Computer maintenance planning

Operational and maintenance plans should be prepared for the computer system and its associated measurement and control instrumentation. Operational plan review will focus on system reliability, performance, diagnostic records, instrument and system I/O calibration, and the provision of critical data to support the batch record. Procedures for controlling the system (e.g., system management, security, and process operations) should be reviewed to verify that they are current, in place, and being followed. For each procedure required for the system there should be documented evidence that the relevant operatives have been trained in its use. All procedures must be written and approved according to the site procedures for writing and approving SOPs. 

The maintenance plan will normally form part of the preventative maintenance system for the site and must be used to track all maintenance activities on the computer system and associated measurement and control instrumentation. For computer systems the supplier may be contracted for different levels of ongoing maintenance support, and it is acceptable to use the supplier procedures for maintenance of the specialist areas of the system. A supplier maintenance contract needs to define the scope of maintenance (e.g., the items to be maintained, type of activities, period of the contract, access requirements,... 

Computer based systems are used both to perform functions important to safety and to monitor and test systems important to safety. It should be ensured that computer based systems of both types are qualified for use and are maintained in accordance with their importance to safety. Maintenance activities on computer based systems should be carried out and managed in accordance with a maintenance plan that has been agreed between the user and the system developer prior to acceptance of the system. 

In this paper, we present a method to optimize and adapt the maintenance planning to the current system composed of deteriorating components. The reliabihty characteristics of each component are computed and updated according to degradation measures and known degradation models. This information enhances the maintenance plaiming. 

The individual optimal maintenance date i,-, and penalty function hi(At) are calculated according to the failure probability function F,(t). This probability function F, (i) is derived from the failure rate function Li(t). This function X,(i) is determined by a survival analysis of component i. It is based on the time-to-failure of a component population and can not be computed for one particular component (Singpurwalla 1995). Although the classical rolling horizon method provides a dynamic maintenance planning to the ciu-rent system (according to the short-term information), this optimization is based on a priori information concerning the reliability properties of components. 

No follow-up of the current component deterioration is integrated in this previous method. To be closer to the actual situation, the current degradation of each component has to be taken into account. The failiue probability function Fi(t) can be computed according to component degradation measures and known degradation models. The individual optimal maintenance date f and the penalty function hfAt) can also be updated with respect to the actual state of the component i. Then, maintenance optimization can provide a dynamic and well-suited maintenance planning for the current system. 

Consultation of docmnentation in use and determining the flow of information exists because it is proven the effectiveness of a CMMS (Computer Maintenance Management System) Gabriel Pimor (1989), working independently or as part of an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). 

Resor, R. R., and A. M. Zerembski. Development of Track Maintenance Planning Models for Rail Rapid Transit Systems. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Computer Aided Design, Manufacture and Operation in the Railway and Other Advanced Mass Transit Systems, 1992, 215-226. 

Using a Computer Maintenance Management System (CMMS) ensures the periodicity of preventive maintenance and the tracking of corrective maintenance. In addition to the maintenance range and periodic inspection, the operation and maintenance plan also includes ... 

The confluence of sharply rising Operations and Maintenance (O M) costs. NRC requested Individual Plant Examinations (IPEs) and increased personal computer capabilities gave rise to the R R Workstation. Its uses and maintains-current PSA models and databases for individual plants to perform O M planning and scheduling, and uses the PSA in IPE models to identify plant design, procedure and operational vulnerabilities. The Risk and Reliability Workstation Alliance was organized by EPRI to support the R R Workshop in order to achieve O M cost reduction, plant productivity and safety enhancement through risk-based, user-friendly, windowed software louls (Table 3.6 8). The Alliance, initiated in 1992, includes 25 U.S. utilities and four international partners from Spain, France, Korea, and Mexico. SAIC is the prime contractor for the R R Workstation, with participation of five other PSA vendors. 

The prerequisite for proper planning and performance of building maintenance is the comprehensive set of drawings, specifications and servicing manuals compiled by architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers, respectively. Those responsible for maintenance must ensure that all records are kept up to date computers are increasingly used for this purpose. 

The planned maintenance program forms the basis of a system whereby an in-house department may prepare and implement its own maintenance program or introduce a trial system along similar lines. This would be prior to seeking the assistance of a consultant to provide guidance on the system that would satisfy the demands placed on the department by others and yet remain under the department s control. Irrespective of whether it is a manual or a computer system that is introduced, the elements of its... 

Each item of plant and equipment is allocated a specific asset number. This number can be either for a complete boiler (with associated equipment) or a specific asset number for the boiler and individual asset numbers for the associated equipment. It is advisable to restrict this numbering sequence to a minimum while ensuring that it meets the specific needs of the company and location. Care must be exercised in determining the asset numbering during this manual phase if it is envisaged that, on completing a satisfactory trial period, the planned maintenance system will be transferred onto a computer. 

The above planned maintenance manual system provides a firm basis on which a computer-planned maintenance system may be developed. Having such knowledge and experience from working the manual system, the benefits that can be accrued from planned maintenance systems compared to the corrective or other non-planned methods previously used are numerous. It can be found that, due to the large amount of assets to be managed by the administration, it would be beneficial for the planned maintenance system to be transferred onto a computer system. A major non-technical weekly task is one of producing work dockets for issue and the subsequent entry into the maintenance records on completion of the work task. 

When considering a computer system, aspects that require attention are hardware and software (planned maintenance system). During the initial inquiry as to which hardware and software would best serve the company or department both must be considered. 

It follows that if the planned maintenance system is to be shown as effective, the number of breakdowns reported must reduce, irrespective as to whether it be a manual or computer system. A satisfactorily installed system allows the engineer to plan his department s work and, when necessary, action emergency items or additional work, without their being detrimental to the department s overall performance. 

Has the company or department the necessary knowledge of the computer system to prepare and implement a planned maintenance program by this method The benefits to be gained from the use of computers requires sufficient understanding of both computers and maintenance to foresee the advantages over those obtained from the manual system. 

What details must be sought from the suppliers of both hardware and software packages How can the computer best meet the department s current requirements and how can it be added to if and when necessary (e.g. increased demand from planned maintenance) How can it be extended to cover other departments (network) Energy consumption input from condition monitoring, stores inventory, project work and possible interaction with space allocation must also be considered. 

Most oil companies offer a planned lubrication maintenance (PLM) service that will meet these requirements with the minimum of effort on the part of the customer. These schemes provide logical routing for the lubrication operative, balanced workloads and clear instructions to those responsible for specific tasks associated with lubrication and fault-reporting facilities. Many schemes are now designed for computer operation, which also accommodate plant and grade changes, operation costs and manpower planning. It is essential that any such scheme should be adaptable to individual requirements. 

Normal operation—The computer system is maintained in accordance with the planned preventative maintenance schedule. Typical activities include recalibrating field instrumentation and computer I/O cards in accordance with site calibration procedures, running system diagnostics, checking operator logs for any abnormalities, and planning service visits by the system supplier. 

Already now, in cars of the upper class, there are about 80 ECUs (Embedded Computing Units) and five or more bus systems, controlling comfort as well as safety critical functions. Most of the innovations (80-90%) in cars are ICT-driven, especially product individualization and differentiation are based on ICT. The cost of electronics and software in such a car will rise from 25% to more than 40%. On the other hand, according to reports at the 2003 informatics conference in Germany, 55% of car failures are caused by electronics and software, and the X-by-wire implementation plans had to be delayed by major players in the field by years. Diagnosis and maintenance in the field are again a challenge—because of complex electronic systems. 

It is necessary to ensure that arrangements for operation and maintenance of the computer system are either already established, or that documented plans have been prepared to ensure that these arrangements are in place by the time the system is authorized for use. 

Thereafter, Validation Plans should be updated or superseded by new plans when the architecture of the computer system changes from the original scope of validation there has been a significant change in how the computer system is used compared to the original vahdation there has been a change in operation and maintenance standards or when a revahdation exercise has been initiated. 

The third review level examines the document sets for particular computer systems identified in the hrst review level. Validation Plans and Validation Reports are typically among the first documents to be inspected. If the review of a computer system is not superhcial, the main life-cycle documents identified in Chapter 4 may be inspected. The inspector is likely to ask to see evidence of system specification and qualification, supplier evaluation, data maintenance, change control, training, and security. Sometimes inspectors will ask for supplementary information to be sent onward to them if they are seeking clarification of an issue. 

The OECD covers a series of activities and personnel. Responsibilities, training, quality assurance (QA), standard operating procedures (SOPs), study plans and study reports, data production and recording, equipment maintenance and calibration, computers and validation, test systems and test substances, and archiving are the primary areas covered by the GLPs. 

Sophisticated computer-based data monitoring systems may be installed, with which preventive maintenance is planned by trend logging (This type of system is commonly referred to as a building management system (BMS), building automation system (BAS) or system control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.)... 

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