James Kovacevic

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So far James Kovacevic has created 161 blog entries.

Operating at Peak Inherent Capability

Why You Cannot Operate Above the Inherent Capability Sustainably

I recently had the opportunity to teach a Body of Knowledge course, which was full of great questions from the students. One of the questions was about inherent vs. actual availability. This had me thinking about the choice that organizations make on how they choose to run their business and more importantly, their resources.

There are many times when a resource is operated at Peak Inherent capability, with the intention of getting the […]

By |2019-04-19T15:49:16-04:00April 2nd, 2018|Business R&M Strategy|1 Comment

The Moving Target of Excellence

Why the End of the Maintenance & Reliability Journey Is Never Over

dartboard target aim goal achievement concept

I am often asked, what is the benchmark for a particular KPI.  At first, I would quickly answer the target from the SMRP Best Practices Guide.   Depending on the organization and the maturity, I would either see their faces light up or see them shut down.   If they shut down, what momentum was present, quickly vanished.  If they were meeting the target (and the KPI and supporting data checked out), […]

By |2019-04-19T15:49:17-04:00March 12th, 2018|Business R&M Strategy, Key Performance Indicators, Performance Management|Comments Off on The Moving Target of Excellence

A Review of Proper Grease Gun Use

Preventing Contamination During Lubrication

I can remember the first time I was told to grease a bearing.  I ask the millwright “How do I know when there is enough grease?”.  He responded, ” When you see it come out of the sides of the bearing”…  How many of you had this same experience?

During this brief instruction, there was no mention of selecting the right grease, preventing contamination, etc.  So, with this experience in mind, I wanted to provide what I believe […]

By |2019-04-19T15:49:17-04:00March 5th, 2018|Equipment Strategy|Comments Off on A Review of Proper Grease Gun Use

The 9 Indicators of an Effective Lubrication Program

Understanding the Key Components of an Effective Lubrication Program

Lubrication is often overlooked in organizations.  Why it is overlooked, I am unsure.  Maybe it is because it is considered to be a basic job, given to the apprentice, or it is just too simple to not to do it correctly.

However, with a focus on lubrication, many failure mechanisms can be reduced and the equipment life prolonged.  But implementing an effective and world-class lubrication program is not simple.  It requires a dedicated focus to implement […]

By |2019-04-19T15:49:18-04:00February 26th, 2018|Equipment Strategy|Comments Off on The 9 Indicators of an Effective Lubrication Program

Who Owns Equipment Reliability?

Why maintenance performance alone will not deliver sustainable performance

More than once or twice, I have heard, if we just got the maintenance department sorted out, our OEE would increase.  I have heard this coming from not only operations and management, but also maintenance staff.   While it is true that how effective and efficient the maintenance department is will have a direct impact on the operation’s performance, it is not maintenance alone that will enable success.

By |2019-04-19T15:49:18-04:00February 19th, 2018|Asset Management, Organizational Management|1 Comment