I got a call and email from a friend of mine who wrote a poem I wanted to share here for a couple of reasons.

http://tinyurl.com/mfa4eu

It is pretty extraordinary because to my knowledge - I had never seen a poem about maintenance and reliability before.

I hope you value it as much as I did.

Would love to get your input and feedback.

 Terry O 

I recently entered a discussion with some independent vibration analysis consultants who were relating stories of clients who do not read the reports and actually some who ignored warnings of impending failure.  The machine that started this discussion eventually failed – although no one was injured.

Never one to shy away – I ventured into the discussion from a reliability and management point and view and like Jeff Shiver says – BAM – the conversation was electric.

You can read the MaintenanceForums.com thread here
http://maintenanceforums.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3751089011/m/603109922
but the long and short of it was that I submitted that communication is not communication unless it is received.  It is not enough to color code some troubles on a report and consider your responsibility absolved.

They took a different point of view – and many of them had good reason – they had lost clients for being too forceful when pointing out failures. 

It just makes you stop to appreciate who we each have our own point of view that we filter all information through.  They are not wrong – but there is a huge problem that still needs to find solution – as when you read the thread – you will see this is not isolated.  In fact I think if I would not have posted so early in the discussion – we could have collected dozens of “can’t fix stupid” client stories.

So the questions here are:

1)      What is the responsibility of the PdM Service contractor when a potential failure is detected and reported?

2)      What is the responsibility of the person or department who hired him/her?

3)      What suggestions would you have to solve these communication and responsibility issues so we can create a safer, more reliable workplace and hopefully a stronger, more robust organization?

Terry O

Can you please help me make a list by posting a comment here?

Thank you

Terry O

Editorial comments are based on Reuters News posted here Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:27pm EDT

Choice Quotes from the article:

"Revenue from parts and maintenance for engines and other big, expensive machinery is one of the bright spots for General Electric Co (GE.N), the vast conglomerate that generates the bulk of its sales and profits from industrial businesses."

"A prolonged recession could cut demand for maintenance services, as fewer people fly, for example, but GE points to a $121 billion services backlog."

"The annoying thing about jet engines is that if they don't work planes tend to fall right out of the sky."

"Whenever I fly, I'd like to believe they're not going to skimp on the maintenance, so to a large degree you can rest well with that piece," said Morningstar analyst Daniel Holland.

Now I am a GE Shareholder so I want them to return to health as soon and as much as possible. If you recall GE was in the Reliability Services business for the past years but recently discontinued (reduced staff by 89) to focus on the more narrow, but more lucrative Bently Nevada products/services.

This article points to spares sales - as a financial bright spot for GE - and excuse me fellow GE shareholders - but doesn't that mean the other companies I own shares in (Duke Energy for example) are the buyers of these spares? Is the value removed to Duke the equivalent of the value these spare sales bring to GE? Should I sell Duke stock now and buy GE as a result?

I know I am stating this in a dramatic fashion but I wonder how these spares sales are derived? Is it based on failure modes and patterns, time or periodicity, emergency response or simply to comply with warranty or as part of a services contract?

Am I going to get in trouble for talking about this?

Help...There is a dark color sedan following me.

IN part 2 of the study from InTech (www.isa.org) 49% see the recession as the biggest worry and 14% fear reduced profit generation but no move toward ensuring the assets that they already have deployed will be managed well.

Maybe the emphasis on maintenance is reduced because this is an automation society?  

InTech (www.ISA.org) just published an interesting study.

The first data point shows that only 15% will adopt asset management or predictive maintenance over the next 5 years.  More will install wireless!

Terry O

Direct Link:

 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?Section=Features3&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=73679 

I am sorry to lean (no pun intended) once again toward the political but I saw this drawing today and could not resist. It represents the Governments contribution to the US Auto industry. I think you will see Ford better off for not having taken the TARP funds a few years down the road.

Could things really be as crazy and non-sensical as they seem or is someone actually at the helm and steering a set of comprehensive solutions?

I was very disappointed that we did not see more incentive for businesses to make investments in this recent STIMULUS bill. I hope some wise leaders will make some changes and soon. Only people and businesses create and expand economies - Government cannot create wealth or capital (except by printing it).

Tax policy favored interest deductions rather than good ol capital investment so guess why all the money went to leveraged investments?

Capital likes to work. Give business incentive for deploying capital and it will do so much more effectively that the US Government can spend/waste it.

Also - lots of Green Talk but no Reliability Talk.  We need a Reliability Lobbyist! 

I hope at the least we get a new Electrical Grid, new High Speed Internet infrastructure and a few new bridges in Florida courtesy of the Feds!

Once again - I yield the soapbox

Terry O