Critical data for critical equipment

Stories in this issue deal with some of those time-consuming and often frustrating tasks that we all hate to deal with, but are essential for the successful operation of maintenance departments — the logging, tracking, filing and storing of critical information. When an equipment breakdown raises its ugly head, and the problem is not an easy fix, you need to be able to turn to other resources to help to get the machinery repaired and back online quickly. But without a plan and some previous effort, you’re not likely to have ready access to the data you’ll need.

We all know how hard it is to find the time to work ahead, to do things that will make our lives easier down the road. We’re too busy putting out fires and just trying to keep up with our ever-expanding workload. Many of us already have more work than fits into a standard working day.

That said, you somehow need to find the time to sort through and collect all the data that’s critical to the maintenance, repair and operation of the machinery and equipment in your facility. Otherwise the missing data — technical specs, programming notes, passwords and such — will result in delays that could lead to a downtime disaster.

You’ll find guidelines for dealing with data gathering in two reports in this issue. The Plant Walk-Down on page 35 alerts you to all the reasons why you need to track down key equipment data. It provides a plan for doing a complete facility tour to compile a systematic inventory of all the assets you need information about.

Turn over that page and you’ll find some case histories from several companies that have faced major problems because of missing data with electrical equipment, specifically. You’ll learn from their tips and methods for systematic auditing of equipment that allows repairs to be done quickly and efficiently.

And to help you find the time to adapt these ideas, read Your Top 10 Delegation Mistakes and How to Overcome Them (page 24). With effective delegation, you can find the time to plan walk-downs and audits and work to avoid a documentation dilemma.

A new feature on mro-esource.com allows organizations to add their own listings of upcoming events directly to the website. Simply click on “Events Calendar” on the left column of the home page, then click on the “Submit Event” link and complete the details of the form.

If an organization is not already listed in the event sponsor list, there’s an opportunity to add your details by clicking on another link.

Both forms are submitted directly to the editor for approval before the information is posted on the site, generally, by the next day. If you have any questions about this new service, contact us at broebuck@mro magazine.com or telephone 416-442-2089.

Bill Roebuck, Editor