If your maintenance system is set up properly, you have specific procedures for the most common repairs as well as for highly technical ones. You probably don’t have a repair procedure to cover how Bruce solved an unstable control problem by moving the signal wire away from power conductors. That situation will seldom come up and will never repeat on that equipment. No reason to write a procedure for a “one-off.”
You should be able to go into your CMMS to generate a report of repair procedures used in a specific period (e.g., past 90 days), and then sort by the number of uses for Pareto analysis. But what about Bruce’s repair, which doesn’t have a procedure? To solve this dilemma, have a code to cover any repair for which there is not a specific procedure. The repair tech might select “craft capability” from the list.
The Pareto analysis can identify repairs that would be eliminated by identifying and addressing the root cause. The huge cost-savings of this technique makes it worth the effort.
About the Author
Mark Lamendola
Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.
Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.
Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.