Condition Based Maintenance and Root Cause Analysis
Where and How Expert Troubleshooting Software Fits In
Condition Based Maintenance
The goal of Condition Based Maintenance is to detect impending failures and perform preventative maintenance before a functional failure occurs. This goal is achieved by using real-time data, gathered as equipment and system conditions are monitored, to prioritize maintenance activities and optimize maintenance resources. Ideally condition-based maintenance will allow the maintenance personnel to do only the right things, minimizing spare parts cost, system downtime and time spent on maintenance.
Root Cause Analysis
The goal of RCA is to correct design deficiencies that result in failures by systematically investigating and correcting the root cause of failure. The intent of this approach is to reduce the likelihood of recurring failures by maining corrective measures at root causes rather than simply addressing symptoms. Since many failures are caused by more than one root cause, and it is not possible to prevent all problem recurrance, RCA is typically seen a an iterative, or continuous improvement process
Expert Troubleshooting Software
SpotLight® supports advanced physical asset management methods such as Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) at a number of levels. First, it delivers a regular flow of relevant knowledge, derived from RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance) and RCA investigative activity, in the form of guided diagnostic session input.
In addition, SpotLight's intelligent line of questioning during guided diagnostics on the equipment automatically and efficiently captures key, discriminating information to support RCM analysis.
The following diagram illustrates where in the process and how SpotLight's guided diagnostic troubleshooting and experience knowledgebase contribute to RCA and CBM continuous improvement cycles.
For more information on how SpotLight can integrate sensor based data into the reasoning process (including real time signals) download the whitepaper SpotLight as an aid to Condition Based Maintenance (CBM)
Contact us for more information about how SpotLight guided diagnostic field service systems can support your existing RCA and CBM activities.
In February 2000, an unusual brake problem grounded a British Airways Concorde flight from London to New York at a total cost to BA operations of over $800,000. The fault turned out to be a simple sensor failure. It took a whole day to troubleshoot, but the fix was simple and fast once they found the cause. Later, when a case history was forwarded to BA's commercial partner, Air France, BA was astonished by their reply: "We know - the same thing happened to us last year - we sent you a report on it".
The costly delay would have been avoided if the British Airways technician in London had been shown the story about Air France's experience when the problem symptoms first appeared. That's what the ADDS Service does.
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