On a recent phone call, an American manufacturing company recalled the terrible experience they’d had with the company they picked for their vibration analysis services. They asked, “how can we avoid picking the wrong vibration services company for our vibration analysis?” I replied, suggesting they ask a few up-front questions to help avoid wasting resources (time and money) on a services company and vibration program that are not right for them.
This manufacturer was somehow convinced that the BIGGER the services company, the BETTER the services they would receive. For this manufacturing facility, this was not the case. One thing we can all agree on is that QUALITY is always better. Period.
Perhaps these questions are right for you to consider as well:
- What are their core capabilities?
- How do they integrate and collaborate with regard to people, processes, and technologies?
- What technologies do they deploy and why?
- Can they execute the services and analysis they promise?
- Do they have a sound strategy and defined objectives to help you achieve your goals?
- Do they get results and consistently perform?
- What percent (%) Vibration Route Compliance can you provide?
- Will they provide a monthly route coverage report?
By listening to the answers, and questioning to understand their motives, the red flags will stand out. Be sure you’re prepared to ask another probing question and that their answer doesn’t raise more red flags or you need to show them the door.
Finally, if the services provider promises 100% route compliance, they’re not truthful. 100% route compliance isn’t realistic, and they are just telling you what you want to hear to get your business. If they deflect by saying: “no one monitors route compliance every month,” you’ll know they don’t plan to stay on top of their inspections and they’re hoping you won’t notice. When you do notice, they’ll remind you of this conversation as a way out of the blame game when they are the ones at fault here.
What Should Route Compliance Be?
Your equipment route compliance should be greater than 80%. Ideally, you should target 85% route compliance. It takes an experienced vibration technician a lot of work and coordination with the operators to get above 80%, but it can be done.
If you have an in-house program, you probably think you are currently getting over 85%. Think again!
Over 90% of in-house vibration programs don’t even track their vibration route compliance, and only 5% are reporting a vibration route compliance of over 70%.
Want to test this metric? If you are a Plant Manager or Maintenance Manager, ask your Reliability Manager or Reliability Technician to show you the “canned” route compliance report straight from the vibration unit’s software. It’s easy for them to manipulate an excel spreadsheet, it is much more challenging and even difficult to manipulate the vibration unit’s software report. Every reputable vibration unit’s software offers a “canned” vibration route compliance report. Have you seen your program’s route compliance report lately? Maybe you should.
These are just a few items that you will need to evaluate when you outsource condition monitoring services to ensure your Plant’s Vibration Program is heading in the right direction and providing you maximum return on the investment (ROI).