Q1: Does Pro-M require day-to-day interaction with the Enterprise Asset Management
(EAM) system?
Pro-M is a stand-alone application and will not require any direct
interaction with EAM maintenance work order or other daily activities.
For day-to-day PM program management and improvement activities Pro-M is designed to be used
outside the EAM as a decision aid and what-if investigation tool relating to specific PM tasks
on specific components. The workstation part of Pro-M is designed to be used for extensive
one-time overhauls of the facility PM program. In that mode, you batch download large amounts
of component information to Pro-M, work on it using onboard PM information and tools, and load
as much of the results as desired back to the EAM system.
Q2: Key performance indicators and reports come from our EAM system, will Pro-M need
to interact with this process?
Pro-M does not produce or directly use performance indicators; Pro-M
expects a PM program owner to use exceedance of facility-specific performance criteria
monitored within the EAM system or elsewhere (e.g. 2 failures in one year on this motor are
OK, but 3 is too many), to raise a red flag about possible need for PM changes. Pro-M is the
tool he will use to find out what to do about such an exceedance, or lower numbers of failures
that do not actually exceed the criterion. Pro-M can assist the user in determining if an
exceeded performance indicator is set at a proper action level - using its Performance
Criteria calculator.
Q3: Are any changes at all needed to our EAM system?
No EAM system changes are needed. Our current version Pro-M V6 uses
batch downloaded data from the EAM system.
Q4: What existing EAM system data fields would be required to use Pro-M?
Required fields are: Asset or System Name, Component
Description (i.e. name), Component Tag or ID. The tag has to be a unique identifier.
That's all. The facility designation of Component Type is optional (e.g. PMP, MTR, HX,
CPR or similar), Current PM Task Name, Current PM Task Interval, and other current PM
information, such as PM Task ID, Vendor Information, Justification, Recommendation and
other user defined PM fields, if they are available, can be downloaded and will reduce
the amount of manual input required from analysts. Many other fields can optionally be
downloaded if they are available in the EAM system, e.g. Functional Importance (such as
Critical, Non-critical).
Q5: Who must perform the assessment of the current asset condition? The client or
APT, Inc.?
The client. APT would expect to provide installation and training.
We are pleased to provide early handholding to pilot initial analysis, but only if requested.
The methodolgy is simple, but Pro-M provides a host of functions and we want a client to
understand them properly before going on auto-pilot. But we are a software company, not
primarily a maintenance services company.
Q6: What generic fields/values are required for the Pro-M software application?
In addition to those listed above, which are existing fields in
EAM/CMMS systems, Pro-M generates a lot of output (~40 data fields per component) that can
stay within Pro-M. However, the newly generated or modified PM Task Names and Intervals
will presumably need to go back to the EAM/CMMS - currently a simple batch export - for
regular scheduling, work control, and PM package preparation. Some other data fields might
also be desirable in the EAM/CMMS and can be exported if needed - such as the economic risk
from an in-service failure, functional importance classification, etc.
Q7: Can you turn RCM data sets into full function data sets so they can be used
within Pro-M?
The data structure used for Pro-M is an extension of that used for
describing failure mechanisms in Reliability Centered Maintenance. Consequently, if high
quality RCM data sets are available for component types that are not currently in Pro-M,
it should be possible to transform them into new Pro-M component types at reasonable cost.
This would result in high-value component additions.
Q8: How are regulatory PM tasks selected and determined from the standard
industry tasks listed within Pro-M?
For such tasks, the task interval is not usually recommended
explicitly but is shown as "As-Required" on the basis that different facilities will have
their own criteria for tasks driven by their regulatory authorities. The user inserts the
required interval. The user is always able to edit the tasks and intervals he uses.
Q9: How is the initial purchase cost determined for Pro-M?
We believe that our component-based pricing scheme will give the
fairest outcome for a variety of customers. Such a scheme is based on the number of
component types (e.g tube type heat exchanger, horizontal pump, medium voltage motor)
bought from APT, their level of complexity (judged from the size of the PM and component
failure mechanism tables), and the potential use the customer will make of them (judged
by the number of components in the user's master equipment list). These factors will put
the company into one of four pre-determined pricing levels. The system is directly scalable
as a company grows (intrinsically or through acquisition) or rolls out the system to more
facilities. Maintenance fees cover upgrades to both the software and data, which is
updated on a regular schedule to enusre it is always pertinent.
