How to setup a system for Predictive Maintenance

[Dawn]

Does anyone know how to setup a system for predictive maintenance? We took a hit in assessment because consultants (not Cayman) informed us we could not do predictive maitenance yet because it has to be reviewed over a period of time. Not. I'm looking for a good system to cover this area. Everyone at the facility is new to this including me.
Thanks.

 

[ALM]

"Predictive Maintenance." IMO, another in a long line of boneheaded requirements in the QS9000.

In any event, one would need to compile historical data on equipment maintenance. Utilizing this data (and depending upon the nature of the failure) one MAY, and I emphasize MAY, be able to head off a breakdown before it happens. (e.g., a belt for the pulley in a blower motor seems to break every 6 months, so you replace it at 5.)

The best example I can give from personal experience is that we have what we feel is "predictive maintenance" on our tooling. We have an Excel spreadsheet with the tooling numbers all laid out by customer. We enter how many "hits" the tool has made and track the wear on the tool. In doing so, we can send the tool out for repair/retool/replacement before nonconforming product is ever produced.

If I may say so myself, it is one of our better acheivements in this area.

Keep in mind... the tooling area is a different animal and lends itself well to "predictable" wear and tear.

Predicting when, where, why and how a machine will break down is entirely different and, IMO, nearly impossible to do.

ALM

 

[Kevin Mader]

Dawn,

Determining Mean Time Between Failures should help you to develope predictive maintenance schedules. I would target your critical operations equipment.

Regards,

Kevin

 

[Kevin Mader]

I heard this one last week. Someone I work with gave me an example for predictive maintenance that an organization they worked with used to replace all the light bulbs installed on any particular day when one light bulb from that lot failed. Does one light bulb burning out mean that all the rest will also burn out shortly (were the conditions the same, i.e. one indoors, one out)? I wonder how much money was wasted there? There is little prediction in her example, merely guess work. As such, I would consider this a poor example of preventive maintenance more so than that of a horrible predictive maintenance example.

 

[Lassitude]

"Predictive Maintenance." IMO, another in a long line of boneheaded requirements in the QS9000.

I sorta agree. My experience thus far has been good. I get clients to understand their maintenance manager (or equivalent) must understand predictive well enough to discuss it - no overbearing procedure.

Simple example would be where the maintenance manager explains how s/he uses the maintenance database to monitor equipment and to predict many failures based upon history therein.

Have you visited elsmar.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000057.html
yet? Check this out as well - elsmar.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000019.html

Don't over complicate the issue and don't let the auditor 'ring you thru the nose'.

 

[Lassitude]

By the way - if you are a knowledgable maintenance manager you will probably know some things in general which are predictive based upon your experience. This is not just a database or procedure issue.

 

[Mike525]

Some of the more common methods of predictive maintenance are fluid analysis, infrared monitoring, and vibration analysis. The tougher ones are correlation of SPC data and optimization of uptime (who wouldn't want to optimize total machine running time - duh). We originally approached this requirement by saying we would use the first three if we got positive results and if the process readily lent itself to F/A, I/M, and V/A, if not we would utilize other methods. However, in the opinion of our esteemed registrar - I won't drop names - dnv - we need to incorporate ALL methods of pridictive maintenance identified in the QSR. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

 

[Dawn]

How many QS registered companies out there do the infra-red thing? How much does it cost/ Who does it? Our auditor says he will not write us up this time; but he expects to see it next time. The standard states: as appropriate, not we shall. Help again!

 

[Marc]

How many QS registered companies out there do the infra-red thing? How much does it cost/ Who does it? Our auditor says he will not write us up this time; but he expects to see it next time.

I'd say your auditor is way out of bounds TELLING you to use IR. You should use methods appropriate for your business. I'd ask the auditor where it is stated that IR must be part of your program. My opinion is you'ree letting the auditor tell you how to run your business.