Reliability engineers are responsible for eliminating losses, managing risks, and managing asset life cycles. Here are five important things reliability engineers can do today to begin improving asset reliability.
Eliminate loss with OEE
Begin collecting data to calculate overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of critical assets. By identifying speed and quality, operational losses can be reduced.
Learn the company’s history with reliability
Do an internal self-assessment and then use the results to start a conversation with managers. Establish a plan that clearly defines where the company currently stands with reliability and what steps need to be taken each quarter to reach optimal reliability.
Become proactive problem solvers
Use a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to create a bad-actor list, and establish small teams of two to three people (one operator and one to two technicians) to tackle that list head-on by defining the problems with root cause analysis (RCA), identifying the likely causes, and then testing each potential cause until the correct one is found.
Get ahead of rotating equipment failures
Eliminate unnecessary expenses and secondary equipment damage by identifying and resolving rotating equipment issues as they arise. By taking the time to establish precision maintenance techniques, maintenance technicians can ensure proper alignment for equipment longevity.
Join the Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP)
In a world that’s ever-changing, staying on top of evolving technologies and the latest maintenance strategies is imperative. The SMRP is a network of over 3,000 reliability professionals from 200 companies dedicated to learning and sharing the newest developments in the field– a great place to learn for both new and seasoned reliability engineers.
Final thoughts
Remember that change happens over time. Start with one asset, then another, then another. For motivation, attend the annual International Maintenance Conference (IMC). While reliability doesn’t happen overnight, these five tips are things that can be started right away to get the business moving in the direction it needs to go.
About ASI: Andromeda Systems, Incorporated (ASI) is an ISO-9001:2008 company committed to superior technical performance and excellence in customer satisfaction. Our mission is to assist asset and fleet managers in achieving optimal levels of economy, availability, and safety by developing and applying leading systems engineering tools, processes, and expertise. We are headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, with offices in Lexington Park, MD; Arlington, VA; Jacksonville, FL; Havelock, NC; Oklahoma City, OK, and San Diego, CA.