What is technical asset management?
It is the systematic process of taking care of an asset throughout its life cycle. That is, from its acquisition, through its operation, maintenance, renewal up to disposal. Well-implemented asset management improves the quality of service from the perspective of asset users and reduces the risks arising from asset failures and unwanted downtime. It is a systematic way of working with assets, aimed at the long-term sustainability. The basic principles of asset management described here apply primarily to physical assets such as equipment, devices, appliances, machinery, tools, buildings, other infrastructure, and fixed assets. The principles may also apply to certain types of intangible assets (e.g. licences, software). A completely separate chapter is the management of financial assets, which is governed and managed quite differently.
What does effective technical asset management involve?
- Good asset information (technical asset register)
- Asset maintenance planning
- Performing of asset maintenance
- Resolving emergency situations
- Provision of support services and processes
Information required for asset management
Good asset management cannot do without good information on which to base decision-making and management. Quality information is therefore an essential basis for good asset management. If decision-making is based on poor information, management cannot be of good quality. A quality asset information base is also a prerequisite and critical point for any process automation and elimination of paperwork.
There are many types of asset information and all of them have their importance. It is good to know why we have assets, how and when they were acquired. To have information of the supplier and to the warranty. It is also important to have information on the current condition of the asset. Where it is, who has it. Is the asset fulfilling its purpose? Is it meeting the expectations and needs of the organization? What do users require in the future? What is required by legislation (regulation)? Is it being met and how? What are we doing to maintain and improve the asset? Information about the asset can be divided into the following headings:
How and when the asset was acquired
- When it was acquired, warranty period
- The documents relating to the acquisition of the asset (quotations, tenders, purchase contract, handover or installation report, etc.)
- Warranty information and conditions of use (manuals, instructions for the use of the warranty, etc.)
- Reasons for acquisition, purpose of acquisition - why we have the asset
What is the condition of the asset
- What is the current condition of the asset
- Where the asset is located or who it is assigned to
- How much useful life is left
How critical is the asset to our organization?
- Is the asset critical to the organization?
- What happens when it fails? What are the consequences of failure? What is the probability of failure?
- What are the costs of repair and remediation?
What is the required level of quality of the asset (Level of Service)
- What do customers and users require
- What is required by legislation and other regulations
- Does the asset meet the requirements? When does it stop meeting them?
How do I look after the asset, how do I maintain it
- Who is responsible for the maintenance
- What maintenance activities have been carried out on it, what is the history of the asset
- What are the maintenance activities, when was it last serviced
- Are the requirements of the legislation met? (for example mandatory inspections)
When does the asset cease to meet the needs
- When it ceases to meet the needs of users or legal obligations
- Planning for decommissioning and replacement
- When it will need to be decommissioned
Asset maintenance
Maintenance is an important aspect of ensuring an asset remains in a workable and safe condition. This can apply to almost any asset from a handheld electric drill right up to sophisticated technology in a laboratory. Maintenance involves all activities relating to providing an adequate level of service and limiting downtime of that asset. The ultimate goal of maintenance is reliability and safety. But it can and does save valuable time and money from potential breakdowns or failures. Asset maintenance includes inspections, repairs, testing, regular servicing, calibrations, and replacements to ensure that the asset is reusable and fit for purpose, meets requirements and extends its useful life.
Categories of maintenance
Maintenance includes but is not limited to the following activities:
- Cleaning
- Inspection
- Service
- Calibration
- Repair
- Software updating
- Refurbishment
- Performance monitoring
There are two basic types of maintenance
Reactive asset maintenance
- Reactive maintenance effectively means reacting to existing problems, it is the repair and replacement of parts or whole pieces of equipment after a problem occurs after something breaks down.
Preventive, proactive asset maintenance
Preventive asset maintenance means those maintenance activities that are carried out before a problem occurs. It can be planned or predictive (for example, based on sensors or regular monitoring to detect incipient problems) before failure occurs.
Both reactive and preventive asset maintenance require good information.
Keeping an asset maintenance logbook
Record all activities carried out, whether maintenance, inspections or repairs, in an operational logbook. This allows you to keep track of what has been done to the asset, equipment, or machine, what maintenance or repairs have been carried out on the equipment, and who carried them out and when.
Reporting faults, problems and emergency situations
For everything to run smoothly, employees, users or other staff must be able to report problems, faults or other needs.
- Emergencies can occur through neglect of maintenance or simply occur for a variety of reasons through no fault of your own.
- Employees and other workers must be able to report defects or problems on the property
- The asset manager must be able to respond to these situations
- Reporting triggers the processes of solving and eliminating the problem, and subsequently the cause
- The asset manager then has the opportunity to resolve the situation, analyze and evaluate the true (root) causes of the defect and, if possible, prevent a similar emergency situation next time
- Emergency management also requires information support - both to guide work on corrective actions and activities and to gather information about the accident (incident)
How Aptien helps with asset management
Aptien simplifies your asset management processes, solving a large part of your needs in one place and in one environment
- Supports the maintenance of asset information throughout its lifecycle
- Allows reporting of asset defects
- Supports asset maintenance planning and reminders of deadlines
- Enables physical inventory of assets
- Enables paper and digital transfer and receipt of assets
- Facilitate compliance management, monitoring of revisions and obligations