ARP-A® Reliability Advocate

The course begins with a summary of why reliability improvement is so important to the future of an organization. But then it busts the myths associated with reliability improvement and asset management; there are so many misunderstandings in the industry that it is essential to get everyone on the same page so you avoid the common traps.

Next, we provide an overview of the implementation process: how to get started, how to gain senior management support, how to change the reliability culture so behaviors change, how to break out of the reactive maintenance cycle of doom, and how to establish a sustainable reliability improvement initiative. If you already have a program, you will learn how to assess its progress and re-focus and re-energize your program.

More than one day is spent on the common technical elements of reliability improvement. You will feel comfortable with defect elimination, the asset strategy (including Reliability Centered Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance Optimization, and Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis), the asset criticality ranking, Pareto analysis, precision maintenance, and asset care, operator driven reliability, condition-based maintenance and all of the common technologies, lubrication best practices and contamination control, precision shaft alignment and rotor balancing, and root cause analysis. Yes, there are a lot of topics, but with our unique simulations and animations, you will be amazed at how confident you will feel with the subjects once you’ve completed the course.

Between the discussions, lessons, case studies, and polling (so you can make sure you understand what you think you understood), you will come away with a totally new perspective on how to improve reliability and performance in your organization.

The following lists the topics covered on the ARP-A Reliability Advocate training class

• GETTING STARTED
  • What is a reliable plant?
• WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
• INTRODUCTION TO IMPLEMENTATION
  • Process overview
  • Comparison of strategies
  • The Asset Reliability Transformation [ART] process
  • Asset management and ISO 55000
• ASSESSING THE VALUE
  • Why improve reliability
  • Current performance and cost
  • Measuring progress
• SELLING SENIOR MANAGEMENT
  • Selling the benefits
  • Pilot projects
• STRATEGY
  • Planning, mission, support, mission establishing the team
  • The Asset Reliability Transformation [ART] process
• PLANTWIDE ENGAGEMENT
  • Human error and psychology
  • Culture change
  • Employee feedback
  • The brown-paper engagement process
• GETTING MAINTENANCE UNDER CONTROL
  • Breaking out of the reactive maintenance cycle of doom
• DEFECT ELIMINATION
  • Design for reliability
  • Value-driven procurement
  • Reliability-focused transport
  • Acceptance testing
• UNDERSTANDING FAILURE
  • What is failure?
• ASSET STRATEGY
  • Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), Run to failure (RTF)
  • Getting organized (Master Asset List, Bill of Material)
  • Developing a strategy
  • Analyzing reliability data
  • Asset criticality ranking
  • Preventative Maintenance Optimization (PMO)
  • Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)
  • Failure odes Effects Analysis (FMEA)
  • Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA)
• WORK MANAGEMENT
  • Work management flow
  • Strategy based work and work requests
  • Establishing a priority system
  • Processing requests
  • Job planning, scheduling, and execution
  • Commissioning
  • Closeout and feedback
• SPARES MANAGEMENT
  • Databases
  • Access control
  • Selection process
  • Caring for spares
• PRECISION WORK
  • Precision installation, alignment, balancing, fastening
  • Resonance elimination
  • 5S in the workshop
• PROACTIVE ASSET CARE
  • Precision lubrication
  • Operations
  • 5s and the visual workplace
• CONDITION MONITORING
  • Vibration analysis
  • Ultrasound
  • Electric motor diagnostic testing
  • Oil analysis
  • Wear particle analysis
  • Infrared analysis
  • Visual inspections
  • Performance monitoring
  • Non-destructive testing (NDT)
• CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
  • Key Performance Indications (KPIs)
  • Review program strategy
  • Continual education

In order to be certified you must:

• Complete a MIBoC approved training course (click here for a list of approved courses).
• Achieve 70% or higher on the exam (60 multiple choice questions, duration 2 hours).
• You must have a minimum of six (6) months of work experience in the industry involved in some way with reliability improvement, verified by an independent person.

Certification is valid for 3 years.

You can learn more about the certification process here or download our ARP Certification Guide here.

In short, you will have a solid understanding of the “big picture” of the reliability improvement process.

As a manager thinking of starting a new initiative (or reviving an existing one)

• You will understand the key ingredients of running a successful program:
  • Defining value
  • Gaining senior management support
  • Having a detailed strategy
  • Developing a motivated reliability culture
• You will see how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together
• How the technical elements support the overall business goal

As a person who is new to “reliability improvement” you will gain:

• A detailed understanding of the business case
• A detailed understanding of the “big picture” of reliability and performance improvement
• A solid understanding of the technical aspects, along with all the reliability, maintenance, and CBM technologies, techniques, and jargon
• The ability to contribute to an existing program
• Motivation and be re-energized to get involved and play your role