Convert Your CMMS into a Failure Mode Machine

There are different definitions regarding "failure mode" written by well-regarded individuals. If failure mode is the language of RCM analysis and is a key component of determining maintenance strategies (i.e. your PM program) then the failure mode itself needs to be captured on the work order at job completion.

Douglas Plucknette wrote the book called, RCM Blitz

When I read this book, it was the first time I realized that we've been dancing around the problem. There's a huge difference between asset problem code and component problem code. And in the CMMS community we've been only focusing on the asset. This book clearly defines the 3 elements of a failure mode. which starts with the component. All I had to do was to figure out how to capture this on the CMMS. This became my book, Failure Modes to Failure Codes.

Failure Mode in the CMMS: Imagine the Possibilities

Everything revolves around this failure mode. Here are ways to dramatcially improve reliability engineering within the CMMS product:

1. Add 3 new fields to work order entry: failed component, component problem, and cause code. I actually have a cause code hierarchy which is described in book. Capture this data at job completion if there is a functional failure (also a new field).
2. People talk about having a living program for your maintenance strategies. Well you can't do that when it is outside the CMMS. Therefore, the first step is to make a new application and call it RCM Failure Modes and Maintenance Strategies.
3. When work order is written with a functional failure, have a script which does immediate comparison to your new app. Use electronic workflow. Route it through reliability engineer.
4. Now goto your PM application and add new child table/tab showing the failure modes this PM is addressing. This is LINKING PM TO MAINTENANCE STRATEGY TO FAILURE MODE, inside the CMMS. Imagine the potential.
5. Now go write a bad actor report which pulls the Top 10 Worst Offenders. And when selecting one of those assets, have it drill-down on the failure mode (3 pieces). For example, if you find that bearing overheating due to improper lubrication is the most prevalent failure mode (across all assets), then look at the lubrication program across the site. It may be that the bearings are not being lubricated or are being over lubricated.

Other Notes

If your organization ever conducts an RCM Analysis, most facilitators store the results in an Excel spreadsheet. In that spreadsheet is the failure mode. It would be rather easy to ensure the 3 fields are separated, This could then be uploaded with ease to the new application. In a different scenario, a reliability engineer could start populating this application based on one-off work orders as functional failures occur, thus, build it as you go.

Sequelize Your Data

Note: If you can’t sequalize the failure data you can’t create failure analytics 

Stated another way, trying to obtain a match using phrases is not likely since spelling errors, abbreviations or synonyms will cause a non-match. An example spelling error would prevent field validation would be:

BEARING FATIGUED due to AGE ...... versus ..... BEARING FATIGEED due to AGE

Design the CMMS for Reliability Engineering

With a focus on capturing failure mode data in the CMMS you are creating a foundation for a living program that supports continuous refinement of maintenance strategies and chronic failure analysis at the same time.

Without the Right Strategy You Will be Ineffective

You can plan, schedule, execute all work to the best of your ability, but if it is the wrong work, then you will be ineffective.