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.
Failure to resolve unexpected faults (elusive faults) on the first attempt can result in rapidly escalating costs and operational disruptions due to flight cancellations, gate delays, unsubstantiated part removals, complete out-of-service periods, and unplanned overtime and shift bonuses.
Elusive faults are the most difficult type of fault that technicians can face because they are not always correctly addressed by existing diagnostics aids, such as built-in tests or fault-isolation manuals. These problems are often characterized by intermittent symptoms, possibly caused by unpredictable conditions such as aging, environmental factors, or manufacturing error.
Elusive faults consume a disproportionate share of the unplanned maintenance-related expenses due to the difficulty of determining their root cause. Troubleshooters often have no convenient or timely way of knowing that another mechanic has encountered a similar problem and has solved it already. Until now, they've been on their own and often in the dark about how to find a solution quickly.
Click for more examples...