Using asset criticality ranking to make the right maintenance decisions

July 1, 2021
ACR helps focus attention and resources in the right areas, thereby optimizing maintenance costs without compromising plant availability.

Plants rely on a wide variety of assets. Some are mission-critical, i.e., required for production, safety or environmental compliance, while others handle non-crucial functions. This difference in criticality affords an opportunity to prioritize maintenance strategy and optimize maintenance costs.

Thus, many manufacturers perform asset criticality ranking (ACR) or equipment criticality ranking (ECR) and often mark the criticality class in the equipment master of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. However, most organizations carry out this exercise as a sort of mechanical drill and don’t give it proper importance, time and effort. No wonder such companies fail to leverage the exercise to formulate maintenance strategies based on equipment criticality.

ACR involves ranking assets based on a well-structured procedure. An asset gets marks for various parameters, with the consolidated score leading to its classification into a criticality category. Usually, for simplicity, the ranking consists only of A, B and C categories.

To learn more, read "Make Better Maintenance Decisions" from Chemical Processing.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 14, 2025
This paper addresses where leaks commonly occur, leak detection methods, and practical advice for an audit and repair plan. You'll learn why an ongoing leak detection and repair...
April 14, 2025
Here are some things you can do in between formal preventive maintenance visits on your electric screw compressor to extend compressor life and prevent downtime.
April 14, 2025
They cost more than refrigerated dryers. They need more parts and service than refrigerated dryers. They increase demand for compressed air. So when should you use a desiccant...
April 14, 2025
Follow these ten steps for energy savings in your compressed air system.