Inventory and codify equipment
STEP 1
Inventory and code equipment
It is important to make a physical inventory of all the equipment in the company.
This must be done by maintenance personnel, as they need to be familiar with the equipment and its operation, so as not to omit important components from the inventory (e.g. motors, pump-generators, etc.).
Each piece of equipment inventoried is then coded to enable maintenance files to be managed (technical data sheet, history sheet, preventive maintenance sheet).
Equipment codification
UniformatII
UNIFORMAT II Elemental Classification for Building
This codification becomes, in a way, the main identification of the equipment for as long as it remains in the factory, and this code will remain the common denominator for all company departments to refer to it (accounting, production, maintenance, etc.).
It is not recommended to base a coding system on the location of a piece of equipment.
However, it is always possible to divide the code into two parts:
– The permanent part, which identifies the machine: 3-digit code.
– The temporary or floating part, invisible to floor staff but useful for management purposes (machine or component location).
Example: F 302-04 coding
The number F302 04 identifies motor # 04 of press # 302 in manufacturing department F. This type of coding is often used, but is not the most flexible.
For example, if the motor of press # 302 is used on another press in another department, its codification would have to be changed; which implies a modification of the maintenance file.
HOW TO USE UNIFORMAT II Elemental Classification for Building
Equipment codification
It is therefore advisable to use the simplest and most flexible coding possible to avoid errors, facilitate communication and, by the same token, speed up processing.
Above all, coding must be simple and easy to remember for users on the floor.
As machine numbers are used for a variety of purposes (service reports, timesheets, etc.), transcription errors must be minimized, and easy-to-remember coding must be favored that is as meaningful as possible.
We sometimes overestimate people’s memory capacity by abusing incompatible coding or by accumulating information, without taking into account the fact that human memory is extremely limited in certain respects (short-term memory).
Consequently, a three-symbol alphanumeric (3-digit) coding system will be perfectly suitable in most cases. For example, all motors can be classified in the 200 series, presses in the 300 series, forklifts in the 600 series, etc., regardless of their location. When operating in this way, however, you need to ensure that the maintenance file includes the location of the equipment. This is the ideal coding system for those wishing to set up a computerized maintenance program.
In addition, the choice of three-digit coding ensures compatibility with accounting systems. These systems generally allow three-digit auxiliary numbers to be entered for General Ledger headings. These auxiliary numbers can then be used to allocate maintenance-related costs to each coded item of equipment, providing a cumulative cost report for each item at any given time.
