Asset Data Integrity

ASSET DATA INTEGRITY

A Critical Component of Operations

Having the proper equipment to support operations is crucial for any production facility. A key component of every maintenance or reliability effort is accurate and complete equipment data, parts lists, and documentation. The problem that often arises is that this data is incomplete, out-of-date, or simply wrong.

Asset-related data used for the creation of work orders or acquiring repair-related information is typically housed in a computerized maintenance management system or CMMS. If it is not accurate, the decision-making and repair process breaks down. The results can be costly, leading to safety risks, environmental exposure, ineffective manpower utilization, incorrect parts in inventory, repair delays, and outright production interruption.

There are many reasons why the asset data in a CMMS application can be in error. Common errors can be the acquisition of new facilities without adequate data transfer or lack of a disciplined MOC process, both of which lead to:

·??????Equipment that no longer exists - records were never updated.

·??????Obsolete equipment that is no longer in service - still identified as in-service.

·??????Misidentified equipment that is in place and operating - not listed in CMMS.

·??????New equipment added during capital projects - never documented.

·??????Equipment that has been replaced - never added to the CMMS.

All of these and more are reasons for inaccurate equipment records that have a domino effect on maintenance and reliability efforts. For the maintenance and reliability team, asset data-related problems translate into parts-related issues, incorrect repair documentation, rework, and inefficient resource utilization.

On the surface, the solution seems simple. Typically, plant personnel is assigned to walk down the plant assets, gather the correct data and update the CMMS records, parts lists, and related documentation. Unfortunately, due to the large number of assets involved in this effort, in most cases, facility-assigned teams do not have the resources nor the time to prioritize a full review let alone put in place a process to maintain it sustainably. When handling things in-house, some problems arise such as the need for dedicated resources, multiple data handoffs, and time delays in updating files. These issues can increase maintenance costs and equipment downtime.

In March 2022, in response to a customer request, PK Technology undertook the challenge to help the client clean up their CMMS, in this case, SAP.?This Mid-Stream Operator client, like many, has experienced rapid growth through acquisitions and mergers.?In the process, they acquired numerous assets that were missing critical information, causing out-of-control maintenance costs and corresponding unit unavailability.?To their credit, they had begun working on the problem three years prior, but with continued growth and scarce resources, the problem became untenable.?

PK Technology was asked to provide a solution. In just ten months, PK Technology completed the task.?By utilizing our in-house developed software platform, intelliSPEC?, PK Technology was able to touch and verify more than 125,000 assets in over 163 facilities.?Correcting SAP and redlining P&IDs, these efforts included:

·??????Identifying more than 2,000 pieces of equipment in the CMMS that were missing in the P&ID drawings.

·??????Similarly, removing more than 2,000 pieces of equipment listed in the CMMS but not part of the production process.

·??????Identifying 514,000 characteristics (specific details about the asset) that needed to be added or corrected in the CMMS.

PK technology is uniquely suited for such a challenge, having both an in-house software development and support team and field inspectors. The two groups, working together, were able to quickly develop and deploy a customized solution.?Once built, the Dev Team, working with the customer’s IT group, downloaded the asset information into intelliSPEC?.?With the loaded solution in hand, inspection teams were sent to the field to touch each piece of equipment to validate and update the data file. ?Being cloud-based, the data file was reviewed by supervisors located hundreds of miles away, any erroneous or suspect data was quickly resolved. Clean data was then pushed back into SAP within 24 hours of collection. The client was then immediately able to review the updated data in SAP often while inspectors were still onsite.?

Now with the data in SAP being updated, the Client has reduced their maintenance and turnaround costs by an estimated 30% by being able to:

·??????Purge warehoused parts and equipment that are obsolete and no longer needed.

·??????Accurately plan and kit maintenance activities.

·??????Efficiently schedule and execute equipment outages with accurate durations.?

Correcting errors and omissions of this sort creates a more efficient operation and will support significant cost savings.?Less downtime equates to more unit availability resulting in a more cost-efficient profitable operation.?

Maintaining equipment records in-house has repeatedly proven to be highly ineffective for both short-term and long-term sustainability. PK Technology offers a solution to this problem, ensuring that your facility functions safely, efficiently, and in an environmentally sound manner.