How do you eat a 777-lb predictive maintenance program?

Over the weekend, while many of you were sleeping and some of you were shooting off bottle rockets, a world record fell. The largest burger in the world, a 777-lb monstrosity, was served to Alameda Country Fair goers and Guinness World Records officials in California. The previous record holder, a puny 590-pounder created in Canada, saw its reign come to an end.

While the patty alone weighed enough to break the previous record, the bun and condiments were just as incremental in securing the burger’s heavyweight crown. A 28-in.-thick bun accounted for 110 lb, while 30 lb of lettuce, 12 lb of pickles and 20 lb of onions tipped the scales. Now that’s a burger worthy of any cookout. You can get a view of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9XOlUyxb-o.

Similar to this 1.3-million-calorie creation, predictive maintenance is a giant undertaking that requires just the right mix of tools to be successful. Infrared imaging, vibration analysis, condition monitoring, oil analysis, and ultrasonic detection all are important parts of a PdM program that makes best use of data to predict when maintenance should be performed at an industrial plant.

The journey to predictive maintenance can take time for an organization, depending on where you’re at now, but don’t think your program is complete until you’ve added all the necessary condiments.