The key to turning mountains of data into usable, actionable informationIf knowledge is power, then information is one of the most robust weapons in the arsenal of most companies today. One area in which the collection and management of information is critical is the field of equipment maintenance management.

   Companies that invest in proactive maintenance management programs are reaping tremendous benefits, with some realizing returns on their investments of tenfold or more.
   In fact, many organizations have seen their equipment failures drop by as much as 75 percent after instituting maintenance management programs – translating to reduced equipment costs, labor costs and downtime expense.

   At the core of good maintenance management is the data that keeps equipment operators and plant maintenance personnel informed about each machine’s condition. Therefore, one of the keys to good maintenance management is a tool that collects data quickly and accurately – and then stores, manages and uses that information in the most efficient way possible.
   “There are many tools on the market today for measuring the key parameters of operating condition – from vibration and temperature to current, pressure, flow and much more,” explains Todd Snelgrove, SKF product manager. “The trouble surfaces after those measurements are taken. Historically, there haven’t been appropriate vehicles to manage the data in a way that’s meaningful, accessible and actionable.”
   In the absence of such tools, many organizations have relied on manual processes (such as clipboards) or spreadsheets to store and analyze machinery condition data. But these vehicles have proven unwieldy and inefficient – which negates many of the benefits of maintenance management.
Strong asset management
Through extensive contact with key plant personnel in refineries, petrochemical plants and other process industries, SKF recognized a vital need to provide such organizations with an effective tool for managing the incredible volumes of machinery data collected. In response, SKF developed the MARLIN system – a first-of-its-kind tool that helps plant staff to better manage its most vital equipment assets.
   “With an accurate picture of machinery condition, companies may be able to delay a repair until the next scheduled shutdown, which can translate to a very large cost saving,” explains Greg Moutsos, Marlin product manager. “MARLIN’s role is to give plant personnel that accurate picture.”
   According to Moutsos, the marketplace was in dire need of a convenient, easy-to-use tool that could collect, store and manage such data. MARLIN was conceived to fill that void.
   “While MARLIN does have the capability to measure vibration, the system is primarily a data management tool,” he explains. “MARLIN’s role isn’t so much to monitor the data, but to store and manage it – making the information that much more useful and usable by company management.”
Getting closer
The MARLIN Data Manager is the focal point of the entire MARLIN system. This small, hand-held, pen-based computer is lightweight and highly portable; in fact, it’s designed to be carried around a plant for use wherever it’s needed.
   One of the MARLIN Data Manager’s key features is its LCD display. The display uses a combination of easy-to-follow instructions, a graphical display, and an on-screen keyboard – all designed to speed and simplify the process of data collection.
   Equipment condition readings can be taken with a probe, gauge or control panel and then input into the MARLIN Data Manager using the hand-held pen. Once stored in MARLIN, those readings can be viewed on the LCD display. For instance, a MARLIN user might visually note the vacuum pressure on a particular machine. To store that data in MARLIN, he would simply use the accompanying pen to record the reading on a vacuum gauge displayed on the screen. MARLIN also uses handwriting recognition technology, enabling users to hand-write notes on the LCD display and add them to the system’s database.

   Moutsos says one of the prime advantages of the MARLIN system is its ability to store and display current, past and baseline values for any data collected – from temperature to vibration and much more.
   “Easy access to both current and historical information is an invaluable component of any maintenance management program,” he explains. “By providing that access, MARLIN enables the user to analyze trends and spot impending problems with enough lead time to take corrective action.”
A smart system
Beyond simply storing data, MARLIN exhibits “intelligence” in several ways. For instance, the system’s built-in bar code scanner helps operators identify the required “stops” along a pre-defined inspection route. When a staff member scans the bar code at a particular location, MARLIN automatically brings up the correct forms for inputting measurement data.
   MARLIN also leverages
the tremendous store of equipment knowledge that typically resides with many in-house “experts” – which means that a company can avoid losing machine knowledge to employee turnover. Staff members with in-depth experience on a machine can program the Data Manager with baseline measurement values, appropriate alarm levels and even a set of procedures for troubleshooting and repair.
   “Because MARLIN ‘remembers’ programmed alarm levels, it can instantly warn a system user if a reading exceeds a preset level,” Moutsos says. “And since MARLIN ‘remembers’ previous reading levels and baseline levels, it provides a valuable tool for spotting trends that might indicate a need for attention.”
   Another key distinction of the MARLIN Data Manager is its ability to facilitate sharing of information among key plant personnel – an advantage that manual systems typically don’t enable. What makes this information sharing possible is a key component that interfaces with MARLIN: the Windows-based PRISM Surveyor software. The PRISM software gives users of the MARLIN Data Manager easy access to historical trend information, as well as both standard and custom reports that can be routed to appropriate staff members.
   “When used as part of a total condition monitoring program, MARLIN has the power to help organizations better allocate their maintenance budgets, reduce unnecessary expenses, and greatly improve the productivity of plant staff,” Snelgrove says. “With MARLIN in place, companies that demand high equipment reliability can manage and access the information they need to make that goal a reality.”