Toward lubrication-centric CMMS

by John Malone

Although it might seem obvious that lubrication is an important part of any quality maintenance program, many companies continue to invest in computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) to monitor machinery and parts statistics, but pay little attention to lubrication as an investment in reliability. Yet, from a maintenance budget perspective, the impact that lubrication has on parts and labor is often much greater than the actual dollars spent on lubricant products and services.

Therefore, a new generation of CMMS programs is beginning to focus on preventative maintenance through lubrication best practices. Targeted at maintenance managers, a lubrication-centric CMMS system is designed to track lubricant-related maintenance activities and help achieve goals to extend equipment life, reduce downtime and improve operational performance.

Maximizing business objectives
The use of a CMMS as a glorified paper-based work order management system is shifting to one that focuses more on planning activities and examining equipment failures and uptime. By automating manual processes, such as generating planned maintenance schedules and building work histories, a CMMS can eliminate errors and improve workforce consistency.

Building on a traditional CMMS, a Web-based lubrication-centric CMMS helps with lubrication management. The maintenance manager and planner recognize lubricant-related equipment vulnerabilities and make them transparent to plant management. The management can then reduce total operating costs by making the necessary repairs or adjustments.

By incorporating predictive maintenance techniques into CMMS, assets are maintained at their peak levels because issues are resolved before they become problematic. To reach operating potential, the program maximizes a company’s business objectives by minimizing the investment in capital equipment, increasing productivity, enhancing safety and reducing operating risks. One quickly discovers that a Web-based lubrication-centric CMMS provides functionality for maintenance management and moves forward with a proactive and predictive lubrication maintenance strategy to achieve business objectives.

Selecting a lubrication-centric CMMS
Selecting the best CMMS program is a matter of research, simplified by the fact that few are lubrication-centric. A lubrication-based system needs to be a state-of-the-art, full featured, Web-based, application service provider (ASP) hosted solution. It should provide the company with lubrication, routing, and scheduling tools built on the backbone of a solid CMMS solution already proven in the marketplace, and have the capability to manage maintenance activities, maintain equipment reliability, and increase productivity. The system should be cost-effective enough to be used in addition to or in lieu of any existing CMMS.

When considering any CMMS, a careful review should include consideration of a system’s flexibility relative to how much functionality the organization needs. At the bare minimum, a CMMS should allow the company to make basic changes and additions of equipment and components that provide the information needed to schedule the PM program. A lubrication-centric CMMS should offer lubrication routing and scheduling, along with benefits typical of a full-scale CMMS. These might include the ability to:
• Manage equipment
• Schedule PdM and PMs
• Create reports and automatically generate lubrication-related work orders
• Manage and track inventory
• Charge parts and labor against work orders
• Access complete equipment and inventory histories
• Track maintenance contacts
• E-mail PM and non-PM work orders to maintenance personnel

The system should be robust enough to meet the needs of a wide range of applications, including hydraulics, gear systems, circulating systems, and grease systems, among others. A flexible system, designed to grow with a business, should cover a wide range of needs, from being a basic work-order management tool to a full-featured, reliability-centered maintenance asset, and inventory management tool.

Training and teamwork deliver value
At the heart of any lubrication-focused CMMS there needs to be a dedicated team from both the plant and the vendor company selling the system. Working together, the team can concentrate on getting the system in place by surveying all plant equipment and quickly setting up the program. By using an ASP, Web-based system (rather than an onsite, IT supported system), the transfer of information into online accounts can have the system up and running in days rather than weeks.

As with any product, a CMMS is only as effective as its support team. When choosing a lubrication-centric CMMS, be sure that vendor support includes systematic training throughout the setup and implementation stages. Training is a key component to the successful performance of your new CMMS program.

Summary
No matter what lubrication-centric CMMS software a company chooses, the ultimate success will depend upon active support from everyone throughout the organization. All departments—Operations, Maintenance, Purchasing, Finance, and Plant Management—need to be aligned with realistic expectations. Along with system functionality, the collective experience levels of all employees who will be involved are necessary in order to create the best match to deliver the greatest value.

A resource providing links to a large number of companies that supply Computerized Maintenance Management Software and Computerized Maintenance Management Tools is available online at: http://www.maintenanceresources.com/Cmms/Index.htm.

John Malone is the Global Industrial Segment Manager and Reliability Solutions Manager for Chevron Products Company.
He is a member of SMRP as well as the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. If you have lubrication questions, contact Coach Malone at: Phone: 713-432-2647; E-mail: jvma@chevron.com.

This article appeared in the June/July 2007 issue of MRO Today magazine. Copyright 2007.

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