Equipment Management

HOW EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS CAN IMPROVE OPERATIONS

Equipment management systems help track and manage the tools and small equipment used in daily operations. Managing equipment maintenance and expenses in a cloud-based software maximizes asset efficiency and improves your return on investment.

BY RACHAEL PLANT

Equipment management: spreadsheets vs cloud-based management systems

Small equipment and power tools can be as critical on the job site as company vehicles. Many fleets rely on a variety of small equipment to serve their customers. While some fleet managers only think about tracking vehicles, tool and equipment management can be just as important to your fleet’s efficiency and bottom line. An equipment management system helps ensure tools are in safe operating condition to avoid downtime, accidents, and costly replacement purchases.

Using a spreadsheet to track tools, small equipment and their usage allows an opportunity to identify problems and act before equipment fails. In addition to helping ensure proper maintenance, you can log asset assignments to help keep teams accountable. A robust equipment management spreadsheet can help track inventory and operational status, historical usage details and purchase and warranty information.

Spreadsheets may not work for everyone, especially if you have a growing list of tools and equipment, as it can often be difficult to monitor assets in real time. It’s also difficult to view real-time metrics, and manual data entry often results in miscalculations. Even paper inspection forms lack efficiency. Aside from slowing down your team’s workday, issues can’t be communicated instantly, often resulting in compounded problems and costly repairs.

Cloud-based equipment management systems track job-critical assets in a centralized software, automating the manual tracking process to free you up for more important tasks. With information stored on a single platform,

you can monitor utilization, performance, maintenance, and expenses to improve operations.

Improve accountability with remote collaboration

Since teams are often dispersed, leveraging an equipment management system is a great tool to maximize asset visibility and enhance fleet-wide collaboration. Using a cloud-based equipment management software with a native mobile app enables tracking and managing operations remotely.

Fleet managers can assign equipment to certain operators to ensure equipment is properly maintained. Equipment assignments create an audit trail and hold team members accountable. When issues arise, teams can effectively communicate on a mobile device to resolve those issues and stay productive. Team members can alert managers to any safety or maintenance needs.

Catch issues early with mobile inspections

Monitoring equipment health is the best way to maximize productivity and avoid downtime. Having operators conduct routine equipment inspections allows you to closely track equipment, ensure safe operating conditions and identify any maintenance issues.

Mobile inspections offered by equipment management systems keep you informed of equipment issues in real time. A configurable equipment management system can tailor inspection forms for all specialized tools and equipment. Managers are immediately notified of any inspection failures and can begin scheduling maintenance. This automated process speeds up the maintenance workflow and helps keep potential issues from falling through the cracks.

Increase equipment visibility to ensure safety

Some fleets operate dangerous tools and small equipment on the daily, so anything you can do to mitigate risks and ensure safety should be a priority. Implementing safety procedures and maximizing asset visibility are the best ways to stay informed of issues and maintain safety.

Equipment management systems provide increased visibility across your operation and allow you to communicate issues with your team in real time. Managers can view and update equipment status in cloud-based software to inform others of potential safety issues.

Whether issues are identified immediately during inspections or on the jobsite, managers must communicate issues quickly. Marking a piece of equipment “out of service” in an equipment management system keeps all team members informed. Since broken equipment may have to stay in the vehicle until it can be fixed, consider creating a sticker to label equipment as unsafe.

Monitor maintenance from start to finish

Maintenance issues must be identified and resolved quickly to maximize uptime. Two of the biggest obstacles for managers is tracking maintenance progress and communicating needs with their team.

Leveraging an equipment management system allows collaboration on maintenance. Managers can assign mobile work orders to technicians and track repair progress from start to finish.

Managers can approach equipment maintenance with preventive maintenance (PM) scheduling. Managers can automate service reminders based on usage or calendar intervals, ensuring all equipment is routinely serviced to address issues and lengthen asset lifespan.

Track utilization to determine life- cycle trends and procurement needs

While tools and small equipment may not seem expensive compared to larger assets, acquisition and replacement costs add up over time. Performing routine maintenance and monitoring utilization ensures you get the most out of your equipment.

Tracking utilization in an equipment management system provides insight into how your tools are used. This data can keep track of PM, develop strategies to lengthen equipment lifespan and estimate when equipment should be replaced.

By analyzing utilization reports in your software, you may notice you’re over-utilizing certain equipment, causing it to wear out quickly. From there, you can determine whether to add new equipment or potentially find under-utilized equipment in your current stock.

Monitor expenses to ensure profitability

Controlling expenses across the operation is a balancing act. When it comes to small equipment, some fleets constantly replace equipment instead of repairing it. This strategy often has a negative impact on the bottom line. Tracking expenses in a cloud-based equipment management system allows comprehensively monitor spending. With configurable expense reports, you can break down expenses at a line item level or view high-level metrics like total cost of ownership.

Managing equipment in cloud-based software automatically tracks costs in real time. Managers and stakeholders can easily perform a cost analysis with configurable reports. Using real-time data allows you to make confident decisions to improve operations and maximize profitability. MRO

WHAT’S NEW IN PRODUCTS

For more product news, visit www.mromagazine.com/products

Shockform Aeronautique portable needle-peening repair tool

Shockform Aeronautique Spiker -ES integrates E-Strip intensity measurement technology.

The Spiker-ES, peening is performed using tungsten carbide needles and the process parameters are continuously monitored, controlled, and recorded. The Spiker family is used for controlled pneumatic needle peening on engines and structures.

SPIKER-ES comes with an embedded E-Strip to measure the peening intensity in real-time. E-Strip has been inspired by the IoT approach, connecting machines with applications to improve data analysis and process control. E-Strip intensity measurement sensor is meant to replace Almen strips that are currently used in aerospace by OEMs and MRO industry to test peening impacts.

shockform.com

Endress+Hauser’s in-line analyzer

Endress+Hauser’s in-line Teqwave H analyzer monitors fluids in the food and beverage industry. It monitors sugar content in fruit juices and distilled beverages or concentration of cleaning agents.

In soft drink and fruit juice production, measuring product quality is checked through its determination of sugar content and invert sugar content. For production of distilled beverages, it ensures that the alcohol content remains consistent. When cleaning plants, bottles and kegs, Teqwave H monitors different concentrations and supports dosing of cleaning agents. If the cleaning agent needs to be changed, this can be done without recalibration. For sanitation purposes, the analyser is designed with a fullbore stainless-steel measuring tube with no places inside the measuring tube where material can accumulate. Teqwave H measures concentrations at the same time using one sensor. Concentration datasets are preinstalled for the most common beverages and cleaning agents.

The analyzer records multiple measured values, and forwards them to the process control systems. Complete access to all measurement data is possible at any time – by using conventional 4–20 mA or digital data transmission via Modbus TCP.

Hammond Power Solutions HPS Centurion D1

Hammond Power Solutions (HPS) filter HPS Centurion D1 is designed for use between variable frequency drives (VFD) and motors when long lead lengths are used. It combines an inductor and parallel resistor network to mitigate high frequency components and voltage spikes between the VFD and motor.

These filters provide protection for the motor and cables that power it and are typically used when the cable length exceeds a value that can lead to high voltage levels caused by reflected wave phenomena. The dV/dT filters provide protection to the motor by slowing down the rate of voltage increase and minimizes the damaging peak voltages that occur within the motor’s windings and terminals. HPS Centurion D1 dV/dT filter applications include oil and gas pumps, wastewater treatment plants, HVAC systems, pulp and paper, and irrigation fields.

americas.hammondpowersolutions.com

Enclosures for robotics and lab automation

HEMCO Enclosures are designed to enclose robots and other lab automated processes by providing exhaust air systems or HEPA filtered clean workstations.

Robots integrated into existing facilities are shown to increase output, improve quality, while providing additional flexibility in the production process.

Enclosures are built to protect robotic processes from contamination and personnel from hazardous fumes. Enclosures are engineered and built to exact customer size and design requirements.

www.hemcocorp.com

Festo launches DSNB actuator

Festo DSNB actuator is available in seven bore sizes, 11 variations, and 15 NFPA mounting configurations. Average ship time for this North American-made actuator is less than 10 days. DSNB offers polyurethane rod-wiper seal, hard anodized aluminum cylinder, and synthetic grease. For long service life, Festo utilized anodized aluminum end caps, a high strength steel piston rod with chrome plating, and composite rod bushing and PTFE wear band. The rod bearing cartridge can be replaced without disassembling the cylinder.

Festo’s DSNB actuator for NFPA is for mounting applications like sorting, stacking, insertion, loading. It’s also made for lifting, clamping and for gate applications on converting machines.

The Podcast for MRO Professionals

The podcast features conversations with industry experts about maintenance, reliability, repair, asset management, safety and operations. Topics that are of utmost importance to MRO readers.

Previous guests and topics have included:

• Kevin Wright, Country Manager, igus Canada Inc - The importance of plastic products in MRO; • Dr. Rafiq Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,

University of Alberta - The role of additive manufacturing in the fight against

COVID-19; • Scott MacKenzie, Senior National Manager of External Affairs, Toyota Motor

Manufacturing Canada – Maintenance at TMMC Plants with a Focus on the Environment; • Martha Myers, Founder and Owner, Martha Myers Consulting Service –

Importance of Networking and Education in Maintenance; • Doc Palmer, Managing Partner, Richard Palmer and Associates Inc – Focus on

Scheduling and Planning of Maintenance; • James Reyes-Picknell, President, Conscious Asset – Managing Maintenance and Reliability; • Shawn Casemore, President, Casemore and Co Inc – Engaging Your Employees in a Safety Culture; and • Steve Richmond, CEO, Projetech Inc - How the expansion of 5G networks can benefit maintenance and repair operations MRO

Mr. O’s Tips

Past Mr. O tips are now available on our web site. We have tips from many industry experts on a wide variety of MRO related topics.

• Do not be afraid of change; • Increase affordability and efficiency with cloudbased EAM systems; • Sustaining our environment with maintenance; • Ramping up from your COVID-19 slow-down; • Planners: The underestimated safety heroes; • Online networking during COVID-19; • Asset information management; • Don’t lose productivity during COVID-19, gain it; • The first step toward building a safety culture; and, • Many more.