Pilot operation of a production asset reliability management information system started in November 2020 at Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK). It was created based on the GE Meridium APM software integrated with the MMK’s corporate information system.
The information system implementation project was launched in spring 2020. It has become an important stage in the transition to a risk-oriented approach to maintenance and repairs started by the enterprise in 2017. Major preparatory works were carried out during this time: The organizational structure of MMK Group’s main service enterprise — OSK LLC — was changed and its reliability and planning functions were distinguished; regulatory documents such as reliability management instructions and procedures were developed; in-plant training was conducted.
The long products shop and sheet rolling shop No.5 were selected as the pilot area. The implementation was carried out by the Maintex team together with specialists from MMK Group’s enterprises — MMK-Informservice and OSK. A huge amount of work was performed: Customizing the IT-system to meet the enterprise’s requirements; integrating Meridium with Oracle “Repair,” Informix Electronic Document Management System, Monitoring-2014 system; training specialists and managers.
The Meridium APM solution makes it possible to make and automated comprehensive assessment of the correlation of repair and service impacts, the cost of corrective and proactive works, production losses, repair costs, equipment availability. It also enables a plant to determine risks and distribute resources (both financial and labor) with due regard to the equipment criticality and acceptable downtime risk levels.
Integration of the reliability management system with MKK’s corporate information system based on Oracle e-Business Siute V12 (CIS) enabled MMK to achieve a wholly new level of equipment accessibility to perform its production function, finalize the service strategy development and preparation cycle with its implementation and follow-up monitoring.
The first results make it possible to acknowledge the effects of implementing reliability management with an information system:
- Increasing effective performance and uptime of equipment
- Enhancing safe use and operation of equipment
- Reducing planned costs based on an equipment downtime risk level that is acceptable to the business
- Improving accessibility of information on current equipment state and root causes of unscheduled failures.
“Making modern asset management strategies its policy, MMK came a long way to transform its approaches. Utilizing the GE Meridium solution is a logical extension of this initiative,” noted Roman Romakhin, Maintex Executive Director.
In 2021, based on the pilot operation results, MMK will continue to further develop the system and deploy the best practices that have proven efficient across its industrial site.
