Setting Up a CM Activity

There are a number of aspects to be taken into account, if an industry is considering whether to apply CM to its plant, machinery or equipment. The following suggested procedure may be helpful.

• The management should become familiar with the principles of CM and its benefits.
• Then they should consider various factors affecting the application of CM in relevance to their situation and also the actual merits/benefits which they intend to materialize.
• Then the possible financial savings are to be assessed based on the general financial statistics of the organisation.
• While making a general financial assessment they also should identify what general or organizational arrangements appear to be appropriate.
• After considering various aspects 1 to 4, the management should discuss with their senior engineers concerned with the operation and maintenance of their plant and equipment. The engineers should be asked to make a more precise estimate of the likely savings and to recommend an appropriate level of monitoring activity.
• If these more precise figures appear to be satisfactory, a decision should be made to proceed.
• A senior engineer should then be asked to survey the plant and equipment, to recommend which items should be monitored and by what methods and then prepare cost estimates.
• A final decision should then be made on the actual expenditure and approval is to be given to order the necessary equipment or services and to train the required staff. CM can then be brought in complete package.
• The management support and administrative work for setting up befitting procedures will be necessary during the first year of operation to ensure the smooth integration of CM in existing operation and the most effective utilisation of machine data that is collected.