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Settings

Creating a Component Location

A component location is a placeholder for a component in the asset hierarchy. It represents the physical location or position for a component (for example, a frame or housing unit for a motor or the location of a pump on a pumping system).
In APM, you must identify the location as an asset in order to install and remove components. APM tracks the installation history of all components that have been installed in a location and vice versa. You can trigger work for a location (if you want the work to be done no matter what component is installed at the time the work is triggered), and you can also track work orders and indicator reading trends for the location.
Component structures (components installed in locations) in APM can be simple or complex. A simple structure has one location into which one component is installed. It could have one or more spares on hand in case the first one fails to function at the expected level. An assembly in APM requires a component to be set up with sub-components. The locations into which the sub-components are installed must match in number and type.

To Create a Component Location

1.
From the Site window, select the Assets view and then the Physical Hierarchy tab.
2.
Right-click the parent asset in the hierarchy and click New Child.
Tip: When you create assets from the hierarchy, APM automatically fills in the parent information. You can also add assets from the Listing tab by clicking New. With this method, you must add the parent asset information.
The Asset window opens, showing the Properties view, General tab. For example:
Note: The CMMS tab appears in the Asset window when the Work Management Integration module is licensed and activated. For information, see the guide for the APM CMMS Integration plug-in you are using.
3.
On the General tab, identify the asset:
Setting Name
Description
Asset number
The number used to identify the asset. When you create an asset, APM automatically enters a unique asset number, but you can change it if necessary. Each asset must have a unique number not more than 50 characters long. If this box is left blank or if the number is not unique, an error message appears.
Name
A concise description of the asset will be displayed throughout the system to identify the asset. Maximum 100 characters.
Bar code
If your organization uses bar codes to identify employees, assets, indicators, or areas, enter the bar code here. The number must be unique for all objects that support bar codes. For example, an employee’s bar code might be his employee number with the prefix “E”.
Serial Number
The serial number for this asset or resource. You can enter up to 50 characters.
Type
Select an asset type that has the classification “Component Location”.
Asset types are groups of settings that define the characteristics of your organization’s assets. For example, you might create asset types called “pumps” or “piping and valves.” The asset type contains basic information, policies, and permissions, such as whether or not standard jobs can be created for assets of the type. When you create an asset in APM, you must specify an asset type, which then determines the information and functionality available for the asset.
Note: When the type is selected for an asset, the number of tabs displayed changes based on the type’s settings and classification. For component locations, the Component tab is added the Genera tab, which allows you to install a component.
Subtype
If the asset type specifies that one or more default subtypes are available for the asset, they are shown in these boxes. If more than one subtype is available, you can change the default selections. The asset type can allow as many as three subtypes.
A tab for each subtype is added to the asset’s Properties view, where you can enter additional information about the asset.
Note: When a component asset is installed in a component location, the component’s Asset window, Properties view contains a Location - asset# tab that displays the specification tabs for the location’s subtypes. Similarly, the component location’s Asset window, Properties view displays a Component - asset# tab so that you can view the specifications for the component’s subtypes.
4.
In the Classification area, provide the following information:
Setting Name
Description
Classification
“Component Location” is entered automatically based on the asset type. If the asset type is used for multiple classifications of assets, a list is available so that you can select the appropriate classification.
Tip: Typically for components and locations, one asset type is set up that allows the classification to be changed. In this way, both the component and its location can have the same asset type, thereby reducing the number of required asset types. On installation of a component, you can also enforce matching of the asset types.
Consequence priority
The asset’s consequence priority number is typically the result of asset prioritization analysis, although it can be set manually. Consequence priorities are often used when sorting and analyzing the work backlog for scheduling or when analyzing asset failure information. APM also uses consequence priorities to determine whether or not to push indicator alarms up the physical hierarchy so that they will be visible on higher levels in the indicator monitoring panel.
Warning: The ranking number assigned to consequence priorities is also used to calculate alarm notification rankings for indicator alarms. If you do not select a priority setting for an asset, alarm notifications might not be pushed up the hierarchy to be displayed on a parent asset. This can affect the display of the alarm in the site’s Inspection Management view.
Status
Asset status represents the operational state of an asset and whether or not it is available for use. APM uses the status of an asset to determine whether or not work is triggered and whether or not components are available for installation. Sites can also use statuses, but these statuses are specific to sites and cannot be used for assets.
Status is particularly important for components because it reflects a component’s repair and availability status. For example, when a component is out of service, the status can also indicate whether the component is a spare and available for use, is in the shop for repair, is out for vendor repair, or has been scrapped.
When you change the status of a parent asset, the statuses of its children are also changed (provided the previous statuses of the assets were the same).
Asset condition
Asset condition is typically the result of asset condition analysis, although it can be set manually.
Priority and condition group
The group name and icon indicates the result of the asset’s prioritization and condition analyses. For example, the Red group could identify assets with high priority and poor condition.
Material Type
The type of the material, for example, stainless steel or aluminum.
Material Grade
The grade of the material type specifies its properties. Grades are identified by designations assigned by standards organizations, for example, SAE and ASTM steel grades.
5.
On the General tab, Location tab, select the appropriate options:
Setting Name
Description
Parent asset
The parent asset in the physical hierarchy. Click the browse icon to select the appropriate asset.
If your organization includes multiple sites, the parent and child assets must be owned by the same site.
Hierarchy code
A hierarchy code is a string of up to 10 letters and numbers that identifies an individual asset or site. APM uses the hierarchy code for the asset, its parent assets, and the site to create the hierarchy location.
For the hierarchy location to be useful, enter a code that gives users some indication of the asset’s function and location. For example, if a generator set is located on the north side of the plant, you might enter “NGenSet”. If the generator set has a pump location, you might enter “PmpStation” on the component location asset, and “Pump1” on the record for the pump component asset.
Location
Describe the physical location of the asset or site.
Sort field
Company-specific short term that identifies the equipment. The sort field value can be used for searching, sorting, and filtering.
Map coordinates
The longitude and latitude coordinates of the physical location of the object.
Note: Latitude can have values ranging from -090.000 to +090.000. Longitude values can be from -180.000 to +180.000. For values outside these ranges, APM will accept the values and adjust accordingly. For example, a longitude value of +200.0 will translate to -160.0 on the map.
Tip: You can click the browse icon and point to the location on a map to have APM assign the coordinates. For more information, see Setting Map Coordinates.
Area
An asset can be associated with an area that identifies its physical location at the site. The area is used on checksheets to show all of the indicators within a particular area of the site. A bar code identifier can also be associated with an area.
Closest warehouse
The default warehouse for the asset, which is the default “deliver to” warehouse for purchases that are charged to this asset. If this box is left blank, APM uses the warehouse of the parent asset.
6.
When the enterprise and sites are set up in APM, up to five different hierarchies can be created to organize assets. The first hierarchy is the comprehensive physical hierarchy. Most (if not all) of your assets should be included in this hierarchy.
If you are using additional hierarchies, you can select the Alternate Hierarchies tab to establish the new asset’s position in it. This tab lists all of the hierarchies defined for the enterprise. For example:
Click a browse icon to select the parent asset in the alternate hierarchy.
7.
Select the Description tab to add general information about the asset.
8.
Select the Process Description tab to describe the process taking place in the asset. For example, enter a degradation-focused summary of the movement of fluid through a corrosion loop.
9.
On the Details tab, enter the appropriate information, for example:
Setting Name
Description
Function group
A function group is a way of identifying assets that are responsible for performing a particular function. For example, the function group “Pump Assembly” could be assigned to a centrifugal pump, 20 HP motor, and valve assets that comprise the assembly.
Work center
Location or facility with which the asset is associated.
Supervisor
Employee responsible for the asset. The list contains APM employees with the Work Management role of supervisor.
Gas standard
Authorized descriptor that identifies gas quality, composition, or use.
Registration number
This box appears when the organization requires that assets of particular types be registered with a governing authority. Record the asset’s registration number.
10.
If the asset type or subtype provides specifications tabs, select the tabs and enter information specific to the asset.
11.
Select the Documents tab to view and select standard documents. For more information, see Adding Documents to an Asset.
12.
Select the Photos tab and then click Browse to select inspection photos to be included with this asset.
13.
If photos are stored in a document management system, you can identify the folder where the photos are stored. Click the folder icon, select the location, and click OK.
Click Open Folder to view the location.
Tip: You can also drag and drop photo files into the table.
14.
Select the Parts tab to add a parts list. For more information, see Creating a Parts List for an Asset.
15.
Depending on whether the asset type supports basic or advanced production loss accounting, you can do one of the following:
•
Advanced production loss accounting: the Production tab is available. Select it to assign products and calculations to the asset
•
Basic production loss accounting: the Downtime and Production Loss tab is available. Select it to set downtime and lost production options.
For more information, see Setting up Production Loss Rules on an Asset.
16.
Select the Defaults tab to choose default selections for the asset’s work documents, regulatory inspections, and so on.
 
17.
For each of the following options, select a default value:
Setting Name
Description
Work Type
APM will use the work type selected here as the default work type for work created for this asset. The work type that you select may affect whether or not work order tasks created for this asset must be approved or not.
Work Classification
The normal work classification for the asset. You can select the appropriate work classification from the list.
Maintenance Group
The normal maintenance group for the asset. Select the appropriate group from the list.
Work Priority
APM will use the work priority selected here as the default priority on work created for this asset.
Frequency
Frequency with which the asset is inspected to meet regulatory requirements. This default regulatory inspection frequency is copied to the asset’s RBI failure modes.
GL segment
The GL account or segment for this asset. Depending on your accounting settings, this account number may be used when the system derives a GL account for transactions charged to this asset. If this box is left blank, APM will use the GL account or segment from the parent of this asset, or the site’s account or segment.
Default Task
The default standard task that APM will display on troubleshooting timecards for this asset.
18.
Select the Approvals tab to view and select approval routes for the asset and to view which documents require approval for the asset.
Now that you have completed the general properties of the asset, you can perform other tasks. Refer to the following topics:
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Installing a Component
•
Uninstalling (or Removing) a Component
•
Linking Assets to Serialized Units From the Asset
When you are finished, save the new asset and close the Asset window.