CMMS Selection & Implementation.pdf

Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) have evolved over the last three decades from elementary asset tracking and preventive maintenance functionality to enterprise maintenance information systems. These "best of breed" systems provide users comprehensive functionality to facilitate the flow of maintenance information and the ability to check the health of the maintenance organization at a glance. As the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) software market continues to expand, vendors have developed solutions that focus on specific segments of asset and work management.

To determine if a CMMS is needed, identify the goals and vision of the maintenance department. If the goal is to reduce unproductive time spent going through filing cabinets trying to answer questions such as when was the last time we worked on this asset and what was the problem, a CMMS is likely beneficial. Process first, define and document existing process, requirements, and establish a method for measuring performance to determine the role of the CMMS and what functionality is required to fulfill the maintenance vision.

Establish a team that represents all facets of the maintenance organization to diagram existing processes and determine possible bottle necks that can be eliminated and parts of the process that can be automated. Common maintenance processes include reactive or corrective work, planned maintenance, preventive maintenance, engineering/maintenance projects, MRO parts reorder, MRO parts cycle count, and MRO parts receiving.

To evaluate the success of maintenance processes and the implementation as a whole, key performance indicators (KPIs) need to be defined. Common measurements include planned vs. reactive maintenance, percent preventive of planned, percent project of planned, percent predictive of planned, backlog, inventory turns, maintenance cost as a percentage of equipment replacement cost, cost by equipment class, schedule compliance, percent equipment availability, loss opportunity due to equipment failure, and loss opportunity due to equipment preventive maintenance.

Once the primary processes and measurements are defined, the actual information requirements need to be determined. Identify what data is required, and what is "nice to have." Evaluate how labor is scheduled and cost is tracked. Determine the types of work orders and how they will be prioritized. Develop standard nomenclature for items such as locations, assets, bins, and parts. Identify what entities you are going to track, and what information needs to be tracked for each.

Common components of a CMMS include baseline modules that support basic maintenance functions of asset management, work management, preventive maintenance, and materials management. Some applications have "add-on" modules available for additional cost that address specialty requirements such as fleet, mobile work order, barcode, and work request. The following lists common modules and specific fields and functionality found in most CMMS applications: labor, asset, work management, and inventory management.