8. After equipment class sign-off, update the criticality class in the equipment master of the ERP system
and affix classification signs in prominent places on the equipment. In addition, cite the equipment
classification in all maintenance reports such as preventive maintenance schedules, predictive
maintenance reports, equipment history records, failure analysis studies and work orders as well as
capital expenditure and operating-expenditure budget proposals. Don’t allow the equipment
classification to remain only on computers and the ERP system.
Everyone, including operators, who must deal with the asset should fully understand its criticality. Visual
display of equipment class is very important.
DERIVE FULL BENEFITS
Every maintenance activity should add value to the business. ACR helps focus attention and resources in the
right areas, thereby optimizing maintenance costs without compromising plant availability.
If asset criticality analysis reveals that a Class A bad actor asset lacks redundancy, then you should budget
capital to procure and install a suitable spare. If available space near the asset is a constraint, plan on
keeping the assembly in a warehouse.
ACR also tells you how often to perform preventive and corrective maintenance.
As stated earlier, many organizations use ACR but still too often treat all assets equally, applying their
maintenance philosophies and strategies uniformly for all plant assets. This “one size fits all” approach isn’t
optimal. For instance, sites usually set up their vibration-monitoring schedule and route plan plantwide, not
based on ACR class. Thus, critical, and noncritical rotating equipment get checked at the same frequency.
Table 3 illustrates how you can devise different maintenance rules for each class. Of course, you must tailor
that table to suit your specific needs and then must follow it. Best-in-class companies neither overdo nor
underdo any maintenance activity and aim to maximize uptime and reliability.
CONCLUSION
Remember that ACR is not just a reliability tool but also a business performance improvement tool. ACR helps:
▪ Develop complete maintenance strategies.
▪ Create training and development strategies.
▪ Improve asset reliability and maximize plant uptime and availability.
▪ Decrease maintenance costs.
▪ Visibly reduce health, safety, and environmental incidents.
▪ Determine the proper budget for capital and operational expenditures.
▪ Enhance document management, e.g., of equipment history, failure investigation, lifecycle cost and
maintenance key performance indicators.
▪ Cut turnaround costs.
▪ Achieve ISO 55001 certification.
▪ devise a long-term asset plan.
▪ Trim product manufacturing cost; and
▪ Formulate inventory stocking policy and optimize inventory holding.
REFERENCES
1. ISO Asset Management Standards, 55000, 55001 and 55002, Intl. Org. for Standard’n., Geneva, Switz.
(2014, 2014 and 2018).
