Asset Data Configuration Part 2: Work Order Prioritisation

Lar English, Gas Networks Ireland

Akilu Yunusa-Kaltungo, School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, UK

Posted 11/07/2024

Read Part 1 here

3 Work Order Prioritisation

Ranking Index for Maintenance Expenditure (RIME)

Work order prioritisation is the next logical step that follows an agreed approach to asset criticality. An option for prioritisation is to employ the RIME methodology. The ability to define a RIME ranking makes prioritising assets simple and enables maintenance teams to streamline how they spend their time and efforts [4]. RIME helps replace emotion with logic. It is known in industry that maintenance decisions are often based on emotions and not what makes the best business sense [5]. An advantage of this methodology is that functionality exists in the eMaint™ CMMS currently used by the featured Facilities department.

eMaint CMMS RIME Configuration

RIME combines the work order priority, asset criticality score, and amount of time since the work order was raised. The RIME Rank on the work order prioritises the work that needs to be completed based on three variables that are specified by the CMMS. This method of ranking maintenance work orders is based on an index that combines both the work classification priority and asset criticality score, to produce a single RIME number that is then used by the maintenance team to prioritise the work. The RIME Rank is based on three values: the priority of the work order, the RIME Code of the asset and the Factor. Two of the three are specified on the work order and the asset forms. (Priority = work order priority, RIME Code = asset criticality). The third is the Factor and that value is based on the following calculation:

Where F = Factor, T_D= Today’s Date and WO_D = Work Order Date.

The Factor considers how long the work order has been open. The Factor is calculated each day along with the RIME Rank and not stored in the CMMS. The following is the formula for calculating RIME scores as configured via a workflow in the eMaint CMMS:

Where RR = RIME Rank, P= Priority, RC = RIME Code and F = Factor.

Additional information on the eMaint CMMS RIME workflow is that it runs daily and updates the RIME Rank value on the work orders. There are associated fields on both the work order and asset forms within the eMaint CMMS.Priority (wo.priority) is a value that is automatically populated on the work order form after it is created depending on what type of work needs to be done. This can also be set on the preventive maintenance (PM) form to populate on the work order after it is generated. Table 3 details the priority scores per work order type for the featured Facilities department. RIME Code (compinfo.rimecode) is a value that is populated on the asset form and reflects the criticality ranking for the asset, depending on how critical the piece of equipment is to the Facilities department.

CMMS RIME configuration work order prioritisaion — *Table 3: Priority Scores per Work Order Type*

Demonstration of Work Order Prioritisation Applied in CMMS

This sub-section combines the elements already explored in the article and demonstrates deployment within the eMaint CMMS as used by the featured Facilities department. Table 4 contains an export from the work order table in the featured instance of the eMaint CMMS. In the table, work orders are sorted from the highest to lowest values depending on their RIME Ranking Index scores. The RIME Ranking Index scores are calculated by a workflow in the CMMS using the formulae documented earlier. The table demonstrates that work orders opened since the beginning of 2023, although of relatively low criticality, have a higher ranking than the work orders opened later in the year. This is due to the time Factor, which helps ensure that all work orders will eventually be completed.

demonstration of work order prioritisaion in CMMS — *Table 4: RIME Export from eMaint CMMS. Note: FUWO = Follow-up Work Order*

The export from the eMaint CMMS in Table 4 demonstrates the successful application of work order prioritisation delivered using the RIME methodology.

Concluding Remarks

The most fundamental asset data exists in in the asset register and this provides the building blocks of a successfully deployed CMMS. As opposed to completely re-inventing the wheel, the approach described here sits at a more granular level and provides guidance that adequately complements the guidance of already published standards, to reduce the gradient of the learning curve. By combining the guidance in this paper with that of existing standards such as ISO 14224, it is believed that this will ease the delivery of a comprehensive solution for an asset register. This article also documents the approach taken in a criticality assessment of the assets under the remit of the featured Facilities department and presents a solution for work order prioritisation.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Fluke for allowing the authors to feature its cloud-based eMaint CMMS and associated RIME functionality.

References

International Standards Organisation, ISO 14224:2016 Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries — Collection and exchange of reliability and maintenance data for equipment, Geneva: ISO, 2016.

A. Antelman, “Mission Dependency Index Validation Report NFESC Special Publication SP-2113-SHR,” NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING SERVICE CENTER, Port Hueneme, 2002.

L. English, A. Yunusa-Kaltungo, M. Kidd and A. Labib, “Development of a complementary framework for implementing asset register solutions,” Engineering Reports, 2021.

eMaint, “What is a CMMS used for?” Fluke Corporation, [Online]. Available: https://www.emaint.com/what-is-a-cmms/what-is-a-cmms-used-for/. [Accessed 16 July 2024].

G. Mahoney, “Work Prioritization: Emotion vs. Logic” Reliabilityweb.com, [Online]. Available: https://reliabilityweb.com/articles/entry/work_prioritization_emotion_vs._logic. [Accessed 8 July 2024].

Lar English, MSc CEng MIMechE

Senior Asset Integrity Engineer for Gas Networks Ireland. Experienced asset management professional and Chartered Engineer with a demonstrated history of working in multiple industries. Skilled in promotion of asset reliability and performance initiatives. Strong maintenance professional having completed an MSc (with Distinction) in Reliability Engineering and Asset Management at the University of Manchester.

Akilu Yunusa-Kaltungo, PhD CEng FIMechE FHEA

Akilu Yunusa-Kaltungo is the Head of Education for the Schol of Engineering at the University of Manchester. He is a prolific, versatile and self-motivated professional with proven technical and managerial experiences in vital functions of world-class organizations.

https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/akilu.kaltungo

Specialties: Health & safety management, energy consumption prediction and optimization, decarbonization, maintenance management, condition-based maintenance, rotating machines, project management, plant operations and people development.

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Asset Data Configuration Part 2: Work Order Prioritisation