Control systems just got more maintenance-friendly

Mike Bacidore says integrated infrastructure could allow remote diagnostics and condition monitoring for asset management with fieldbus connectivity. More...

Keep an eye out for counterfeits

Russ Kratowicz, P.E., CMRP, executive editor, says piracy, fakery and bogusity have become all too common in the maintenance world. More...

PS Files

Former Managing Editor Lisa Towers brings a female perspective to some the industry's most important and controversial topics. More...

How to digitize documents with CMMS

David Berger offers a checklist of information you can manage electronically. More...

Global energy strategies take a walk on the green side

Peter Garforth says investments in renewable energy are outpacing those in fossil fuels. More...

Infrared windows to the wiring

Sheila Kennedy says thermal imaging cameras can see energized electrical equipment without opening cabinets or doors. More...

Are hourly engineers profitable?

In this edition of In the Trenches, Acme considers turning its engineering department into a non-salaried division. More...

Thinking about resurrecting used equipment?

R. Keith Mobley says it's going to take a dose of predictive maintenance to avoid a headache. More...

Educated plant maintenance

Joel Leonard says career and technical education can fill the gap in American school systems. More...

Informed recommendations

Tom Moriarty says better information means better decisions about safety, regulatory compliance and production rates. More...

7 phases to build reliability into a capital project

From initiation to closeout, authorization for expenditure requires design and costing evaluations. More...

11 steps to ensure PdM success

Vibration analysis and condition monitoring are part of a bigger picture. More...

On-the-fly motor phasing

In this installment of What Works, a bindery simplifies maintenance and increases productivity by 20%. More...

When innovation meets regulation

Paul Studebaker argues that government regulation doesn't hinder innovation, but ineffective and irresponsible regulation does. More...

Operators with maintenance in mind

Global Competency Center and high-performance work system give employees the tools they need for high-hazard manufacturing. More...

Smart buildings for the smart grid

Facility uses 60,000 sensors and meters to achieve energy efficiency, water savings and optimized operations. More...

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Podcast Center

From maintenance tunes to industry commentary from our Editor in Chief, the Podcast Center offers a variety of mp3 files for download.

Sep 14, 2010

Feedback: Practical labor rates

I have recently read an article you have written on "wrench time" which was published on the PlantServices.com website.

I found the article very enlightening, and it sparked a couple questions. How do you measure "wrench time" to provide the data to establish your current status? Is it a spot sample approach? How do you measure across different trades?

Would you be able to share the methodology you used to capture the data?

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