What is a CMMS engineer, and why should you want to know? More than just four random letters, CMMS might just be the right management software system to bring your business or industry to the next level.
Find out everything there is to know about this progressively key position and why it is essential in the era of modernity to choose the right staff with specific technical skills and knowledge.
What Does CMMS Mean?
CMMS stands for Computerized Maintenance Management System. The CMMS software defines the automated system that tracks your maintenance operations routine, thus making sure you’re always ahead of schedule. It ensures a continuous and sustainable workflow, increases productivity, and helps lighten your maintenance teams’ workload.
In the age where everything has to be done faster, what is a CMMS engineer if not the most powerful ally for business owners?
What is the definition of CMMS engineering?
The Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) engineering is a specialty that incorporates engineering concepts with equipment maintenance. It provides businesses the ability to optimize maintenance procedures and develop machine performance in a profitable way. Learn how doess CMMS work.
With the continuous evolution and innovation of technologies, systems, machines and infrastructure are becoming more and more intricate. It is increasingly essential to apply maintenance engineering practices in order to maintain physical assets operating efficiently and effectively. The main role of maintenance engineers, with their engineering knowledge, is to help increase reliability, maintainability and availability of systems and machines for which they are assigned to.
What does a CMMS engineer do?
The main objective of a CMMS engineer is to ensure the functionality of equipment and industrial machinery. In other words, to minimize production and manufacture interruptions and also, to ensure operational smoothness and reliability. They should be certified and trained to install, support and repair a variety of types of equipment. CMMS engineers often rely on specialized technologies such as SCADA or Remote Telemetry Units (RTU) for monitoring industrial machinery and equipment. These technologies enable them to diagnose machinery failures and prevent potential breakdowns. In doing so, CMMS engineers can then reinstate the defective part of the equipment to its optimal condition.
Considering the type and size of the facility where they work, they may be needed to accomplish certain maintenance tasks attributed to the maintenance technician. Nonetheless, a CMMS engineer and a maintenance technician are two distinctive professions.
CMMS engineers are often involved in strategic decisions (maintenance strategy) because of their specialized training and experience with problem solving cases. Part of the day, they rely on important repairs, installations and examination of critical industrial machinery. As for the rest of the day, they operate as managers and have various responsibilities (enterprise asset management, inventory management). On the other hand, maintenance technicians are the ones responsible for the actual generalized repair and preventive maintenance on the industrial machinery and equipment. They operate a wide range of routine maintenance activities and tasks.
What skills do CMMS engineers need?
With their specific training and knowledge of engineering concepts, CMMS engineers are the specialists of operational machinery. Their skills revolves around:
- Deep and thorough understanding of electrical, electronic systems, plumbing, air conditioning and heating;
- Diagnostics for troubleshooting problems on different types of equipment;
- Blueprints and systems schematic understanding and knowledge;
- Knowledgeable on equipment safety systems and processes;
- Comprehensive knowledge of OSHA and EPA guidelines and standards;
- How to handle and dispose of hazardous materials;
- Knowledgeable on various computer applications and software (CMMS systems).
What are the qualifications to be a CMMS engineer?
In order to become a CMMS engineer, specific qualifications are needed such as:
- Abilities in maths, science and IT;
- Knowledge and comprehension of engineering drawings and their principles;
- Knowledge of health and safety legislation;
- Eyesight and normal colour vision.
As mentioned above, a CMMS engineer also operates as a manager and should possess leadership qualities. The candidate should therefore be able to work quickly under pressure, have the initiative to work individually or as part of a team, have a strong sense of organization and should be able to delegate tasks in order to increase time and efficiency. Precision and accuracy are very important for a CMMS engineer since the smallest detail can turn into costly miscalculations and mistakes.
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