This article will explain why Mintek’s Transcendent makes a good Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) for Universities.
Why organize University assets using an EAM?
University libraries can tell you at the click of a mouse where a book is, who has it, how long it has been in use, and if anyone is waiting for the resource. Manual index cards systems have been replaced with software programs and barcode technology. Doesn’t it make sense that the same attention be given to other University assets such as laboratory equipment, buildings, fleet vehicles and property? Can your university identify each asset owned or leased, and be able to tell you where it is, what condition it is in, when the last time it was looked at or repaired, the status of the service contract and so on?
“One of the biggest numbers a university has to deal with is the total value of its capital assets capital assets and equipment…. the Texas A & M University system, in a recent public request for proposals, revealed that it was carrying in its asset database over 100,000 items totaling more than $3 billion”.
Source: The Free Library
Even smaller Universities and Colleges can have hundreds of millions of dollars worth of assets. Maintaining an accurate asset database is critical to efficient maintenance management as well as reducing loss from theft and misplacement.
How an EAM/CMMS works
An EAM/CMMS captures asset information from the its initial planning through the assets replacement. The abbreviated process begins by
- Assigning location names to all assets. Location can be a site, a building, a warehouse, or an office etc. Then continuing to drill down into each location with subgroups that help identify the work being performed.
- Name every piece of equipment that is to be maintained. The key is keeping it simple enough so that staff viewing the data on a handheld device knows which piece of equipment is being listed.
- Collect the detail such as vendor information, date purchased, serial number or maintenance history
Once the information is collected and input into an EAM/CMMS works by scheduling all inspections, preventive maintenance and work orders for maximum efficiency. You will now have the capabilities to identify maintenance issues and know where every asset is, its work request and repair history.
The major benefits
The major benefits for Universities include the lengthening of an asset’s lifecycle along with superior capital budgeting as a result of the collection of maintenance history. Other significant benefits include but are not limited to reduced labor costs as a result of proactive maintenance and inspections as well as fewer major repairs and a reduction in theft.
