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Leading maintenance repair and operation (M.R.O.) organizations are leveraging a range of best practices for optimal asset performance. Such methods encompass maintenance best practices that drive efficiencies and equipment life cycles, as well as cost-cutting ideas from allied industries like field services.

Efficiently run field service teams have, for years, used and benefited from automated scheduling applications that deliver the right service tech to the right location at the lowest cost. They have cut wasteful travel and duplicate visit expenses to complete more service calls that better serve their customers and extend asset life.

Conversely, asset managers are well aware that more work order information and background, with more details, in the hands of technicians at the point-of-performance is a key productivity driver that means improved equipment performance. Data captures reported electronically also are driving better decision-making by management, in addition to fueling accurate and timely compliance reporting.

Make more of your assets
All companies depend on critical assets, whether they are a fleet of trucks or a plant full of production equipment and caring for those assets is crucial. Traditionally, organisations had to rely on multiple software solutions to meet the specific needs of different asset types. These solutions, however, provide only a partial view of an organisation

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The new Bekomat 31/32 condensate drains made by Beko Technologies now consist of only two element groups. Thanks to their novel construction principle, complete maintenance can be carried out with one single movement.

Considerable advantages as far as maintenance and cost-effectiveness are concerned: these are the characteristic features of the new Bekomat 31/32 devices. The new generation condensate drains are subdivided into two modules only: the service unit which, in its non-corroding aluminium housing, combines all maintenance components and the electronic control and sensor unit, which only needs to be installed once. Both units are coupled via a practical quick connector.

This concept allows the completely simple replacement of any maintenance and wear-relevant parts by only the fast replacement of the service unit which was checked by the manufacturer.

Self-monitoring is one of those things the Environment Agency has picked at for a long time but it's still a surprise to see a full-blown scheme to expand it in the air.

The Agency has chosen to roll out its new Operator Monitoring Assessment (DMA) system on monitoring air emissions from industrial processes regulated under Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) - one of its toughest regulatory tasks.

"We chose it first as the most difficult to do,"says the Agency's OMA manager, Paul Wiggins. "It has the greatest variety and complexity and itmakes sense to start with it."

Under OMA, the Agency will assess the self monitoring of air emissions that operators and their contractors carry out and, on the basis of this audit,decide what priority to give check monitoring of the site. Plainly this provides operators with an incentive to do the job properly; do it well and the lightest of regulatory touches will be placed upon them, do badly and the onerous hand of the regulator will lie heavy.

The scheme was finalised last November and trials and audits are now well underway. A review
of progress so far is in progress and the Agency hopes to have all 1800 IPC processes in England and Wales audited by the Spring of 2003.

Risk Based Inspection (RBI) is a method for using risk as a basis for managing an inspection programme. The concept of risk is used to target inspection and maintenance resources at areas of the plant where they can have the greatest effect in reducing risk, the occurrence and consequences of unplanned failures and to reduce the cost of unproductive inspections. Risk is a function of both the likelihood of a failure and the consequences of the
failure.

An RBI programme must include updating from results of inspections,monitoring and process changes and will specify an inspection requirement and frequency. The inspection requirement may be satisfied by a number of alternative inspection methods.

Tischuk Enterprises (UK) Ltd has developed an integrated software systembased on the Tischuk Operational Criticality Assessment (OCA) system of analysis. This is designed to assess risk in a simple and cost effective way and is a fundamental part of the development,implementation and management of risk based strategies. OCA uses a 3 x 3 risk matrix to represent the different levels of risk.

Long term specialist commitment to computerised asset and works management systems have enabled Rapier to develop close working relationships with clients from across all industries. With over a decade of consistently delivering cost effective solutions, Rapier has the enviable reputation as a reliable partner in the provision of asset and work related software. In a market place now saturated with short term package solutions, Rapier provides the strategic alternative - a 'future-proof information resource.

Since Perkins Engines Company Limited was founded in 1932, more than 15 million Perkins Engines have been produced. Some 300,000 engines are produced each year. Perkins Engines power more than 3,000 different applications from 1,000 manufacturers in every sector where diesel or gas power is used. Their new engines are designed to meet the toughest emissions legislation and to reduce noise as part of their drive to improve the environment where Perkins products are used.

The Peterborough site is home to Perkins Shibaura making the 100 and 400 series engines and Product Supply manufacturing the 3.152, 4.41 as well as the 700, 900 and 1000 series. Engines manufactured at Peterborough span 4 to 154 kW.

Sovereign Lubricants & Seals (who have been exclusive UK distributors for the OMEGA range of quality lubricants for over 20 years) have entered a partnership with Printing Solutions (Midlands) Ltd who will become OMEGA stockists and provide lubrication solutions for all customers in the printing and packaging industry running Heidelberg presses in the Midlands area.

Says Bruce Perkins, M.D of Printing Solutions who are based in Leicester,

Wherever metal parts are in contact with each other, friction will result. Superior lubrication and sealing is paramount in today