Integral to every industry with assets that require maintenance are OEMs and contractors who provide the maintenance, monitoring or even the actual assets to organizations. This can be complicated when it comes to ensuring your organization efficiently, safely and cost effectively uses these assets. Add to this the numerous new technologies and techniques available for measuring asset health and performance, and it becomes a challenge for organizations to determine the best way forward. Following are three best practices for integrating assets from OEMs and external contractors into your organization.
- Retain Your Asset Data Even When You Outsource the Maintenance
Aladon recently discussed asset management challenges in maintenance and reliability with a large water utility who outsource the maintenance of their critical systems to OEMs and contractors. The utility managers expressed concerns about whether they are getting the correct information about maintenance of their assets. Since they outsourced the maintenance, they no longer have the data about the asset health and performance and are instead at the mercy of the contractors who perform that work. This setup has left the utility directors suspicious of their maintenance spending, and although it may be the correct strategy to outsource the maintenance of critical systems (due to lack of skills and capability internally), it is the wrong strategy to give up on the data. By retaining the assets’ information and data, the asset owners can work with the contractors to determine the best work to perform. This way, when asset owners relinquish the IP of their assets, they can be sure they are still getting the best possible maintenance at an appropriate cost.
- Maintain Updates on Your Critical Systems Even When You Outsource Your Asset Health Monitoring
Similarly to when organizations outsource maintenance, when asset owners rely on information gathered by third-party contractors they may not always get the right information about their assets or it may not be provided timely. Continuous monitoring is essential, especially when we consider monitoring something like jet engines on passenger planes or important parameters on haul trucks. Asset owners can avoid catastrophic failures and costly breakdowns when crucial information is available for important and timely decisions. This means it is essential that asset owners stay informed of the critical data and are included in the decision-making process to ensure effective and efficient use of the information.
- Companies Must Define Liability Frameworks When Using Assets of OEMs
When OEMs in any industry, such as mining, airlines or water utility, operates assets owned by them (the OEMs), it is important to define liability in the use contract. When operating companies enter into these types of contracts, they must fully understand the capability and integrity of these assets. The metrics used to measure the performance and success of these contracts must be clearly defined and monitored. The operating company will remain liable and accountable for any violations (environmental integrity) and statutory compliance, regardless of who owns the assets.
Aladon provides a suite of risk and reliability-based methodologies supported by world-class software, that has helped organizations globally for more than 30 years to identify the risks and best strategies for building resilience.
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