Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
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Reliable Plant Annual Edition | www . reliableplant.com 31 How about the environment the equipment is in? How is a partic- ularly harsh environment considered when analyzing reliability? Maybe there is something you can do about the environment that could have a big impact? e overall reliability of an asset, as you can see, is a function of many things. Certainly, reliability is built into a device, but the envi- ronment it is operating in, how it is being operated and how it is being looked after have dramatic impact on the result. Maybe for some equipment, you don't care about reliability. You use it up and replace it with new or refurbished. is is a perfectly valid approach if the context is right and the business benefits. Maybe the equipment is so critical to the production of your product that there is nothing you won't do or spend to keep it operational. Maybe you are operating the equipment outside of its intended envelope and you need to figure out a better solution to keep things going. THINKING STRATEGICALLY A strategy puts you in a position for success. Plans are formed to support the strategy. You want to be in a position where you can put your finger on what specifically you are doing and what you are doing it to, for defined reasons or goals. A documented approach — typically called a Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP), goes a long way in making sure everyone is aware of what is going on and their respective roles. is approach should contain the measures you will use to deter- mine if an asset is performing as you need it to. Different classes of equipment will have different measures, but the point is that they are in writing. You can take advantage of the ISO 55001 standard to develop your SAMP. While you might not ever need or want to achieve ISO registration, this standard is a solid framework to use for your approach to asset management, and ultimately, better reliability. In your SAMP, you outline what is an asset in your context, the approaches you are taking to manage them and the metrics you expect to use to make decisions with. is very clear picture of where you are and where you are going will certainly have an impact on asset reliability over time. WRAP-UP So, a simple two-word phrase gives us lots to think about, eh? It is always good to stop a moment and ponder the words and phrases we toss around without much thought. ese words really do have meaning, and with a better understanding of what that is to each industry profes- sional, we can refocus our efforts in the right direction. Start your FREE Subscription Today! Sign Up Today to Receive Special Offers for • Noria Training • Reliable Plant Conference The #1 Source of News for Maintenance and Reliability Leaders Reliable Plant is a multifaceted brand dedicated to maintenance and reliability professionals by providing them with information on important topics such as maintenance excellence, lean manufacturing, condition monitoring, energy management and workplace safety. Scan to start your FREE subscription reliableplant.com