Article6 min read Aug 26, 2025Beyond Mechanical Condition Monitoring for the Pulp & Paper IndustryMany producers are reevaluating their maintenance strategy and adopting a more holistic approach, one that integrates machine and process condition monitoring.
Article1 min read Mar 13, 2025Valmet to Supply a High-Capacity Winder to Jingxing Holdings in MalaysiaValmet is to supply an OptiWin Drum two-drum base winder to Jingxing Holdings’ board machine PM 3 in Malaysia. The target of the investment is to have high-capacity winding technology that meets the requirements of the board machine. The start-up of the winder is scheduled for 2026.
Article9 min read Mar 7, 2025Values in Maintenance and Reliability = RESULTS - Part 1Following clear values of reliability and maintenance is crucial for success in your plant or mill.
Article11 min read Sep 24, 2024Values in Maintenance and Reliability = RESULTS - Part 1Maintenance and reliability leader Owe Forsberg presents seven critical values that drive plant performance and cost reduction for operations managers and maintenance professionals. Learn why focusing on reliability first, rather than cost-cutting, delivers sustainable results, and discover proven strategies for implementing effective maintenance processes. From developing systematic approaches to problem-solving and leadership accountability to optimizing workforce productivity through proper scheduling and change management, these field-tested principles help mid-career professionals benchmark their operations, reduce reactive maintenance, and demonstrate measurable ROI to senior leadership while building high-performing maintenance teams.
Article9 min read Jan 29, 2024Want to be Successful? Implement Systems and Seize OpportunitiesHow do you move from being a reactive to a proactive organization in maintenance and reliability?
Article8 min read Nov 27, 2023Making Maintenance and Reliability a Strategic ObjectiveHow do we make reliability and maintenance a strategy instead of a tactical reaction to what is happening?
Article5 min read Sep 7, 20233 Common Mistakes in Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA)Analyzing and eliminating the root cause of a failure is a powerful tool for improving plant reliability. At IDCON, we call this process Root Cause Problem Elimination (RCPE). We find that this term more accurately defines the desired outcome of the process.Â
Article1 min read Jul 10, 2023IDCON Reliability Tip: The Gemba of Reliability and Maintenance Management"Gemba" is a Japanese word meaning the actual place where value is created, or where actions are executed. It includes Gemba walks to the actual place to observe, learn and improve work.
Article1 min read Apr 18, 2023Keeping it Simple - Some Principles of Successful Reliability and Maintenance ManagementJoin reliability and maintenance expert Christer Idhammar for an essential 30-minute webinar on April 20th exploring advanced maintenance management strategies. This second installment in the Keeping it Simple series reveals why understanding root causes drives operational excellence and shares proven methodologies for managing complex maintenance processes. Mid-career operations managers and R&D leads will gain actionable insights into maintenance optimization, process improvement, and leadership approaches that deliver measurable ROI. Perfect for professionals seeking to elevate their technical expertise while building credible presentations for executive stakeholders and advancing their operational management capabilities.
Article5 min read Mar 23, 2023Choosing a Maintenance MethodIn terms of Maintenance Methods, there are three choices for existing equipment. They are Operate to Breakdown, Fixed Time Maintenance, and Condition Based Maintenance. Operate to Breakdown: The equipment is run until it breaks down. Fixed Time Maintenance: The replacement of parts or equipment on a fixed/scheduled frequency. Condition Based Maintenance: The problem is found and fixed at the time when it is discovered. It is a common assumption that Condition Based Maintenance is always the most cost effective. While this is commonly the case, it is not always true.
Article9 min read Mar 14, 2023Steps to Creating a Reliable Manufacturing CultureTo create a reliable manufacturing culture, you first need to agree on what reliability is, the benefits of improving it, and how it will be measured.
Article2 min read Mar 9, 2023How to Document Cost-Effective Maintenance Tasks Part 5: Equipment ListSo, we have completed our Criticality Analysis. What’s next? In Part 5 of this series, we will cover the importance of using an equipment list while performing Preventive Maintenance, how to use the equipment list most effectively, and provide an example and template of a well-organized equipment list.Â
Article1 min read Mar 2, 2023How to Document Cost-Effective Maintenance Tasks Part 4: Criticality AnalysisPart 4 of this series will cover how to decide what PMs we should document first, and typically we do a criticality analysis. As we like to say at IDCON: Keep it simple. It is best to keep the criticality analysis as simple as possible. As with any type of criticality analysis, the formula is Risk x Consequence. The “risk” represents the probability of the failure or breakdown occurring, and the “consequence” could refer to safety, environmental, high cost, lost production, etc.
Article3 min read Feb 16, 2023How to Document Cost-Effective Maintenance Tasks Part 2: The Productivity CirclePart 2 in this series covers how Preventive Maintenance fits into the overall Reliability and Maintenance cycle. Figure 1 shows IDCON’s Productivity Circle which is used to demonstrate the overall partnership between Operations and Maintenance.
Article3 min read Feb 3, 2023Common Mistakes in Root Cause Failure AnalysisTwo common mistakes in RCFA and how to avoid them.
