EAM system: implementation stages

Most large companies have already introduced a unified system of accounting for finances, more or less unified financial policy is being implemented (of course, taking into account the types of business and regional particularities). This policy is usually implemented using an ERP system.

However, accounting of production assets is often not automated, accounting policies at different enterprises of even the same holding company are sometimes different. So from the point of view of asset maintenance, it turns out, in fact, not one company, but several. Since each company provides information for a single ERP system, processing this non-standardized information can be difficult.

The EAM system helps to build a unified policy for managing production assets and to organize the transfer of unified data to ERP. This in turn makes it possible to optimize the costs of servicing assets.

EAM system helps to connect information systems of the level of production processes and the level of business processes of an enterprise.

The article “How to properly implement a system of asset management (EAM)” said how important it is to choose the right supplier of the system, what factors should be taken into account. But here the supplier is selected, the EAM system can be acquired, and then implemented. What methods should be followed? At present, there is no generally accepted, well-proven technique. EAM implementation methodologies from development companies are corporate and private. And it’s not a fact that for a particular enterprise, it is the EAM system supplier methodology that is most effective. Therefore, even before the acquisition of the system, it is desirable for the management of the enterprise to decide on the method by which the system will be implemented, how much it is labor-intensive, and how long it will take. It largely depends on the state of the existing, non-automated system for managing fixed assets. Often at the enterprise are absent:

• described and standardized corporate methodology for the management of physical assets
• data on the assets themselves
• standard routing cards, on the basis of which it would be possible to create a system for servicing assets and speed up the introduction of an EAM system by a factor of two or three

When developing a project to implement the EAM system, in many cases it is advisable to provide for the phased implementation of work. First, methods are implemented that do not require the use of historical data or any new indicators of the state of the equipment, the input of which is difficult due to the lack of diagnostic devices and reasonable levels of setting parameters. Moreover, already at the early stages of the project implementation, it is necessary to lay down requirements for entering the necessary information on equipment so that later more efficient MRO methods (in particular, predictive maintenance) can be applied.

As a result of the introduction of EAM-systems, the following basic tasks are solved at the first stage:

• An inventory of assets, funds, stocks, equipment, tools, and their accounting is organized
• A multi-level hierarchical structure of equipment is being created
• A linear directory of equipment is created and maintained, in which all information on the objects of repair is stored (thereby a full replacement of paper equipment passports is carried out)
• A library of typical works is being formed with an indication of the list of operations, technologies for carrying out operations, safety measures, involved specialists with an indication of qualifications, materials, tools, equipment, means of protection
• Regular inspections and routine maintenance planning are streamlined.
• Created and maintained up to date card inventory
• Automating the process of determining the need for spare parts, tools and materials, provides for the formation of a single request for goods and materials, the formation of a target, emergency stock of goods and materials

With the accumulation of statistical information obtained in the course of solving basic tasks, the EAM system allows you to carry out strategic planning of repairs with increasing accuracy and solve higher level tasks:

• Plan preventive work based on accumulated statistics of equipment wear and equipment failures, ensuring faster troubleshooting (i.e., switch to predictive maintenance and implementation of an RCM management strategy for fixed production assets), change deadlines and combine work, thereby reducing downtime equipment
• Reduce inventory
• Strategically plan work and procurement, reducing the idle time of resources (people and equipment) and achieving favorable price proposals through the consolidation of purchases
• Make informed strategic decisions when planning the acquisition and disposal of assetsAt the subsequent stages of the implementation of the EAM system, it will be possible to take advantage of the implementation of the industrial Internet of things (IIoT) technologies at the enterprise. As part of this strategy, the equipment is equipped with numerous sensors and smart sensors, thanks to which the collection of data on its technical condition can be performed not periodically, but continuously, without interrupting the operation of the equipment. Technologies Big Data (Big Data) and artificial intelligence (AI) will allow to predict the time of occurrence of a possible failure with high accuracy and take timely measures to prevent or minimize the possible damage.