Sasol Synfuels uses Meridium's Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) software solution to streamline the development and maintaining of equipment maintenance strategies, thereby keeping its facility running consistently, reliably, and profitably. Meridium worked closely with Sasol to adapt Meridium's RCM module to Sasol's existing work processes, creating a solution that was perfectly suited to Synfuels' needs.
With 4,054 SAP maintenance notifications and 9,974 SAP work orders per week attributed to Synfuels, the implementation of an effective asset management strategy for determining which tasks should be performed, when they should be performed and a continuous review of maintenance activities for the identification of future improvements offers significant productivity and efficiency opportunities.
Sasol's early reliability efforts were hampered by work process inefficiencies due in large part to the use of multiple software systems. System users needed to be trained on multiple systems; the systems themselves were cumbersome and discouraged full user adoption; and perhaps most importantly, critical asset information was isolated and not easily shared. Sasol's new work flow process, utilizing Meridium RCM software, offers a more streamlined approach to asset management encouraging full user adoption and broad information exchange.
Using Meridium, Sasol systematically determines dominant failure modes and causes of failure, as well as corresponding consequences of failure, thus enabling the development of a streamlined, cost-effective, efficient and effective equipment strategy.
Once equipment strategies are identified, Sasol uses Meridium to bundle all maintenance tasks that can sensibly be performed at the same time into a single task sheet, which is then seamlessly attached to the corresponding SAP schedule for execution, providing a direct link between the asset strategy and SAP schedules. Once tasks are completed, corresponding SAP data is linked back to Meridium for continuous review and modification providing a continuous improvement loop. (Learn more about improving your own SAP initiative.)
Benefits of the Sasol RCM work process include:
- Encourages rapid and full-user adoption due to system scalability
- Fosters a team environment through a streamlined information exchange between multiple groups
- Provides a holistic view of operations, work processes and work flows
- Promotes ongoing analysis and modification of work processes supporting continuous improvement
- Identifies short and long term improvements
- Eliminates non-value added activities maximizing resources
Meridium RCM provides Sasol with a critical path of integration between SAP and the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of asset strategies contributing to the streamlining of the company's maintenance work processes creating new opportunities for increased manufacturing capacity and increased profitably.
Learn more (Sasol MC 2008 presentation) about maintenance strategies at Sasol Synfuels.
Download our webinar to learn more about Meridium RCM/FMEA.
