Explore every episode of the podcast In Conversation with MRO

In this episode, we speak with Mark Sherling, President and CEO, at Tero Consulting Ltd., about computerized maintenance management software, or as it’s more commonly known, CMMS.

Topics covered are the current state of CMMS, benefits of CMMS, reasons cited for note using CMMS, how CMMS can help the bottom line, case studies, the pandemics effect on CMMS, and more.

GUEST: Dr. Rafiq Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta.

TOPIC: In part two of our conversation with Dr. Ahmad, he discusses the research process that has been ongoing at the University of Alberta, which aims to support the Canadian market with a speedy, automated, portable, and affordable large-scale additive manufacturing technology to help protect the environment by using recycled plastics, called LAVA 3D.

 According to Dr. Ahmad, LAVA 3D will be compatible to work with virgin material and multi-material 3D printing, for strength-to-requirements, to support resource-based industries in Canada. The proposed faster rate of polymer additive manufacturing process will support the growing need for mass-production of PPE components during the pandemic, e.g. personal protective respirators. 

GUEST: Dr. Rafiq Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta.

TOPIC: The development of PROPOS (personal protective respirator) by Dr. Ahmad and his team at the Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing, Design and Automation (LIMDA), University of Alberta, and the role that additive manufacturing has played in the fight against COVID-19.

We speak with Kevin Wright, Country Manager, igus Canada Inc., about the importance of plastic products in maintenance, reliability, and operations. A major focuses are bearings and cables.

In this episode, Steve Richmond speaks about the benefits of 5G expansion for MRO, including the advantages, obstacles, and approaches needed. He looks at what industries are prepared for 5G, what approaches are needed for cyber security, impact on CMMS, costs to implement the technology, and impacts of 5G.

In part one, James describes maintenance management techniques, how IIOT is changing how maintenance is managed, and where it is taking predictive maintenance. As well as sharing stories about his experiences with maintenance.

Shawn discusses how to get employees to buy into a safety culture, how important it is to change habits, things that need to be done to make a company as safe as possible, as well as going over success stories.

In this episode, Greeman, speaks about her role as President and how they pivoted during the ongoing global pandemic. She speaks about her journey in establishing Greeman Asset Management Solutions, and the successes she has achieved over the years. She also speaks about barriers she faced as she started out in the asset management world, and how she overcame these barriers. She speaks about the gender-related challenges she faced as a female working in a male-dominant field, and also the support she received in return. In this episode, Greeman gives advice to all females who are looking to advance leadership positions and senior roles, and how to overcome biases and barriers they might face.

Guest Martha Myers, from MaRTHA Myers Consulting, speaks to the importance of networking and education within the maintenance world. Topics covered include: virtual events including PEMAC's Maintrain conference and their importance; the Maintenance Management Professional Program and who would benefit from taking it; reliability culture; root cause analysis; and much more.

Scott speaks about how TMMC plants are using robots, from autonomous to automated, and how maintenance is done on them. He discusses how the maintenance process is done at TMMC, and what technologies are utilized. How TMMC is environmentally friendly, and initiatives it has put into place are also highlighted.

Doc speaks about the importance of scheduling and planning of maintenance. He shares stories about what he has seen, how IIoT is changing how scheduling is done, and how companies can improve their scheduling and planning. COVID-19, do's and don'ts, tips and techniques, and why companies neglect planning and scheduling are also covered.

In part two, James speaks about the importance of reliability when managing machinery and equipment. He also speaks to how companies can improve their maintenance, why some companies have a hard time achieving reliability, do’s and don’t’s of reliability, how reliability goes beyond maintenance, and how analytical methods are important for reliability.