CPD

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Overview

Information Technology (IT) is constantly changing the way we live our lives both professionally and at home. Online banking, broadband internet access, wireless networking and e-mail are becoming the standard along with numerous additional specialist business systems. 

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Background

Information is readily available, processes are becoming automated, making us all more efficient and reducing our everyday costs. Industry, however, has not yet been able to exploit IT as effectively. Although there are some well-developed systems in common use, there are also a few important gaps that leave process operatives struggling with manual paper based systems or ineffective early IT adopted systems, built on technologies from the original advent of IT in the workplace.

There are two well-established types of maintenance management software tools in common use.  The first are CMMS systems such as Maximo or SAP where assets are registered, tasks created and equipment history logged.  The second are work scheduling tools such as the Primavera and Microsoft Project.  These tools have benefited from continual development and refinement over a number of years and are now recognised as a minimum requirement by most companies.  However, these tools alone are not sufficient to allow engineers to develop professional detailed plans essential for reliable, cost effective engineering delivery - iPlan has been developed to resolve this.

There are a small number of shutdown preparation tools that can be used to support detailed engineering preparation but many of them are cumbersome, do not link well with other software, or are limited in functionality.  As a consequence of this, companies are left reliant on a handful of critical, asset knowledgeable staff and lean heavily on scarce resource, using both beyond their core function to compensate.  This is further compounded by poor availability of staff such as Primavera planners, leaving many operating companies highly dependent on the same scarce, migrating resource.

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