CMMS

CMMS is the acronym for Computerised Maintenance Management Software (or System) which is a key component in any enterprise asset management (EAM) system. Web-based and database-driven, CMMS solutions capture and hold data about working plant, infrastructure, and spares holdings. The purpose of implementing a CMMS is to minimise costs associated with down-time, stocking parts, and management reporting time. Typically the CMMS system will report these as part of an organisation's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

CMMS vs Spreadsheets

Companies who recognise the value of a cost-effective approach to maintenance usually begin with inputting this management data into a spreadsheet. Whilst more value adding than guesswork, this approach has its limitations whereas feeding all data directly into a CMMS solution facilitates the automatic manipulation of the data to enable operational, technical, and economical analysis, and generates graphical reporting to provide evidence of effective maintenance. A CMMS is also a vital tool in building a solid case for investment to replace "rogue" plant and equipment by analysing the cost of preventive and unplanned maintenance and equipment down-time.

Specialist CMMS Applications

Specialist applications for CMMS are health and safety compliance, equipment calibration regimes, and customer auditing. Most CMMS platforms today offer general capabilities with many offering specialist modules to work in specific environments. These might include:

• General manufacturing production (food, pharmaceuticals, automotive etc.)
• Utilities operators (gas, electricity, water etc.)
• Leisure facilities (sports stadia, theatres, cinemas etc.)
• Transport operations (ports, trains, delivery fleets etc.)
• Environmental services (e.g. Thames Barrier)

Asset tracking in CMMS

A key consideration in any CMMS is how to efficiently and accurately track an organisation’s assets (plant and equipment). Existing and new technologies play a key role here. Depending on the environment these technologies are the most frequently used:

• Bar codes
• RFID
• Imaging

CMMS Enabling Condition Based Maintenance

CMMS systems are allowing maintenance managers to implement increasingly sophisticated practices such as Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) and Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM), which are proactive predictive systems of estimating the condition of a component and replacing it prior to failure. More effective than firefighting, these maintenance methodologies require the CMMS to hold more detailed information about each component along with its estimated MTBF, usage, and age data. Idhammar's CMMS Condition Tracker module is ideal for this purpose.

The Ongoing Need for CMMS

Such CMMS-enabled planned environments are required by world-class organisations coping with:

• Globalised competition and increasing cost of raw materials and energy
• Merger and acquisition
• Customer and legislation-led environmental efficiency requirements
• Maintenance history audit trails for inspection
• Disposal costs of plant and materials

A well-implemented CMMS is also an essential component for maximising the Overall Equipment Effectiveness of a plant.


The Idhammar CMMS

Idhammar's CMMS is a cost effective modular software package based on the Windows platform designed for maintenance professionals and teams wanting to achieve optimal efficiency. Its main modules include a plant and asset register, work management, inspection and lubrication, stock control, reporting and analysis. CMMS Case Studies on organisations achieving fast ROI having implemented the Idhammar MMS can be dowloaded from this site.