Take Your Fluid Analysis On The Go

The need and desire for people to have access to information continues to be in demand for many industries – and predictive maintenance is one of them. Utilizing HORIZON®, POLARIS Laboratories® program and data management system, creates viable solutions for saving time and equipment. HORIZON can be accessed with personal computers and mobile devices, including tablets and smart phones.  The application is compatible with Apple and Android devices.

Take Your Fluid Analysis On The Go

The features and benefits of HORIZON mobile allows you to perform fluid analysis-related tasks and manage your program in the field:

-Remotely submit sample information

-Utilize management reports

-Receive sample status alerts

-See faster total turnaround time (TAT) for sample results

-Quickly review previous sample reports and specific recommendations

The mobile application’s best benefit is the ability to submit sample information remotely. This can be performed while the user is performing routine maintenance and sampling – right at the component. This results in fewer errors and time savings. Submitting samples online also moves your sample to the front of the laboratory testing queue, expediting your turnaround time – getting you your results faster.

What’s New in the App

Download or update your app to experience the latest added feature: component transfer. The mobile app now

allows you to transfer components between pieces of equipment – letting you manage your

equipment faster and easier.

 

Going Mobile

From mobile banking to meal delivery to staying connected with your friends and peers, our lives are becoming more and more connected through mobile apps and devices – so it only makes sense to take your predictive maintenance program mobile, too. HORIZON mobile app can improve your ROI, lower your maintenance costs and it is a free service when you partner with POLARIS Laboratories® for your fluid analysis services.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you. 

Published  January 29, 2019

 

Equipment Reliability: How to Ensure Your Success

The Number One Objective

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) defines reliability as:

The probability that a product, system or service will perform its intended function adequately for a specified period of time, or will operate in a defined environment without failure.

Equipment reliability is the number one objective of any predictive maintenance program, but often times programs are started without completing the first, most important step – know the age and performance of the equipment you have.

Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse

Often preventive maintenance programs are kicked off without having enough asset knowledge to be successful. As they say, “don’t put the cart before the horse.” Before you launch your program, it’s important to:

  1. Survey | Take inventory of all of mechanical components you own.
  2. Organize | Make sure that they are cataloged in a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) or other organized system.
  3. Rank | Put together a team to rank the criticality of the equipment.

Criticality rankings can be based on a number of different criteria. There is no one right way to do it, but the important thing to keep in mind when assessing criticality is risk – primarily safety, quality, and cost. For example, at POLARIS Laboratories®, we have a preventive maintenance schedule for all of our laboratory instruments, but if our air circulation system experiences downtime then none of those instruments can be operated. It’s a piece of equipment that is often taken for granted, but the risk associated with any downtime is catastrophic and impacts safety and cost.

Once you know what equipment you have and how critical it is to operations, then you can start to assess your fluid analysis program and other predictive tools.

Are you getting the right testing?

If the cost of failure for a specific asset is high, it might be worthwhile to pay for more advanced testing or do analytical ferrography routinely. If the cost is low, you may be able to reduce the sample frequency of some of your equipment. We often talk about preventive maintenance optimization – talk to POLARIS Laboratories® about how we can help you optimize your predictive maintenance intervals.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you. 

Published  January 22, 2019

Making a Difference in the Transportation Industry

There are numerous elements that go into a fluid analysis program achieving operational efficiency and program success. For the transportation industry, that could be compliance with consistent sampling, seeing the return on investment, saving on fleet maintenance costs or gaining buy-in from leadership. But, what really makes the difference for a transportation company when participating in a fluid analysis program is a program champion. A transportation company could have anywhere from just one single maintenance facility handling all samples, to more than 100 locations. The program champion provides effective communication, ownership and consistency – all affecting the success of the program.

Communication | managing all shop or facility managers can be time consuming – the program champion makes certain that any updates, changes, etc. are communicated properly to the appropriate people.

Ownership | having one individual own the fluid analysis program helps the program stay compliant

Consistency | the program champion ensures everyone is on the same page and is meeting compliance goals

A program champion who communicates effectively, owns the fluid analysis program and consistently checks in to see if the team is meeting their compliance goals, will lead their teams to the ultimate goal: success of the fluid analysis program.

What does it take to be a program champion? Check out our checklist:

 

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you. 

Published  January 15, 2019