There is a good chance this product could make your life easier by creating a highly organized framework and schedule for basic equipment inspections, condition based maintenance, and both maintenance and asset management. We tracked down (and we do mean tracked, because he was on vacation at the time) Steve Reilly, vice president of Design Maintenance Systems, Inc., to discuss a pretty unique piece of software called MAINTelligence. Steve is a well-known innovator in the reliability and condition monitoring industry who has designed and developed systems for vibration analysis, lube oil analysis, maintenance management systems and operations inspection.

Can you give us a brief overview of the
MAINTelligence program?
MAINTelligence is one system that handles maintenance management, work orders, predictive maintenance, data collection and analysis, and asset basic care. The benefit is that it provides users with automatic integration of what normally constitutes three separate software systems (EAM/CMMS, PdM, and TPM/inspection systems). To the best of my knowledge, it is the only system that brings all three together.

MAINTelligence is used in hundreds of sites worldwide, ranging from single ships to some of the world’s largest industrial operations. It is used to manage Asset Basic Care programs (operator-based reliability initiatives), predictive maintenance programs and as a CMMS system.

There are several modules available within MAINTelligence. Could you explain each one briefly?
The modules integrated within MAINTelligence are in four major areas: Asset Basic Care (inspections, operator-based reliability and lubrication management), Integrated Predictive Maintenance (modules for vibration data collection and analysis, lubrication analysis, thermography, ultrasonics and process data), Diagnostics (rule-based diagnostic system for automatic data analysis) and Asset Management (task scheduling, work order management, parts management, purchasing)

In the last five years, the asset basic care module has generated the most interest because it seems to generate the greatest reliability gains in the shortest time. This module directly interfaces with Windows Mobile™ handheld devices (MAINTelligence InspectCE) for operator inspection and lubrication management.

The latest innovation adds further integration to the asset basic care and predictive maintenance areas, an interface from our MAINTelligence InspectCE handheld to a digital output accelerometer. This allows operators to collect time waveform and spectral vibration data while conducting their inspections.

What sets MAINTelligence apart from other Asset Management software/ CMMS’s?
A typical CMMS is not so much a maintenance tool as a work order accounting system. Data is recorded in the CMMS for cost management, not to monitor or improve the reliability of the assets.

In designing MAINTelligence, my primary objective was to create a framework that incorporated the CMMS aspects, (collecting costs and allocating resources). However, our customers made it apparent that there was demand for more focus on the management of predictive and inspection based maintenance data, along with standard corrective and preventive maintenance work orders. Thus, MAINTelligence differs in that it provides both CMMS and integrated asset reliability functions.

Many times the data in a CMMS can be collected but not acted upon. How does
MAINTelligence overcome this problem?
MAINTelligence information is considerably more active and relevant to condition of the asset than the information found in most CMMS databases. Inspection and lubrication work, which often comprise a high percentage of the total number of work orders in a CMMS, are handled more like predictive maintenance rounds. This greatly reduces the total number of work orders in the system, and makes it much easier for operators and lubrication technicians to both complete the actual task and to record the results of the inspections.

The major problem with predictive maintenance (PdM) programs is that data is collected, but recommendations for proactive maintenance never get turned into actual work orders. By integrating both asset basic care and predic- tive maintenance findings directly into the maintenance task schedule, work from PdM procedures is automatically generated, just like time or meter-based PM tasks. This allows maintenance planners to handle all tasks the same way, no matter what their origin. The significance of this is that maintenance schedules can automatically change based on the inspected or measured condition of the asset. And it doesn’t have to just be MAINTelligence as the CMMS – we have interfaces to many other ERP and EAM systems that allow us to trigger work orders automatically.

What types of industries are currently using MAINTelligence?
Our largest number of customers is in the pulp, paper and wood products sector, but we have a significant number of customers in utilities, mining, petrochemicals, discrete manufacturing, transportation and the military. What kind of impact can MAINTelligence have on overall plant and machinery reliability? What kind of cost savings can a company expect from using MAINTelligence? First of all, its important to understand that technology is only an enabler—technological solutions like MAINTelligence will not have any effect if the management and organizational cultural do not support a reliability initiative. Also, cost savings vary from operation to operation (your mileage may vary!) A couple of examples show the reliability improvements and cost savings that can be expected.

A refinery in Memphis, TN, has reported the following results usingMAINTelligence: MTBF for rotating equipment improved from 42 months to 53 months, reduced unplanned maintenance from 80% total maintenance expense to 15% total maintenance expense, KPI on pumps has improved 61% and a documented savings of $1 million dollars in maintenance cost/year.

At a pulp and paper mill in Louisiana in early 2004, after overcoming some initial resistance, both MAINTelligence-based asset basic care and a predictive maintenance program were implemented. Mechanics’ inspections generate approximately 300 corrective work orders per year that have improved the overall stability of the manufacturing process. By June 2005, the integrated reliability program was credited with a 20% ($30 per ton) reduction in maintenance costs. This happened at time when paper mills had been shutting down due to high operating costs and oversupply. Plant personnel achieved the cost reductions by embracing the integrated reliability concept and the culture of selfdiscipline that it implied.

What size of an operation does it take to justify purchasing MAINTelligence?
Our customers range from some of the world’s largest operations, such as the POSCO steel mills in Korea, to some relatively small operations like Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. Although we spend a lot of our time dealing with very large corporate installations, I often think the small operations actually get more “bang for the buck” from MAINTelligence. For a smaller operation, a single investment in MAINTelligence can be turned to many different uses – it can be used as a CMMS, a vibration analysis system, a lubrication analysis tool, an asset inspection system, an electric motor tracking system, and many other applications. Large operations tend to use MAINTelligence as a point-specific application – they acquire it to implement a specific program.