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News Release from: Rockwell Automation
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 17 January 2002
Flexible maintenance contract to spread
costs
Rockwell Automation has signed a three year Inclusive Maintenance Support contract with TRW Automotive's steering systems business in the UK.
Automotive components manufacturer spreads costs with flexible maintenance contract Rockwell Automation has signed a three year Inclusive Maintenance Support (IMS) contract, which includes the supply of a Maximo computerised maintenance management system, with TRW Automotive's steering systems business in the UK The cost of the five-user Maximo system, six days training and 15 days on-site support has been rolled into the IMS package and spread over the full three year term
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Apr 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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The IMS agreement provides 24 hour telephone technical support, an engineer on standby to assist with more complex problems on-site and spare parts supply and management for all TRW's control and automation systems.
Stocks of essential spares are held on-site for immediate use, and replenished within 24 hours from back up stocks held by Rockwell Automation.
The total cost of the package is agreed in advance and spread over the term of the agreement, giving TRW cost certainty and enabling them to budget accurately.
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TRW makes electrically-assisted steering (EAS) systems, used on cars including the new Stilo range from Fiat, and last year Rockwell Automation installed a new automation system for the production line at its factory in Holford, Birmingham.
Based on Allen-Bradley SLC-5/05 PLCs connected by Ethernet to a database running Rockwell Software RSSql, this system enables TRW to view production records via standard web browsers and quickly compile build records for any component.
The existing plant level network, feeding transaction data into a central server, formed an ideal platform for the installation of Maximo.
Rockwell Automation is able to integrate this market leading CMMS into plant-wide Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions under an agreement with the vendor, MRO Software.
Machinery faults, breakdowns and other maintenance related information is entered at any of the Maximo terminals.
The CMMS automatically provides work orders, spare parts requisitions and other information that TRW requires to implement an effective maintenance schedule.
Maintenance records held on Maximo build up to form a complete history of each item of plant, helping to identify problems with particular machines.
The system also maintains an accurate, up-to-date record of spare part stocks and manages the purchasing of replacement spares as parts are used.
Although Maximo does not need to be linked to the plant network, this is possible in future, and would enable the CMMS to automatically collect a range of plant data from the PLCs.
This would reduce the amount of manual data entry into the CMMS, and allow use of the diagnostic capabilities of the PLCs to give early warning of any potential breakdowns.
"The IMS contract provides TRW with complete, fixed price support for its automation systems, and even covers the cost of installation and support of the Maximo system," says Rockwell Automation EAM business consultant Chris Jenkins. Request free introductory details about products from Rockwell Automation ...
"The existing plant control network makes it easy to link the CMMS with the production systems, and this is the first step towards a fully integrated e-manufacturing strategy.".
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