Delivering Effective Condition-Based Maintenance and Condition Monitoring

In the first blog of our five-part series about Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) and Condition Monitoring (CM), we explained that CBM is maintaining a machine on condition rather than at a fixed frequency and CM determines the machine’s condition to allow CBM to be enacted. To ensure the success of CBM, it is crucial to have qualified and experienced individuals carrying out appropriate tasks in the right manner at the appropriate time. Therefore, we continue the series by discussing the key roles and responsibilities of those involved in successfully delivering CBM. This is particularly relevant if any part of the process is outsourced. For simplicity, the roles are sub-divided into:

• Roles involved in the CM process (CM roles)
• Roles acting upon the results of CM (maintenance roles)

Both sets of roles are required to successfully implement CBM. These apply both when CM is performed completely in-house and when it is outsourced.

CM Roles These roles are key to delivering effective CM. Personnel should be certified in accordance with the relevant ISO standard for the techniques used and the role performed.

The aim of the CM roles is to:

• Implement monitoring of essential machinery, enabling timely detection of failure modes that offer sufficient advance notice for implementing effective action
• Use the right CM techniques that are technically feasible and economically viable
• Consider the warning time for the selected technique
• Provide the right diagnosis and prognosis
• Recommend a corrective course of action

The CM program manager manages the program to ensure it delivers its objectives and communicates with stakeholders.

The CM program initiator selects machines, CM techniques, data acquisition methods, measurement locations and measurement frequencies to detect expected failure patterns and configure CM software and hardware, including setting alarm levels.

Where data is collected manually, the CM data collector collects data on predefined schedules and performs first-line analysis.

The CM data analyst uses software tools to analyze CM data, identify anomalies and recommend appropriate corrective action.

When more extensive investigation is required to diagnose a problem, the CM troubleshooter is called into action.

Some of these roles may be combined for smaller programs. Larger programs may have teams with a range of experience and qualifications. This can be ideal for personnel development when supervised by an experienced, qualified engineer. Digitally enabled technology such as John Crane Sense®, equipped with real-time, remote monitoring alerts can perform some of the activities for selected CM techniques, but the basic principles still apply.

CBM is only effective if timely action is taken once it has been determined that a fault has started to develop, or because the machine is being operated inappropriately, which could lead to damage. If action isn’t taken, an expensive run-to-failure regime may be the result.

Once corrective action has been identified, the maintenance planner identifies the activities and resources required and raises a work order in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). The scheduler then schedules the work order considering urgency, availability of resources and any other maintenance activities being performed.

Maintenance technicians carry out the necessary corrective actions and provide feedback when closing out the work order.

Operators can perform some monitoring and are responsible for making machines available for the CM and maintenance teams. They may need to adjust the way a machine is operated to prevent future damage.

Root Cause Analysis may be required for more serious or frequent failures. This would usually be facilitated by a reliability engineer.

The maintenance manager will have overall responsibility for the selected strategy ensuring that it aligns with the organization’s goals.

John Crane offers a variety of condition monitoring services that help minimize the overall maintenance expenses throughout the lifecycle of your equipment and enhance operational uptime. Through a collaborative approach, we can work closely with you to create a maintenance strategy based on reliability principles to optimize your plant's operational costs. Learn more here.