Where are you on the journey to reliability improvement? If you are new to the program, or you are interested in learning more so that you can begin a new program at your plant, then the Asset Reliability Practitioner [ARP-A] “Reliability Advocate” course is precisely what you need.
Improving the reliability of physical assets takes far more than just monitoring their condition, improving lubrication practices, and making some improvements to the maintenance department. To have a truly successful program you must understand how to add value to the organization and thus gain senior management support. You must have the support of the entire organization, not just a small group of evangelistic condition monitoring and reliability experts. You must have a coordinated effort between maintenance, operations/production, engineering, finance, and the reliability group – no more silos. And you must follow a strategy that will enable you to build the program, layer upon layer, to achieve milestones and build on success.
Yes, we could simply talk about the common reliability acronyms of RCM, PMO, RCA, and literally dozens of others, but knowing what they mean does not help you implement a successful program.
The ARP-A Reliability Advocate program will provide a holistic view of how to improve reliability and plant performance. It will explain the implementation process and all the essential elements necessary to have a truly successful program.
Everyone must start somewhere. Whether you are new to reliability improvement and need a way to get up to speed, or if you wish to understand the complete holistic view of reliability and performance improvement because you are considering beginning a program, the ARP-A “Reliability Advocate” course is the perfect place to start.
Quick facts:
- Gain a business overview of the benefits of reliability improvement
- Understand the need for culture change and to educate everyone
- Understand the strategy to implement a successful program
- Gain a technical overview of the required precision maintenance practices and condition monitoring
- Understand what it will take to develop the asset strategy (maintenance plan)
- 3-day live course, also available in video format, and can be delivered at your site
- Accredited certification to ISO/IEC 17024
Note: Modified versions of this course are available for different audiences: different durations and different levels of detail
Note: Originally this course was known as ARP Category I
Learn more about this course
A summary of the subjects covered on the ARP-A Reliability Advocate course
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.
Course agenda
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
The ARP-A Reliability Advocate certification process
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.
What will I be capable of once I complete the course?
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