Our oil refinery's maintenance manager, with a strong background in processes, recently inquired about how we establish the composition and size of our Reliability Team. The team's responsibilities include tasks such as vibration analysis, reciprocating health monitoring, oil analysis, daily issue response, work and rebuild scope determination, rebuild integrity and mentoring, worst performer identification and elimination, budgeting, spare parts management, historical tracking, oversight of major overhauls, machinery strategies, millwright and process training. With over 1000 machinery trains, comprising pumps, gearboxes, and turbines ranging from fractional horsepower to over 20,000 HP, our team also manages turbines, pumps, compressors (both centrifugal and reciprocating), blowers, among other equipment. Our team is comprised of 5 machinery technicians with a trade background and/or technologist diploma, as well as 3 Rotating Mechanical Engineers. I am curious about how other organizations define the roles and size of their reliability teams. Thank you, Rick.
Our website features a large 2-unit nuclear site with approximately 150 MW of motor-driven machines and an additional 30 MW of turbine-driven pumps. There are around 1000 machine trains in the vibration program, as well as numerous smaller machines not included in the program. The component/predictive group consists of three individuals specializing in rotating machinery: a pump engineer, a vibration and lube oil analysis engineer, and a motor engineer who also handles infrared thermography and partial discharge monitoring. These engineers are responsible for PM schedules/scopes, refurbishment schedules/scopes, component health monitoring, failure analysis, and overseeing vendor repairs. Additionally, as PDM program engineers, they maintain program procedures, analyze abnormal findings, communicate findings in reports, and prioritize repairs with plant stakeholders. While there are four other component engineers in the group and a supervisor, none of them work on rotating equipment or predictive maintenance. The workload may seem overwhelming for the three engineers, but they are supported by eight multi-skilled technicians who collect PDM data and specialize in various predictive technologies. The organization has a collaborative approach, where expertise is applied where needed, regardless of the organizational structure. The three engineers work closely together on rotating equipment issues and fill in for each other when needed. They also collaborate with maintenance and other departments to address significant problems. In fostering teamwork and achieving common goals, it is essential for all parties to take ownership of both reliability and cost/schedule issues. In the past, responsibility for reliability was often assigned to engineering and cost/schedule to maintenance, but a more integrated approach is now favored. Spare parts management is also a critical aspect that plays a role in overall reliability and cost effectiveness.
In my previous organization, there was a similar setup with comparable job descriptions. For example, there were 500 trains between two petrochemical plants, each staffed by two rotating engineers and one vibration collector. The machinery and preventive maintenance technicians were part of a separate maintenance department, which proved to be a beneficial arrangement.
At Electricpete, we have a structured approach to ensuring reliability within our organization. Our process involves separating reliability initiatives into two key areas: Engineering and cost/scheduling, with Engineering focusing on reliability and cost/scheduling falling under maintenance. Any costs related to reliability initiatives must be approved by the respective area PMT (Process, Maintenance, Technical) management team. Generally, these approvals are more of a formality as our requests are typically granted based on our track record of successful initiatives. However, if the total costs exceed the budget, we need to prioritize accordingly. Our reliability group is also heavily involved in managing spare parts. This includes working closely with vendors to make material changes, upgrading to higher quality products (such as new mechanical seal technology), requesting and approving additional spare parts to be stocked, and addressing any issues with incorrect parts. The ownership of these spare parts lies with the materials and services department, but we are responsible for requesting and approving any changes, additions, deletions, delivery times, and even vendor repair and return quotes through the same department.
Rick, I found your team's composition and responsibilities intriguing. For an organization of your scale, it seems well-structured. In my experience, it's not so much about the number as it is about the skills and organization of your team. For instance, I had a team of 7 for a facility with almost 800 equipment units. What mattered most was how well-defined each role was, the clear delineation of responsibilities, and the healthy collaboration among the team members. It's beneficial to ensure that your technologists are updated with continuous training, and that mentoring is dynamic from both ends. Also, proper data management and feedback can guide your team to better performance, making sure you have the necessary resources to handle preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance, ensuring the highest possible uptime for your machinery, and hence, the effective and efficient operation of the entire refinery.
Hi Rick, great question. In my experience, the team composition can vary greatly depending on the size and the complexity of assets that a company possesses. Ideally, the team should have a diverse mix of expertise and experience, capable of handling different aspects of equipment maintenance. Given the size of your plant and the broad range of responsibilities, it seems like your team is quite lean, which could lead to efficiency but could also risk burnout if the workload becomes too high. At our facility, which is comparable in size to yours, we also have specialist roles such as reliability engineers and predictive maintenance technicians who specifically handle tasks like vibration, oil analysis, etc. Furthermore, we have a maintenance planner and a spare parts manager in order to offload routine activities like budgeting and parts management, enabling the engineers and technicians to focus on core machine reliability tasks. This has greatly improved our efficiency and team morale. Hope this helps!
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Answer: - The composition and size of a Reliability Team can be determined based on the number and complexity of machinery trains, the range of equipment being managed, and the scope of responsibilities involved such as vibration analysis, oil analysis, daily issue response, rebuild scope determination, worst performer identification, budgeting, spare parts management, historical tracking, machinery strategies, and training needs.
Answer: - The roles of a Reliability Team may include tasks such as vibration analysis, reciprocating health monitoring, oil analysis, daily issue response, work and rebuild scope determination, rebuild integrity and mentoring, worst performer identification and elimination, budgeting, spare parts management, oversight of major overhauls, machinery strategies, and millwright and process training.
Answer: - Members of a Reliability Team may have backgrounds in trade skills, technologist diplomas, and engineering degrees, with expertise in areas such as machinery maintenance, vibration analysis, oil analysis, and machinery strategies.
Answer: - A Reliability Team can effectively manage diverse equipment types and sizes by having a combination of skilled technicians and engineers who are trained
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