The Storeroom’s Role in Asset Reliability

It would be fair to ask what role a maintenance storeroom plays in asset reliability. Consider that a new asset arrives to the end user with what is referred to as “inherent reliability”. This is an important term as it serves to make the point that you can’t maintain more reliability into a machine than it has inherently. It is the maintenance department’s responsibility to guard the inherent reliability of the asset.

So, how does the storeroom help?  The storeroom helps by having the right part, at the right time and in the right quantity. Like-for-like part replacements help protect the inherent reliability. Of course, it is still up to maintenance to execute a high-quality repair. The natural life cycle of parts and parts manufacturers sometimes make like-for-like replacements impossible.

As parts become discontinued by the manufacturer, or as operating budgets get tightened, sometimes compromises are necessary. It is contingent upon the organizational leadership to understand what components on an asset are truly critical to the function of the asset. This is a basic tenet of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM).

As technology changes, and as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) move in and out of product development and manufacturing, spare parts are getting harder and harder to source. With the requirement to guard this inherent reliability, our jobs become even more significant. Partnering and networking with others is one way to counter the ebbs and flows of spare parts availability.

The asset management term for the pragmatic study that must take place is “risk-based decisions”. I asked in an earlier paragraph, “How does the storeroom help?”.  The storeroom helps in this dynamic setting by having a significant network in which they can operate as professional “parts-getters” to bring in the right part, at the right time, and in the right quantity.

Martin Inc. and Maintenance Innovators are partners in creating custom-tailored solutions to solve your storeroom or tool crib challenges. Contact Martin today to begin the process of creating a world-class storeroom that gives you ready access to all your supplies, parts and tools and helps you operate more efficiently and cost effectively.

John Ross
MaintenanceInnovators.com