| Introduction | | | | style computer with a thermal camera channel. Some |
| More and more companies are investing in CMMS | | | | of the most common features of data loggers that |
| systems to organize the complex task of managing | | | | make them easily integrated into CMMS systems are: |
| capital equipment and facility infrastructure whether it is | | | | - Rugged small tablet form factor |
| process or production equipment or building systems | | | | - Touchscreen user interface |
| like HVAC and computers. CMMS is a great | | | | - Application-specific software functionality |
| organizational tool but cannot directly monitor | | | | - PC-familiar internal file management |
| equipment conditions. PdM technologies including | | | | - Simple-to-execute file exchange between PC and |
| thermography excel at monitoring equipment condition | | | | device |
| but do not have the ability to organize overall | | | | Once the portable user interfaces has been |
| maintenance operations and have historically been | | | | established, a desktop software application must be |
| closed proprietary systems. If maintenance practices | | | | implemented that interface both to the camera and to |
| and investments are to really pay off, the integration of | | | | CMMS databases. A software wizard can be used to |
| the two tools is necessary. As organizational systems | | | | map CMMS source data to a thermography asset |
| become more computerized, the overall access and | | | | database. Data must be exported from the CMMS |
| quality of data substantially increases. The challenge is | | | | system as a CSV file. The wizard then imports those |
| how best to create, organize and disseminate the vast | | | | fields that are desired to be tracked. The wizard must |
| amount of data that computerized database systems | | | | assure that each record of asset data that is |
| like CMMS inevitability create. In addition, inevitably the | | | | exported from the CMMS system maintains sufficient |
| added workload will be required without additional staff. | | | | identification to ensure that links between the CMMS |
| To achieve this, one must make sure that any data | | | | source and the thermography program database are |
| collected is integrated with the original database. In this | | | | maintained. By automating the population of the |
| way, the investment in building asset databases is | | | | thermography asset database, the user eliminates the |
| leveraged across the many interfaces and platforms. | | | | need to enter potentially hundreds if not thousands of |
| Techniques to push out this data and take back | | | | records into the thermography program making it more |
| updated machinery health data is what this paper will | | | | likely the tool will be used effectively. Once the CMMS |
| discuss and provide specific examples of doing this in | | | | source data is in the camera it is highly efficient to tag |
| practice. | | | | asset information to captured images during the |
| Disadvantages of Current PdM/CMMS Systems | | | | inspection process using intuitive pull temperature rise, |
| - No common data formats between systems | | | | incident severity, repair recommendation, a visible |
| - No way to integrate CMMS asset data into PdM | | | | control photograph and the asset descriptions are |
| devices | | | | permanently stored in the infrared camera's thermal |
| - Data transfer is manual and time consuming, limiting | | | | image where they can be automatically loaded in pre |
| the ability to build an integrated program | | | | designed report templates for quick and easy report |
| - No ability to "drill down" and extract metrics | | | | generation. In addition to simplifying data gathering and |
| - Lost opportunity to develop correlations between | | | | automating report generation, the asset lists can be |
| PdM methodologies | | | | organized into route files. Such a thermography |
| Advantages of Integrated PdM/CMMS Systems | | | | camera can take asset files and organize them into |
| - Asset data entered once is leveraged across | | | | routes that the thermographer can then use to guide |
| multiple systems | | | | them through all the inspection points assigned for the |
| - Common nomenclature delivers consistent results | | | | next inspection cycle, an enormous step toward |
| regardless of operator skill and training | | | | efficiency and savings. |
| - Significant efficiencies can be realized and costs and | | | | Summary |
| or effectiveness of PdM tools increased | | | | - Field inspection is a data intensive process |
| - Route-based data collection derived from historical | | | | - Leveraging a source database across all PdM |
| data results in better utilization of manpower resources | | | | modality is efficient and cost effective |
| Integrating CMMS Data with Your Thermography | | | | - Standardized data ensures consistent results (for |
| Program | | | | example 3 operators might call the same asset three |
| To begin you need to create a thermography camera | | | | different names) |
| system that can operate like a data logger. Common | | | | - Data can be organized into routes and operators can |
| elements in data loggers are: a touch screen, a | | | | be trained to conduct data gathering |
| sophisticated file management system, the ability to | | | | - Future potential to correlate data across PdM |
| handle data formats like XML and an easy way to | | | | modality to improve route cause analysis of various |
| input and output data. A tablet form-factor makes it | | | | equipment problems |
| practical to use your finger or stylus to execute | | | | - Software when used as intended can lower |
| software features. Many of today's popular portable | | | | program costs significantly and by eliminating manually |
| vibration data collectors are excellent examples of | | | | intensive data entry the prospects of using an |
| product designs that are conducive for integration. | | | | integrated data base within a portable PdM instrument |
| Similarly, the thermography camera - data logger | | | | like a thermography camera are greatly enhanced. |
| system is also best designed to be a ruggedized tablet | | | | |