The Maintenance Storeroom: Keys to Efficient Maintenance Operation

The question of whether managed in-house maintenance or contract maintenance is superior is a persistent one, and both options present unique challenges. Administration, for instance, can be a minefield regardless of the chosen path. A maintenance agreement contract, for example, is a broad subject that can lead to numerous issues if not carefully drafted and agreed upon. This means that in-house maintenance isn't always the straightforward solution it might seem to be.

Digital maintenance promises speed, insight, and control. But what happens when the foundation it builds on — your asset data, your workflows, your program logic — is already in disarray? You can start by the taking the Maintenance Structure Assessment here or read through and use the printed copy below.

Why do improvement efforts fail or perhaps not sustain the gains? There are many reasons, but those most often stated are “lack of commitment” and not “following the process”. But why is there lack of commitment, and why aren’t processes followed? Here are a few of the reasons that I’ve seen:

Maintenance isn’t exciting. For many, it’s a chore, something they’ll rather skip. Poor facility maintenance often marks the start of a downward spiral–a slippery slope you must avoid. But how? Enter facilities management: your ally in connecting people, processes, and systems.

Reliability is not rocket science. It should be easy to achieve. Do things right the first time, from design, procurement, construction, installation, maintenance and operation, all the way through to decommissioning. Isn't this the goal of engineers? Still, in many cases we —industry in general—seem to struggle in achieving high reliability. One reason may be widespread inattention to Mechanical Quality Assurance (MQA).

REM recently caught up with Christer Idhammar, founder and executive vice-president of IDCON INC, and asked him to share his perspective on World Class maintenance.

Energy utilities require optimization of asset management as never before. Maintenance personnel bear the burden of sustaining reliability and availability and are personally in the spotlight the instant an interruption or failure occurs. Yet without the right resources and tools at their disposal, one can argue that it is not the staff but the focus on maintenance that is broken. This article addresses some of the challenges faced by utilities today and reasons to recalibrate your maintenance priorities.