Paperless Maintenance

What do you guys think about paperless maintenance department?

To be more detailed I mean paperless in terms of no paper equipment manuals or records?

We currently have a computer based maintenance system for work order and pm tracking and parts inventory

But equipment manuals and documents are paper and are all over the place not organized pages missing etc

My boss has a dream of making all this stuff pdf format and throw away the paper manuals

There are many computer terminals on the plant floor and later may get some laptops with wireless for each shift

This may be my next project and overtime Gig.

I just want to get others opinions thoughts and caveats

Paperless is great....

I have setup a database on our network for machinery and specific information pertaining to that equipment.
PDF's are great in a pinch, but are not really great for reference in a panel.

If you have a networked printer/s, GUARANTEED that your people will be printing their own stock of manuals, and that may cost more than the original manuals and space that they take up to begin with!

It really depends on the people, and their beliefs/views of our "Green" future.

People that don't care just print everything.

I have a ton of manuals on my laptop and I like that since I can have whatever manual with me wherever I go. But, when I am really digging into troubleshooting I like being able to lay different pages of the manual out side by side so I can see the diagrams and parameter settings and troubleshooting matrix all at the same time.

What I have gone to is PDF manuals but a folder in my desk with selected pages printed out and my own notes written all over them.

I think paperless would be great ASSUMING
1. All are comfortable and competent with computer
2. All have equal access
3. Manufacturers supply manuals in both PDF and printed version (for backup)
4. Parts lists are in a separate file and each item listed and findable separately.
5. Multiple computers throughout plant no farther apart than 1/4 mile to allow mechanics rapid access to manuals
6. Each location able to print out desired print or page
7. Prints can be on paper up to 24 x 24 so you do not need magnifying glass.
8. Ink on printouts water proof and solvent proof.
9. Paper will be flame proof, will not let grease and oil to adhere to it and will be unwrinkled after passing thru a gear or chain drive.
10. Computer will be able to read mechanics mind and give him the page he wants without having to search for it
11. Computerized inventory will always be ACCURATE for both number on hand and location.
12. Computer is able to find and deliver the right part at the machine
Just for fun -
13 computer will install the part and test run the machine and write the maintenance report.
14. While it is doing all above computer will also ensure the mechanic back at shop is in his lounge chair at right temperature and his coffee cup is always at least half full of coffee or tea at his desired temperature.

Dan Bentler

I want one of those computers Dan.

Hmmm. In the real world (Well mine anyway)I store all pdfs downloaded onto my drive on the network server.

This way I can refer to the relevant section and print out the respective pages.

BUT

I really dont think you can beat having a hard copy in your hand, especially ancient parchments that pass for wiring diagrams.

AND

Companies SAY they will buy some laptops.......

If we get this system setup getting laptops here is not a problem.

If we get this system setup getting laptops here is not a problem.

Click to expand...

. . . . . . If

Still there will be times when a paper copy of a wiring diagram will be priceless. When a storm or flood hits, when the power is out, when the lights are off and work is done by flashlight standing in 2" of water, give me a paper manual.

Maybe those things don't happen here in the modern world. But I once worked for FEMA, sad to say, and working after a tornado is difficult using a laptop.

I think computer back ups are great, I wouldn't count on them for day to day activities though. What if you lose your network? I don't think my guys would like having to go over and log into a PC just to look at the manuals. The option to reprint a manual when the other looks like an 10 year old newspaper would be priceless though.

PDF is KING

Paperless is Priceless.

1. All new work should be documented electronically.
2. Any old work (paper) (take the prints to Kinkos, and get PDFs)

You can have 1 or 1,000 computers in you facility ready to go at time of crisis. With a PDF or DWG you can ZOOM in to a detail.

You can instantly send entire sets of drawings, or merely a snapshot of a small protion of a drawing to a peer, a supplier, a vendor, or a customer.

Think of CD's, e-mail, thumb drives, FTP, WWW, ... Can't be done with paper.

If you change something at 2:00am, you can update the drawing and your peers can have the change in thier "In-Box" at 8:00 am when they arrive, in Amsterdam, Tokoy, Berlin, and Atlanta GA.

If you are old school, print it out and write all over it. But, please scan-it, and upload for your peers.

Thanks

leitmotif said:

I think paperless would be great ASSUMING
1. All are comfortable and competent with computer
2. All have equal access
3. Manufacturers supply manuals in both PDF and printed version (for backup)
4. Parts lists are in a separate file and each item listed and findable separately.
5. Multiple computers throughout plant no farther apart than 1/4 mile to allow mechanics rapid access to manuals
6. Each location able to print out desired print or page
7. Prints can be on paper up to 24 x 24 so you do not need magnifying glass.
8. Ink on printouts water proof and solvent proof.
9. Paper will be flame proof, will not let grease and oil to adhere to it and will be unwrinkled after passing thru a gear or chain drive.
10. Computer will be able to read mechanics mind and give him the page he wants without having to search for it
11. Computerized inventory will always be ACCURATE for both number on hand and location.
12. Computer is able to find and deliver the right part at the machine
Just for fun -
13 computer will install the part and test run the machine and write the maintenance report.
14. While it is doing all above computer will also ensure the mechanic back at shop is in his lounge chair at right temperature and his coffee cup is always at least half full of coffee or tea at his desired temperature.

Dan Bentler

Click to expand...

I find this hilarious!!
Made me laugh out loud (got some weird looks too from people near by.... oh well)

All this talk about paperless is all well and good. But you still need the paper.
When you’re slopping around in the mud out in the oil patch a computer just isn’t going to get it.
Besides the paper will help you out in a pinch when there is no moonlight.

Paperless maintenance since 1983.
CAD/CAEE puts web-site address to data base. In Circuit Diagrams, Lay-Outs etc. have links to database, so I can go to manuf. web-site from Ciruit Diagram etc.
CAEE initiates XREF for "everything" when project is selected, it works as web prowser.
I use equipment only from web-world, so .PDF copyes not needed in "my computer", they are allready in the Internet.

I think paperless is a great way to go! BUT

Ok yes paperless is a great way to go for maintenance. First any electrical schematic should be stored in the panel enclosure. And when it comes to p.m's the lead man should print them out from each department and then file and fill in all information from the worksheet. then fill it in just one folder as p.m. done. I have been building custom machinery for 18 years now and i always (even back then put all schematics and drawings on a floppy back then and now burn to a cd) and even in some cases the project engineers only want an electonic copy sent via e-mail. But there are certain circumstances that you need to write down trouble shooting problems and solves. But that can also be stored electronically. And if a work order comes in you pull up the folder on that paticular machine and print out the last known fix for the particular problem you are having. But then again you have to remember that i am a controls specialist and wont let a vendor give me a catalog because i can look it up faster online. So when it somes to someone that does not work with computers for a living it might be easier for them to go to a file cabinet and pull out paper copies of everything. It all depends on the skill level of the maintanence crew and if you put the right lead person in charge. I wish you luck and have a great day.

Randy

I am really impressed with the Device Viewer on Endress and Hauser's website. Type in the serial number for your instrument and it gives you all of the relevant documentation, spares lists, current availability and supporting downloads (DTM's, GSD files etc.). It is so good that I wouldnt dream of looking for a paper manual though I will print the specific pages I am interested in.