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Creating a System or Subsystem Asset

A system asset groups and identifies assets that are part of a system, making it easier to search for related assets or to compare data on similar assets. Gas treatment systems and water distribution systems are two examples of system assets. A system asset can contain subsystem assets.
The system asset classification is identical to the Maintainable Asset classification in that system assets can have any number of asset lives, and you can also charge costs to system assets in addition to having a parts list associated with it. Indicator, costs, and manufacturer information about the asset are tracked by asset life.
A subsystem asset is part of a system and contains assets that make up the subsystem. Grouping assets into a subsystem allows you to make it easier to search them or to compare data on similar assets. For example, a gas treatment system can have heating, cooling, and dehydration subsystems. Another example is a water distribution system that consists of mixing and settling subsystems.
The subsystem asset classification is identical to the Maintainable Asset classification in that subsystem assets can have any number of asset lives, and you can also charge costs to system assets in addition to having a parts list associated with it. Indicator, costs, and manufacturer information about the asset are tracked by asset life.
Expect that changing an asset classification to a system or subsystem asset classification from a different asset classification such as a maintainable asset might take a few minutes as APM updates the classification of existing assets of that type.
This section describes how to create a system or subsystem asset and provides links to more advanced tasks.

To Create a System or Subsystem Asset

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 “System” or “Subsystem”.
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.
Subtypes
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.
4.
In the Classification area, provide the following information:
Setting Name
Description
Classification
“System” or “Subsystem” is entered automatically based on the asset type. If the classification is incorrect, check your 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.
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.
The Vault Info tab is available if the asset type is for electricity transmission and distribution networks. For example:
6.
On the Location tab, enter the following information:
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.
7.
If asset age is recorded for the site, the Age tab displays the asset’s age (in years) and remaining life expectancy.
For more information about setting up asset age calculations, see Setting up Asset Age Calculations.
8.
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.
9.
Select the Description tab to add general information about the asset.
10.
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.
11.
The Degradation Description tab is available if the asset type supports degradation descriptions. Provide a description of the potential degradation mechanism in the asset or corrosion loop.
12.
If the asset type allows operating parameters to be recorded for the asset, select the Operating Window tab. The parameters describe the asset’s designed and actual performance, including unit of measurement, maximum and minimum measurements, measurement frequency, and indicators used to track parameters.
For more information, see Adding Operating Parameters to an Asset.
13.
Select the Documents tab to add standard documents. For more information, see Adding Documents to an Asset.
14.
Select the Photos tab and then click Browse to select inspection photos to be included with this asset.
15.
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.
16.
Select the Manufacturer tab to add information about the purchase and manufacturer of the asset. For more information, see Adding Purchase and Manufacturer Information to an Asset.
17.
Select the Parts tab to add a spare parts list. For more information, see Creating a Parts List for an Asset.
18.
If the asset type allows barriers to be recorded for the asset, select the Barriers tab. A barrier is a means of slowing or mitigating asset degradation. For example, coating, lining, and chemical treatment are used to slow corrosion in metal piping. For more information, see Adding Barriers to an Asset.
19.
Depending on whether the asset type supports basic or advanced production loss accounting, you can do one of the following:
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Advanced production loss accounting: the Production tab is available. Select it to assign products and calculations to the asset
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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.
20.
Select the Defaults tab to choose default selections for the asset’s work documents, regulatory inspections, and so on. For example:
 
21.
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.
22.
Select the Approvals tab to view and select approval routes for the asset and to view which documents require approval for the asset.