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Posted:
10 March 2003
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Intoduction to CMMS – PART III: What's Important in a CMMS?
CMMS's are often perceived to be no more than a means of scheduling maintenance work. While preventive maintenance scheduling is normally part of a computerized system, most of them are capable of much more than this. Virtually all aspects of a maintenance department’s work can be managed by the modern, integrated software packages. These can have many options, which may be chosen according to the user’s requirements.
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Key functions of each of these, which must be considered when selecting a package, are shown below:
Asset & Equipment Management
The Asset/Equipment database holds comprehensive details of each asset. Typical data to be stored would include equipment (asset) number, equipment (asset) name, department, model, serial number, purchase price, location, supplier, maintenance history, etc. Field descriptors should be user configurable so that, at the time of input, users are prompted for data using terminology, which is familiar to them. For example, when entering details of a particular piece of equipment, default input may be ‘Equipment Location’. Users may prefer this to be changed to ‘Assembly Line Number’. When details of a specific asset require to be viewed or printed, a search capability should be available on any of the defined fields.
Preventive Maintenance Scheduling
The maintenance schedule should have a flexible setup, allowing each asset to have a defined maintenance profile which may include details of inventory items and labor crafts required, procedures required, estimated job times and when the equipment is available, etc. It should also be possible to link assets to the preventive maintenance tasks database discussed below.
Preventive Maintenance Tasks Database
The preventive maintenance tasks database contains all the preventive maintenance procedures required for the maintainable assets in the system. Up-to-date procedures can be viewed each time the maintenance is due. When a change is required to be made to a procedure it is carried out on the library document, ensuring that all people who subsequently refer to it will see the amended version. All assets linked to that procedure would be automatically updated.
Demand (Unplanned, Breakdown) Maintenance
All systems should support Demand Maintenance (breakdown) reporting. Production personnel can report defects or breakdowns. Typical information on the DM will include the asset number of the equipment, the reporter's name and brief details of the fault.
Causes Database
The Causes Database contains all the possible breakdown reasons (faults) possible for the maintainable assets in the system. When a new Cause is entered into the system, it ensures that all people who subsequently refer to it will use the same terminology. This is essential to proper downtime documentation and failure analysis.
Maintenance Scheduling
The Scheduling module is a calendar-based model of all upcoming maintenance. Every day, the CMMS scans each asset and checks to see if maintenance is due. If so, it automatically creates a PM for the asset based on a pre-configured PM work order template. Standard work order forms are included, but customization is easy with Crystal Reports.
Maintenance Personnel Database
A maintenance personnel database will contain name, trade, department, shifts worked, qualifications, special training received, authorizations, etc. This may also be used for time keeping and attendance recording.
Inventory Control
The Inventory database holds comprehensive details of all stocked items. Typical data to be stored would include the inventory number, item name, quantity on hand and other quantities, cost per unit, where it is used, stockroom, supplier, etc. Field descriptors should be user configurable so that, at the time of input, users are prompted for data using terminology, which is familiar to them. When details of specific inventory items are required to be viewed or printed, a search capability assists on any of the defined fields. Maintenance personnel can access the inventory database to find spare part numbers and check stock levels of maintenance spares. Some users consider that the greatest financial returns from a CMMS are to be achieved through improved stock control procedures.
Purchasing
Requisition and purchasing options can be used to record and control maintenance spare parts usage. The Purchasing module should automatically place items that have reached their reorder points on a purchasing requisition. Both stocked and unstocked inventory items should be able to be purchased via the Purchasing module.
Condition Monitoring (via BAS Interface)
Condition monitoring is a form of predictive maintenance where continuous monitoring of the condition of specific areas of plant and equipment takes place. When any pre-defined limit is exceeded, an alarm output is turned on. This alarm output is input to a CMMS so that a work order will be generated immediately. This is particularly suited to continuous process plant, say paper mills, where plant failure could be extremely costly. Typical conditions, which can be monitored, are temperature, vibration, over voltage or current and liquid level; in fact any condition that can be detected by a sensor.
Statistical Data and Reports
Wide ranging statistical data and reports should be readily available from any CMMS system. For example it should be capable of providing information such as the number of times a machine has broken down for a specific fault in a given period, etc. Details of the options, which are generally available, are outlined below. In a good system there will be extensive information readily available for cause analysis, costing and work statistics. This is one of the most important functions of a CMMS system. All packages use a report generator of some sort to produce the reports. The package will come supplied with some standard reports. Invariably, the specialized requirements of each customer will ensure that these are of limited value. One of the most important factors in choosing any package should be its ability to be tailored to produce the exact reports which you require. Ideally, the package should allow you to write or create your own reports in-house.
User Rights
An important consideration in the implementation of a system will be who should have access to specific data. Any multi-user system should permit users to be set up such that they only have access to the data which they require.
User Interface
Menu Construction and Customization
Users will normally interface with the system through a series of menus. It is the manner in which these menus are designed that will determine whether or not the users like the system. One-click access to popular modules such as Equipment and the Scheduler is important, as are customizable user fields in each of the major modules. A good system will have a tab-based design, where information is organized efficiently, making for easy navigation.
Dropdown (Pick) Lists
In essence, pick lists are a means of providing users with options from which they can select an input. This is a good method of inputting data since the input then becomes formalized and limited to a valid format.
Multiple Database Server Support
A CMMS that is capable of running on a variety of databases allows maximum flexibility and adaptability to your existing environment. For example, if your facility has already invested in a MS SQL Server, you’ll want to choose a CMMS that runs efficiently on the MS SQL Server.
“Introduction to CMMS – Part 4” will be presented in the next update.
Reference: “The ABCs of CMMS” – Eagle Technology, Inc.
Article ID: 487
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