This is a brief introduction to the content of my next book called: "Maintenance Technology Management for HVAC Systems".
By Eng. Camilo Botero*
Continuing with the column on maintenance in our profession, started in the previous edition of ACR Latin America, I am finishing the edition of my book: "Technological management of maintenance, for air conditioning systems", which includes the following chapters:
1 What is maintenance
2 Organization of the maintenance department
3 Costs in the maintenance department
4 Programming
5 Preventive maintenance
6 Preventive maintenance by L.E.M. system
7 Preventive Maintenance Manual
8 Preventive maintenance control
9 Maintenance measurement indices
10 Project planning, scheduling, and control
11 Major repairs
12 Maintenance Warehouse
As I have been writing the new edition of the book oriented towards maintenance in air conditioning, I have been able to appreciate how the way in which we did maintenance in the 80's has changed and how it is done today in our systems and equipment for air conditioning.
To start the comparisons (which are almost always odious, but not in this case), at that time there were almost no electronics in the equipment, while today it is one of the most important parts of the operation and maintenance of the equipment and fundamental to achieve energy savings, minimize the cost of operation and mitigate climate change.
Another point in which I have noticed a substantial change is in the field of lubrication; At that time there was lubrication in each shift of operation and the oil and grease machine was carried around all day applying lubrication where it was required, while now, practically all bearings are self-lubricated and sealed, requiring minimal lubrication.
The need for maintenance must be emphasized, but it is undoubted that this alone is not enough, but it is necessary to accompany it with technological management of excellence, and this is explained how to do it in a logical way, through the different chapters, the elements that allow not only to propose and program it but also to determine its costs. organizing warehouses and using the computer as a maintenance tool, all based on ASHRAE Standard 202, in its O&M phase, which defines how to achieve quality assurance of projects throughout their useful life.
The deficient training in the technological management of the personnel who work in the maintenance of the air conditioning systems means that this group, which is fundamental for their proper functioning, often does not adequately meet the objectives defined in terms of compliance with parameters and reliability, without achieving total user satisfaction. Maintenance is a labor-intensive activity, technically and administratively with well-defined competencies, therefore, its suitability in this field must be ensured.
He emphasized that the maintenance work is intensive in competent labor, so the permanent training of the personnel who execute it must be permanent, since the technologies change frequently in the equipment, especially in the control and operation part, mainly by electronics. The maintenance staff must have a great vocation for service, self-denial and great stoicism (Don Guillermo Carvajal said: "With aptitude with p and attitude with c, emphasizing their suitability and commitment, with their function of maintenance").
I have noticed, and my contemporary colleagues can corroborate it, that the structural quality of the equipment has decreased considerably, as it is continuously being damaged by mechanical failures that did not occur in the last century. This increases unscheduled corrective maintenance.
In this case, it is very important to know the warranties that the manufacturer has given for your equipment and whether it is valid or not. Industries, institutions and businesses also tend to have machinery breakdown insurance, which must include air conditioning equipment.
Another very important point for the proper execution of maintenance programs is to have a technical file of all the equipment, the manual of each project, as well as the manual of each equipment, with the cards of the same where all its Operation and Maintenance (O&M) characteristics are clearly written. as well as all the L.E.M. This is a very time-consuming task, without which good maintenance cannot be done.
It is also very important to be able to evaluate the performance of the maintenance department in a quantifiable way; This book exposes an excellent technique for this, which is also very valuable for programming performance and reliability improvements, which requires systematizing a large amount of data and arranging it in graphs for quantification and impact on maintenance quality.
The management of spare parts, whether locally acquired, imported, repaired or manufactured, due to difficulty or cost of acquisition, is approached in a way based on simple mathematical models. In addition, the P.E.R.T or CPM programming is detailed, which was developed in the 50s of the last century and was used in aerospace and military programs in the USA. I used it with excellent results for the assembly of graphic arts machinery plants (10 in total at my expense) and for major repairs and overhauls, where we left the machines better than new, since new technologies were incorporated, for 30% of the cost of importing a new one.
I also used this type of programming in the manufacture of graphic arts machinery in the Metalworking Division of Carvajal S.A., of which I was its Manager. Obviously, nowadays there are excellent project scheduling softwares and everyone uses what suits them best.
I would be grateful to the dear readers for their comments, regarding the approach and content of the book "Technological Management of Maintenance for HVAC Systems", to improve it in the next edition.
* The editor of this prestigious magazine ACR, Duván Chaverra, very kindly offered me to do the dissemination of the book.
