Vyksa Steel Works (VSW) launched pilot operation of Meridium APM software in their 4th electric-weld pipe workshop. The system allows to use production assets more efficiently through improving asset reliability.
Meridium APM enables to implement state-of-art maintenance management and repairs practices, such as reliability-centered management, equipment failure modes, effects and criticality analysis, and root cause analysis. This approach drives risk-based, optimized strategic planning for asset management.
There are two stages of the new IT solution implementation at VSW. The first one is a pilot launch in the 4th electric-weld pipe workshop, and the second one is the subsequent solution roll-out in all VSW subdivisions. The system pilot operation started in August and will last two months. A list of assets in the 4th electric weld-pipe workshop was made for analysis in line with the new practices and initial data were loaded into the system.
The main contractor is Maintex, one of the leaders in implementation of asset management IT solutions in Russia. Technical support and consulting are provided by OMK-IT engineers. As of the project launch in November 2013, the Meridium system has been set up in accordance with the business needs; server hardware has been installed and set up; software modules have been deployed. Currently, OMK-IT engineers and Maintex consultants are finalizing Meridium integration with the SAP system and data synchronization between these two systems.
Training of future users is a crucial stage of the project. Reliability engineers at the 4th electric-weld pipe workshop not only have acquired some theoretical and practical knowledge of all the new software modules but also learned new asset efficiency management practices. Following the training, the employees have been successfully qualified.
Following the pilot operation in the 4th electric weld-pipe workshop, the system will be rolled out to other plant subdivisions. The project completion is planned for the 4th quarter of 2015.
VSW Repair and Maintenance Service Director, Alexander Rogatov, was interviewed by OMK-IT's Impulse Magazine.
Source: Impulse Magazine, OMK-IT.
