What is your facility’s maintenance mindset? It might not as reliability-oriented as you think.
Experts recommend standardized maintenance procedures, and this recommendation has been proven right both in theory and in practice. What increasingly gets read into this recommendation is the mistaken idea that you can lower the skill requirements if you make the procedures “simple” enough.
Consider a standard motor maintenance PM that calls for taking voltage measurements and testing for total vibration below the acceptable level. This procedure can give a false bill of health.
A trained and experienced maintenance electrician may notice something “off” in the vibration (detectable by a more sophisticated vibration tester). This same technician will notice that dark spot on the floor, directly below the grease plug, and know what it means.
The PM isn’t designed to cover every possible indication of problems, nor should it be. Think of your PMs as “health screenings” rather than full-fledged “physical exams.” If your people don’t have craft capability, and the authority to address problems identified by using it, your facility has an activity mindset.
Avoid paint by number PM procedures. Your procedures should leverage training and experience. Making sure, of course, you have ongoing training! And give technicians the means to initiate follow-up on problems they identify.
