“The best way to predict the future is to study the past.”
– Robert Kiyosaki
This is especially true when it comes to preventing equipment failures.
A high percentage of equipment issues reoccur approximately 70 to 80 percent of corrective maintenance happens again. History repeats itself, and why not learn from it and use that knowledge to prevent future equipment failures.
Using equipment failure histories to improve asset reliability is a best practice, and the key to making that happen lies in the data.
Historical equipment failure data…
- Can be used to build targeted reliability programs (e.g., PMs, PdMs, and IIoT Sensors) to prevent equipment issues from reoccurring.
- Can be aggregated to know where the operation is spending their time and money.
- Can help Maintenance quickly identify which equipment and which problems to tackle first.
- Can be used for capital planning and budgeting purposes. Failure data and equipment lifecycle costs are critical drivers in knowing what equipment to replace first.
- Can be used to support Root Cause Analysis and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, two key asset reliability methodologies.
Tying historical equipment failure data to Problem-Failure Codes can take your EAM/CMMS reporting and analysis to a new level.
Problem-Failure Codes provide granularity into equipment issues—the equipment’s problem, where the problem is occurring, and what is driving the failure. Maintenance can use this information can to keep the problem from happening again.
Let’s see how it happens.
Master Your EAM Master Data
Developing rich and actionable Problem-Failure Codes begins with your EAM system master data and the development of equipment classes.
EAM system master data is the foundational building block of the EAM software system. It powers system utilization, provides context for system transactions, such as work orders, and supports KPI reporting and analysis.
EAM master data is master for a reason, and it includes critical entities such as the equipment master and coding structures.
The equipment master contains all of the organization’s maintainable assets. The equipment master data should be standardized and consistent, which will allow users to find records more easily. An example of a standardized equipment naming convention is below:
| EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION | CLASS |
| BURNER,BUNSEN,800,TO 1200BTU, NATURAL GAS, ALUMINUM, BRASS/td> | BURNER |
| BURNER, BUNSEN, NATURAL GAS, 1780DEG C, IRON, 8MM DIA, 4.25IN WD, 4.25IN LG | BURNER |
| COMPRESSOR, AIR, ROTARY SCREW AND SLIDING VANE, 446CFM, 128PSIG, 460V, 60HZ, 3PH | COMPRESSOR |
| COMPRESSOR, AIR, ROTARY SCREW, 37 TO 174CFM, 125PSIG, 460V, 60HZ, 3PH, 40HP | COMPRESSOR |
| HOTPLATE, DIGITAL STIRRING, 698W, 120V, 5.9A, 5 TO 550DEG C, 7.8IN WD, 11IN LG, 4.4IN HT | HOTPLATE |
| MACHINE, LABEL, TOP AND BOTTOM APPLICATOR, 110/220VAC, 0.825W, 50/60HZ, 1PH, 40MPM | MACHINE |
| METER, PH, BENCHTOP, -2 TO 20PH, +/-0.002, 0.001, LCD, -5 TO 105DEG C, MEETS CE, TUV, FCC | METER |
| PRINTER, BARCODE, DIRECT THERMAL, OPTIONAL THERMAL TRANSFER, 203DPI, 12IN/SEC | PRINTER |
| PRINTER, LABEL, DIRECT THERMAL, 12.62IN WD, 12.7 IN HT, 18.6IN DP, 203DPI, 2 TO 12IN/SEC | PRINTER |
| PULLER, REVERSIBLE, 2, 1.9TON, 67MM, 23 TO 48MM EXTERNAL, 59 TO 67MM INTERNAL | PULLER |
| PULLER, JAW, REVERSIBLE, 2, 1.9TON, 82MM, 23 TO 68MM, 62 TO 87MM INTERNAL | PULLER |
| PULLER, JAW, REVERSIBLE, 2, 4.5TON, 98MM, 41 TO 83MM, 41 TO 83MM INTERNAL, 95 TO 97MM INTERNAL | PULLER |
| PUMP, CENTRIFUGAL, CLOSE COUPLED, WATER, 525FT, 20HP, 1100GPM, 4IN, 3IN, 2500RPM, 6IN | PUMP |
| PUMP, MULTI STAGE, FEED, 1200FT, 10HP, 80GPM, 2IN, 208 TO 230/460V, 60HZ, 3PH, CAST IRON | PUMP |
| PUMP, MULTI STAGE, HEAD WASH WATER, 1200FT, 25HP, 80GPM, 2IN, 208 TO 230/460V, 60HZ, 3PH | PUMP |
| PUMP, MULTI STAGE, WATER FEED, 1200FT, 7.5HP, 53GPM, 2IN, 208 TO 230/460V, 60HZ, 3PH | PUMP |
| SEALER, CARTON, MANUAL SIDE DRIVE DUAL MAST, 32.8IN WD, 39.5IN LG, 70.3IN HT, GREY/RED | SEALER |
| SEPARATOR, CENTRIFUGAL, 24GAL, 2IN MNPT, 16 TO 12.750GPM, 117-3/16IN HT, CARBON STEEL | SEPARATOR |
Class Codes like those above (sometimes called Type Codes) should also be developed. Equipment Class Codes group assets together that share similar characteristics. For example, pumps, motors, chillers, and compressors are all examples of equipment classes. Equipment Class Codes support key reliability reports like “Bad Actor” and Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) reporting; see reporting examples below:
Maintenance can use this information to focus their reliability efforts. In today’s environment, where we all have to do more with less, efficiently allocating limited resources is all the more critical.
Once equipment classes are established, it is time to develop their Problem-Failure Codes.
Problem-Failure Codes allow Maintenance the ability to capture specific details surrounding equipment failures. They make it possible to look under the hood, so to speak, and to drill down into equipment issues. They provide transparency and visibility into the equipment breakdown.
What are Problem Codes?
Problem Codes define the initial problem the asset is having.
The following are examples of Problem Codes associated with the asset class Heat Exchanger:
| Code | Description |
| HE-P-01 | Overheating |
| HE-P-02 | Leaking |
| HE-P-03 | Poor operation |
| HE-P-04 | Cracked |
| HE-P-05 | Corrosion |
| HE-P-06 | Erosion |
| HE-P-07 | Excessive load |
| HE-P-08 | Stream pressure loss |
| HE-P-09 | Fouling deposition |
| HE-P-10 | Heat exchanger equipment faulty |
What are Failure Codes?
Failure Codes designate what failed on the asset and why. This information allows further analysis to be performed on the part or component that is driving the equipment issue.
The following are examples of Failure Codes associated with the asset class Heat Exchanger:
| Code | Description |
| HE-F-01 | Anchor bolts loose/cracked |
| HE-F-02 | Anti-corrosion equipment faulty |
| HE-F-03 | Baffle plate corroded/eroded |
| HE-F-04 | Baffle plate cracked/damaged |
| HE-F-05 | Cladding damaged/missing |
| HE-F-06 | Coating-internal eroded/torn/peeled |
| HE-F-07 | Distributor broken |
| HE-F-08 | Distributor eroded |
| HE-F-09 | Distributor plugged/restricted |
| HE-F-10 | Exchanger contamination (dirt, sand, grit, water) |
| HE-F-11 | Exchanger plugged |
| HE-F-12 | External corrosion |
| HE-F-13 | Gasket/seal leak |
| HE-F-14 | Insulation damaged/missing |
| HE-F-15 | Isolation equipment malfunction |
| HE-F-16 | Ladders/platforms corroded/damaged |
| HE-F-17 | Liner eroded/torn/peeled |
| HE-F-18 | Nozzle corroded/eroded |
| HE-F-19 | Nozzle cracked/damaged |
| HE-F-20 | Nozzle gasket leaking/damaged |
| HE-F-21 | Nozzle gasket surface corroded |
| HE-F-22 | Nozzle corroded/cracked |
| HE-F-23 | Saddles-support corroded/eroded |
| HE-F-24 | Saddles-support cracked/damaged |
| HE-F-25 | Shell eroded |
| HE-F-26 | Tube cracked |
| HE-F-27 | Tube leaking |
| HE-F-28 | Tubes plugged |
| HE-F-29 | Vessel over-pressured |
| HE-F-30 | Vessel under-pressured |
| HE-F-31 | Walls/lining corroded/pitted |
| HE-F-32 | Walls/lining cracking |
| HE-F-33 | Walls/lining damaged |
| HE-F-34 | Walls/lining dirty/scaled |
| HE-F-35 | Walls/lining leaking |
| HE-F-36 | Increase in plant capacity |
| HE-F-37 | High fluid temperature variation |
| HE-F-38 | Higher heat transfer than originally predetermined |
| HE-F-39 | Tube vibration |
| HE-F-40 | Tube seal weld cracks |
| HE-F-41 | Tube sheet cracks |
Problem-Failure data be rolled up and aggregated by frequency and costs. See the cost rollup example below. This information allows Maintenance to focus their energies on the areas that have the most significant impact on the organization.
More transparency leads to better reporting and a better understanding of the equipment. Equipment Classifications and Problem-Failure Codes provide the master information organizations need to improve asset reliability.
Summary
Implementing equipment Problem-Failure codes can:
- Help us better understand equipment.
- Identify the most common problems with equipment and the most common causes of its failure.
- Predict when that failure will happen again and drive a corrective action to catch it before it’s too late.
- Determine trends and help us make informed decisions about how those trends are likely to continue.
Complete, accurate, and timely problem-failure data can help the organization reduce unplanned downtime and lower MRO costs, guaranteed.
By analyzing historical equipment failure data and leveraging Problem-Failure Codes, we can better understand the present and then use this data to help predict and shape the future.
If you need help developing your equipment Problem-Failure Codes, please let us know. Our EAM Library offers the industry’s most comprehensive equipment class-based Problem-Failure Code registry. We can help jumpstart your asset reliability initiative.
Download a free sample of equipment Problem-Failure Codes today >
