TRM Resource Library
Thought leadership on Maximo Configuration, Maximo in the Cloud, and Maintenance & Reliability best practices.
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Maximo Cloud and Security
Watson Studio Essentials: Data Preparation Strategies & AutoAI Advancements
This article describes the first few steps a person will take when using existing data sets and preparing them for use in AI/ML forecasting and anomaly detection. It introduces the reader to IBM Watson Studio by way of a problem statement and sample equipment data.
TRM High Security Cloud and its Relation to NERC CIP and NIST CSF
It is important to understand what some of the cybersecurity standards and requirements are and how they may impact your adoption of cloud environments for your software solutions.
To FedRAMP or Not to FedRAMP. It’s More Than a Single Question.
One significant decision an organization must make when moving their software tools and solutions to the cloud is the level of security that is required. The first thought is that the highest and most restrictive environments are desired. But the real question remains what is truly required?
Is your on-premises Maximo environment too complex for a Cloud deployment?
John Q. ToddSr. Business Consultant/Product Researcher Total Resource Management (TRM), Inc. The honest answer to this question is:...
Making Sense of NIST & Cybersecurity Requirements for Maximo
It’s all about managing cybersecurity risk. No matter if your computing systems are in an on-premises data center, out in the cloud, or down in a mine shaft somewhere, protecting your data and intellectual property from those who wish to nefariously benefit from it is your mission. Managing the risk of intrusion requires a strategy, a framework, and a significant list of tactical activities to keep the baddies away.
TRM RulesManager in a Low Code / No Code World
John Q. Todd
Sr Business Consultant/Product Researcher
Total Resource Management, Inc.
TRM RulesManager has helped Maximo clients across industries worldwide develop standardized, repeatable, and maintainable business logic. See how Rules can help.
Maximo Configuration
Right Sizing Red Hat OpenShift Environment for MAS
By evaluating the type of system you are constructing and selecting the MAS components that your are implementing you will be able to accurately size your environment which now runs as containerized applications under Red Hat OpenShift.
Watson Studio Essentials: Data Preparation Strategies & AutoAI Advancements
This article describes the first few steps a person will take when using existing data sets and preparing them for use in AI/ML forecasting and anomaly detection. It introduces the reader to IBM Watson Studio by way of a problem statement and sample equipment data.
Accessing IBM db2 in an OpenShift Cluster
John Q. Todd Sr. Business Consultant/Product Researcher Total Resource Management (TRM), Inc. Andrew MahenDirector, Product...
Exploring the MAS Administration API
John Q. Todd Sr. Business Consultant/Product Researcher Total Resource Management (TRM), Inc. Maximo has had a published API for many...
Your business is only as healthy as your equipment
John Q. ToddSr. Business Consultant/Product Researcher Total Resource Management (TRM), Inc. We have all seen it or done it before....
The AI ChatBot Phenomenon
This article is going to look at several elements of the TRM Omni Assistant, of which is an AI-driven ChatBot, to illustrate how adopting this technology may help your work teams be more efficient. Our goal is to put information in the hands of our work teams with as little effort on their part as possible.
Leadership in Maintenance
Defining Production Downtime
In manufacturing the term “production downtime” is often met with a sense of urgency and concern. It represents periods when production halts, directly impacting a company’s operational efficiency and profitability.
Maintenance Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
Tor Idhammar
President & CEO, IDCON, Inc. Reliability and Maintenance Consultant
IDCON is an Independent Subsidiary of TRM, Inc.
Measuring things that get done correctly and the results of this effort is an essential part of successful management, and is in your company’s best interests.
What Is and How to Use Anomaly Detection
Anomaly detection (AD) is the art of discovering data points in a data set that deviate from what is considered normal or expected. Let’s try an example. Look at the chart below and ask a couple of questions: What appears to be the normal, or expected value for each day of the 16-day process? What appears to be the significant excursion(s) from that normal?
What is Asset Performance Management (APM)?
While the definition of APM may vary from one organization to another, there are several foundational elements that need to be considered to start down this path. APM is not a product nor even a framework but rather describes a set of activities that we have been doing to some degree or another for quite some time. Of course, there are software and other tools that can provide the necessary features and functions you need to “do,” APM.
Moving from Software Validation to Assurance: CSV vs. CSA
The FDA has recognized that the degree of effort and documentation required to maintain validated systems has been standing in the way of industry adopting software tools …and has made a course change.
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework Applies to You!
It is crucial that the organization be aware of the cybersecurity rules, requirements, and regulations that they must follow. Audit results/findings and potential penalties can reach into the millions of dollars that would be better spent elsewhere.
Planning & Scheduling
Defining Production Downtime
In manufacturing the term “production downtime” is often met with a sense of urgency and concern. It represents periods when production halts, directly impacting a company’s operational efficiency and profitability.
Small Jobs in Maintenance – Top Tips
Every maintenance professional should strive to rise above reactivity. Effective planning and scheduling are critical components to rising out of reactivity, aka the Circle of Despair. If you are reading this, you probably already know why maintenance planning is important. But there’s a certain category of maintenance jobs known as “small jobs” which meet four criteria. This type of job is managed instead of planned and as such they do not need to go through the formal planning process.
Planning and Scheduling Mistakes to Avoid
Owe Forsberg
VP of IDCON Inc., an Independent Subsidiary of TRM.
If you don’t know by now, the maintenance planning and scheduling process is integral to reliability in industrial and facilities management. Over my 30 years in industry, I have seen a lot of mistakes in the managing of these interconnected processes. I’m detailing the most common planning and scheduling mistakes to avoid (of course, there are many more).
What’s The Difference Between Maintenance Planning and Scheduling?
Maintenance planning and scheduling are two key elements of the total “Maintenance Work Management Process”. The planning and scheduling maintenance work is typically broken into three different work processes.
Business Processes Vs Reality – What They Are and How to Improve Them
There’s a difference between business processes and reality but they can become one in the same with some guidance and knowledge of industry best practices. A simple high-level view of any business or work process makes great leaps towards helping the team understand what they’re supposed to be doing and more importantly, why. Diagrams that define who is involved, what the inputs are, what the high-level steps of the process are, and its output are invaluable. A commonly used process tool for this effort is a SIPOC
Risk Based Work Selection for Shutdown or Turnarounds – An Effective Method
Owe Forsberg
CMRP, CAMA, VP of IDCON, Inc.
an Independent Subsidiary of TRM, Inc.
Part 2 introduces you to Risk Based Work Selection for shutdown or turnarounds. This technique ensures that you’re working on the right maintenance jobs.
Preventive Maintenance
Are You Making the Most of S/4HANA Asset Management?
Take an overview look at the new developments of SAP S/4HANNA Asset Management including: Phased Maintenance, Simplified Emergency Maintenance, Checklist Processes and Standard Resource Scheduling among others.
Predictive Run to Failure – It Is What You Think!
Effective understanding of the health of your equipment and prediction of what its future looks like is based on detecting anomalies sooner and being able to make real time decisions based on those anomalies.
TRM Joins Aspen Technology’s Partner Program to Support Customers’ Asset Performance Management and Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Initiatives
TRM joins with Aspen Mtell to empower organizations to enhance asset performance through industrial artificial intelligence and machine learning along with other monitoring technologies.
Defining Production Downtime
In manufacturing the term “production downtime” is often met with a sense of urgency and concern. It represents periods when production halts, directly impacting a company’s operational efficiency and profitability.
Industrial Maintenance
Industrial maintenance is a comprehensive process crucial to the reliable operation of various industrial plants, mines, and mills. It extends beyond simple repairs, involving a systematic approach to condition monitoring, fixed time maintenance, and corrective maintenance approaches for industrial equipment.
Add This Important Tool to your Predictive Maintenance Approach: Aspen Mtell
A key element of any approach to asset performance management (APM) are the tools to make use of the vast amounts of operational data coming from actual equipment sensors. Aspen Mtell is one of those tools that uses machine learning algorithms to analyze the data and generate credible alerts to impending failures.
Root Cause
Defining Production Downtime
In manufacturing the term “production downtime” is often met with a sense of urgency and concern. It represents periods when production halts, directly impacting a company’s operational efficiency and profitability.
RCFA Problem Statements, Avoid These Mistakes!
RCFA problem statements are key to solving the right problem at your plant but sometimes the problem statement that we write down isn’t a fact. We pick something that’s not quite true. It’s a little bit off, and that makes our root cause very long. Sometimes we miss the root cause altogether because it’s wrong.
Techniques for Root Cause Analysis – Broken Parts
Creating a culture of saving parts in your organization can be very beneficial. There are 168 hours in a week, you’re there for 40 hours (maybe 60 on a bad week). Even with all of that time on site, chances are that you won’t be there when something breaks. Because of this, saving parts and making sure they are bagged and tagged correctly is very important.
How Do I Write a Problem Statement? Common RCFA Mistakes: Part I
One of the most common RFCA mistakes is that we write way too much for a Problem Statement. We tend to want to write everything that happened and everything we know. This makes it very confusing for the people who are tasked with solving the problem.
Better Maintenance Decisions with Reliability Tools – FMECA
Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) has been a secret weapon in the arsenal of the Reliability Engineer for many...
Reliability in Maintenance Series: Understanding Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD)
Bring Time-tested Reliability Tools to Bear on Maintenance Problems Reliability Block Diagrams have been around for a very long time,...
Technical Equipment
Are You Making the Most of S/4HANA Asset Management?
Take an overview look at the new developments of SAP S/4HANNA Asset Management including: Phased Maintenance, Simplified Emergency Maintenance, Checklist Processes and Standard Resource Scheduling among others.
Predictive Run to Failure – It Is What You Think!
Effective understanding of the health of your equipment and prediction of what its future looks like is based on detecting anomalies sooner and being able to make real time decisions based on those anomalies.
Right Sizing Red Hat OpenShift Environment for MAS
By evaluating the type of system you are constructing and selecting the MAS components that your are implementing you will be able to accurately size your environment which now runs as containerized applications under Red Hat OpenShift.
You’re Doing it Wrong! Checking Bearings
Owe Forsberg
CMRP, CAMA, VP of IDCON, Inc.
an Independent Subsidiary of TRM, Inc.
Checking bearings to detect early signs of failure is an excellent way to extend the life of equipment, check out this video for the right tools and methods.
Unusual Condition Monitoring Tools
Christer Idhammar
Founder of IDCON, Inc. Reliability and Maintenance Guru
IDCON is an Independent Subsidiary of TRM, Inc.
When you are performing condition monitoring tasks, don’t just rely on expensive condition monitoring tools, some unusual and simple tools can be used.
What is Maximo EAM and How Does It Work?
The intention of this article is to introduce you to what Maximo (and Manage) are all about. We are assuming that you know nothing...
Materials Management
Industrial Maintenance
Industrial maintenance is a comprehensive process crucial to the reliable operation of various industrial plants, mines, and mills. It extends beyond simple repairs, involving a systematic approach to condition monitoring, fixed time maintenance, and corrective maintenance approaches for industrial equipment.
Using P&ID Diagrams to Establish Location and Asset Hierarchies
Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) are foundational documents that give engineering, operations, and maintenance staff insight into the elements, interconnections, and relationships a system may have. As with any architectural type of diagram, they have a language of their own that a person needs to have at least a basic understanding of to get the most out of them.
Innovation, Through Standards, Leads to Ubiquity. A Good Thing!
John Q. ToddSr. Business Consultant/Product Researcher Total Resource Management (TRM), Inc. Everyone loves innovation. So...
Establishing Your Organizations, Sites, and Sets
John Q. Todd
Sr Business Consultant/Product Researcher
Total Resource Management, Inc.
Understanding early warning signals and tools with built-in analysis logic in the Digital Transformation process
Leveraging Maximo for Inventory Management
Do we really have to talk about this? Maximo has had Inventory Management functionality for many, many years. Not only is the...
What is Maximo EAM and How Does It Work?
The intention of this article is to introduce you to what Maximo (and Manage) are all about. We are assuming that you know nothing...
SAP S / 4HANA
Are You Making the Most of S/4HANA Asset Management?
Take an overview look at the new developments of SAP S/4HANNA Asset Management including: Phased Maintenance, Simplified Emergency Maintenance, Checklist Processes and Standard Resource Scheduling among others.
TRM Unveils SAP Asset and Service Management Consulting Practice, Offering Advanced SAP S/4HANA Solutions
The addition of our SAP practice extends our ability to deliver the most advanced and impactful technologies for asset management and operational excellence.
Working with SAP Master and Transactional Data
No matter which module of SAP you are working with, there are master and transactional data sets that you must consider as you are making changes to an existing system, migrating from one system to another, or standing up a new system altogether.
Want to know more?
Contact us to speak with a cybersecurity expert to learn more about TRM’s High Security Cloud solutions.