, all of them failing after few years. Why? It is a long story, but no such thing to improve reliability without hard work by management.

Most manufacturing facilities generally have the tools to create basic reliability metrics and data collection / visualization without any "new" software. It's possible to store and visualize this data using most PLC/HMI or SCADA systems. In other words, it's best to start without introducing additional systems into the mix, as the challenge of running these projects will be sufficient. If the facility has identified a need for an upgrade that will result in significant improvements, the appropriate architecture must be implemented. At this stage, you should clearly outline the requirements for your facility and work with a vendor that is able to implement a collection & analysis engine for your needs.

Implement a system for tracking asset performance data, such as maintenance logs, downtime records, and failure reports. Ensure data is collected accurately and consistently across all assets and locations. Analyze the data to identify patterns, trends, and root causes of reliability and availability issues. Use statistical analysis and visualization tools to gain insights from the data.

Data Gathering: Use a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to track asset performance, maintenance activities, and failure events. Key Metrics: Monitor metrics such as Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), and availability rates. Failure Analysis: Conduct root cause analysis on failures to identify patterns and contributing factors.

Most of these frameworks / tools should yield similar results. What's important to keep in mind is the change management that needs to take place within the organization to properly adopt the use of these tools / actions. You'll need to implement systems at every organization layer to identify owners, responsibilities, and desired outcomes. As different teams identify improvement actions, they'll dictate the steps to implement them, validate them, and document them for future use.

Based on the data analysis, prioritize areas for improvement and develop action plans. Implement changes to asset design, maintenance practices, or operational procedures to address identified issues. Provide training and support to personnel responsible for implementing improvement actions. Allocate resources and set timelines for completing improvement projects.

Prioritizing maintenance actions based on criticality, risk, and cost-effectiveness, organizations can effectively allocate resources and personnel to execute maintenance activities that maximize the reliability, availability, and performance of their assets. This proactive approach to asset management helps organizations minimize disruptions, reduce costs, and achieve sustainable operational excellence. In order to achives this goal, Preventive maintenance techniques play a crucial role. By embracing these techniques, organizations can achieve significant improvements in reliability, availability, safety, and cost-effectiveness, ultimately contributing to their long-term success and sustainability.

Preventive Maintenance: Develop a preventive maintenance program based on data analysis to reduce unplanned downtime. Predictive Maintenance: Utilize condition monitoring and predictive analytics to anticipate potential failures and address them proactively. Upgrades and Replacements: Consider asset upgrades or replacements for equipment that frequently fails or is at the end of its lifecycle.

?Transforma el análisis de datos en un resultado de tu eficiencia, no en su causa?. — Mídela sabiamente. Se puede lograr con: ? Sensores en IoT ? Análisis de datos ? Indicadores clave de rendimiento (KPIs) Para el monitoreo y evaluación de resultados, utilizamos herramientas como: Dashboard: Para visualizar el rendimiento de los activos en tiempo real, facilitando la toma de decisiones. Informes periódicos: Analizan los resultados y las tendencias, permitiendo identificar áreas de mejora. Auditorías internas: Evalúan la eficacia del sistema de gestión de activos, asegurando el cumplimiento de los objetivos. Al final, Identificar las brechas ?. Comparar contra las referencias en la industria. Y realizar los ajustes necesarios.

Continuously track the performance of assets after implementing improvement actions. Compare actual results to target KPIs to assess the effectiveness of the improvement efforts. Identify any unintended consequences or new issues that arise from the changes. Adjust improvement plans as needed based on ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

This is the hard part... we make changes, but have a difficult time knowing for sure (via data) that the change had any real impact. Sure, you replaced an old pump with a new one. Of course the maintenance costs went down... or did they?

One thing I've found helpful is reviewing your KPI reports often and get those reports in front of all departments that are affected by maintenance reliability. This ensures transparency along with helping prioritizing maintenance projects when you receive feedback from other departments.

Performance Tracking: Continuously monitor reliability and availability metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented actions. Regular Reporting: Create reports that provide insights into asset performance, highlighting trends and areas needing attention. Adjust Maintenance Strategies: Use the data to refine maintenance schedules and strategies based on real-time asset performance.

Regularly review the results of improvement efforts and identify best practices and lessons learned. Share knowledge and experiences across the organization to promote continuous learning and improvement. Adapt improvement strategies and tactics based on changing business requirements, technological advancements, and industry trends.

By actively learning from past experiences, embracing a culture of continuous improvement, and adapting maintenance strategies accordingly, organizations can optimize asset management practices and achieve sustainable success in maintenance operations. This iterative approach allows organizations to stay agile, responsive, and resilient in the face of evolving challenges and opportunities.

Measuring and improving asset reliability and availability requires an ongoing learning loop. Here are two key strategies to consider: 1. Embrace data-driven insights: Utilise Enterprise Asset Management software to analyse performance data. Identify trends, predict failures, and tailor maintenance strategies based on real-time information. 2. Foster a culture of learning: Encourage knowledge sharing within your team. Analyse root causes of failures and share learnings across departments. Participate in industry forums and training programs to stay updated on best practices and emerging technologies. By continuously adapting, you can optimise your asset management strategy, maximise uptime, and ultimately achieve operational excellence.

Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback mechanism to gather insights from maintenance personnel and operators on asset performance. Continuous Improvement: Regularly review processes and strategies to identify opportunities for further enhancement. Training and Development: Provide ongoing training for staff to ensure they are equipped to manage and maintain assets effectively.

Engage all stakeholders, including asset owners, operators, and maintenance personnel, in the reliability and availability improvement process. Provide training and resources to build knowledge and skills related to asset management best practices. Recognize and reward individuals and teams who contribute to improving reliability and availability. Communicate the importance of reliability and availability to the organization and its impact on business success.

Fostering a culture of reliability and availability, organizations with commiment leaders, can create an environment where employees are committed to maintaining assets in optimal condition, minimizing downtime, and ensuring operational continuity. This cultural mindset supports the organization's strategic objectives, enhances customer satisfaction, and drives sustainable success in asset management.

Para que se consiga criar uma cultura que valorize a confiabilidade e a disponibilidade dos equipamentos, devemos sempre come?ar mostrando a importancia para os objetivos da empresa. Todos precisam entender como esses aspectos afetam a seguran?a e o bom funcionamento do trabalho, que reflete em produtividade. Treine a equipe para que saibam cuidar bem dos equipamentos e incentive a colabora??o entre todos os setores. Reconhe?a quem faz um bom trabalho nessa área e pe?a ideias para melhorar sempre. Assim, todo mundo se compromete a manter os equipamentos em ótimas condi??es, garantindo um ambiente de trabalho seguro e eficiente.

80 percent of Maintenance resources are often consumed by reaction to repetitive asset failures leaving only 20 percent available for proactive maintenance. Prior to reliability and availability Improvement efforts a transition from reactive to proactive culture and climate utilization of Maintenance resources must be addressed.

En mi experiencia ha sido de gran impacto para el logro de los objetivos y para fomentar la cultura, involucrar a los miembros del equipo y esto pasa por asociar los planes de desempe?o de cada uno con los objetivos y promover e impulsar las iniciativas de valor que mejoren la confiabilidad y disponibilidad de las facilidades. Esto asegura que el equipo sea garante de la cultura y pueden ver como su desempe?o impacta directamente la confiabilidad y su evaluacion de desempe?o.