Asset Productivity Articles
Our expert staff is well known throughout the industry for its breadth of knowledge gained through years of practical experience. The following articles, written by members of our staff, have been published in industry journals and Web sites.
Rollin' with the Changes: Reliability Rocks
By Bob Call, of Life Cycle Engineering
Have you ever had one of those days when you get a few bars of a song in your head and you just can't get it to go away? For me, it seems the older I get, the more often this happens…The Reliability and Maintainability Plan
With the increasing cost of fossil fuel, and the global demand for alternative energy sources, it is paramount that T & D projects are focused on the end in mind; the absolute lowest Total Cost of Ownership with the greatest possible Asset Utilization…
CMMS / EAM Implementation: Success or Failure
By Mike Willard, of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared on www.reliableplant.comMany companies have purchased a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) with the intent that the system will be the silver bullet that solves all the maintenance problems…
Operator Asset Ownership …This is my Equipment! Part 2
As appeared on www.ipih.de
Operational Excellence (OPEX) is based on a holistic asset design, asset management and asset care concept powered by Reliability Excellence (Rx).Operator Asset Ownership …This is my Equipment! Part 1
As appeared on www.ipih.de
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) combines the traditionally American practice of preventive maintenance with Total Quality Control and Total Employee Involvement, to create a culture where operators develop ownership of their equipment, and become full partners with Maintenance, Engineering and Management…
A Successful Journey to Reliability Excellence Part 1
By Keith Mobley, CMRP, of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared in the August 2008 Issue of Uptime MagazineI thought it appropriate to use this initial three-part series of articles to provide a guide for a journey to an optimal state of performance, a state called Reliability Excellence…
How Plant Reliability Affects a Lean Implementation
By Paul Borders, of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared in the Lean Manufacturing JournalAs a former Plant Manager for the last seven years, I had a unique opportunity to lead a Lean Manufacturing Implementation in two separate facilities. The plants were similar in numerous ways…
How do I determine the value of OEE?
By Keith Mobley, CMRP of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared on www.ReliablePlant.comOverall equipment effectiveness (OEE) can be an accurate representation of overall plant performance. Derived from Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and the Toyota Production System (Lean), OEE is a single, calculated value that represents the plant’s effectiveness in three key performance indicators…
Working without Supervision: Overcoming Inefficiencies and Lost Productivity
As appeared on www.ReliablePlant.com
When shifting organizational structures towards self-directed teams or when utilizing cross-functional supervision, organizations face increased inefficiency in executing maintenance, and decreased productivity levels within the hourly ranks. Typically, the accountability for maintenance execution lies within the first-line supervisor role…
The Eighth Operational Waste - Employee Involvement
People have written about the “Seven Deadly Wastes” in organizations. However, many have missed one of the biggest opportunities for quick improvement by overlooking one of the deadliest wastes, right under their noses.
Are We There Yet?
By Bob Call, CMRP of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared in Plant EngineeringAnyone who has been a parent, or for that matter anyone who has been a child, knows the phrase, “Are we there yet?” very well…
The Important Role of an Equipment Bill of Material
By Doug Wallace, APICS, of Life Cycle Engineering
The principal purpose of the Materials Management organization is to provide the “right parts in the right quantities at the right time…“I have a solid work control process and I am ready for the next step, but how do I get a program started?”
As appeared on www.ReliablePlant.com
When organizations look to truly embrace predictive maintenance they typically have three questions that must be answered in order to move forward.
How does Rx Accelerate Lean Benefits?
As appeared on www.ReliablePlant.com
Lean and Lean Six Sigma were introduced to U.S. manufacturing during the early 90s. Several of the significant influencers have been The Machine That Changed The World by James Womac, and more recently, The Toyota Way by Jeff Liker…
12 Steps to Inventory Recovery
By Doug Wallace, APICS, of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared on www.ReliablePlant.comThe original 12-Step Program was developed in the 1930’s and incorporated by Alcoholics Anonymous to help people deal with their "powerlessness" to stop drinking. Since then the 12-Step Model has been adopted by many other groups dealing with an array of issues that all have one thing in common: a desire to stop.
Face up to the challenges, get involved in the solutions
As appeared in Plant Engineering
What’s the matter with U.S. manufacturing? There’s a perception that U.S. manufacturers are fleeing to set up shop in countries where labor is cheaper…
What’s the ‘M’ in TPM? - Part 2
In Part 2, we will explore the focus of improving each of the “M’s” within TPM. But first, let’s remind ourselves where TPM falls within the maturity continuum of the world class production system.…
What’s the ‘M’ in TPM? - Part 1
By Darrin Wikoff, CMRP
It’s confusing, at times, when working with a number of sophisticated clients who are engaging my help to implement TPM because I see the same acronym used to drive change…Integrated Inventory Management for Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) Materials
By Doug Wallace of Life Cycle Engineering
From an operational perspective, the primary goal of the Materials Management organization in an MRO environment is to provide unflinching material support to Maintenance and Production…“In the midst of challenges, find a little room for humor”
By Bob Call, CMRP of Life Cycle Engineering
As appeared in Plant EngineeringSo, this maintenance manager walks into a bar and . . . it is right about this point that our inhouse editor (bless her little pea-pickin’ heart!) starts bleeding all over my proposed articles for publication…
