| Independent Shops Jack Poster, VMRS Services Manager, Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Industry coding standard helps technicians ensure maintenance data integrity VMRS takes the guesswork out of collecting maintenance repair data on the fl oor Th ere’s an old saying: “It all starts on the shop fl oor.” When it comes to equipment repair orders, these words ring true. In order for a fl eet to operate smoothly, maintenance data must be precise and repair orders complete. Th e responsibility for timely and accurate service information starts with technicians. Th ey are a maintenance operation’s fi rst and best hope in collecting the correct data. If the wrong information is collected on the repair order, eventually the wrong information will end up as being factual. Garbage in, garbage out. Fleets cannot maintain their equipment with anecdotal information. Facts are needed to ensure proper business decisions. Fortunately, there’s an industry standard that helps take the guesswork out of collecting maintenance repair data on the fl oor. Th e Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) were developed more than 40 years ago as a standard coding convention for universally tracking maintenance costs and functions. In other words, it was intended to be the “shorthand” of maintenance reporting. Developed under the auspices of the American Trucking Associations and managed by its Technology & Maintenance Council, VMRS puts everyone on the same page and speaking the same language. VMRS can help any maintenance shop reach its full potential and profi tability. Clarity in Reporting Clarity is extremely important when it comes to equipment maintenance reporting. Th ere are numerous ways to describe what work was performed and why a certain part failed. Most employees prefer a short, precise method when entering data on a repair order. Technicians are paid to repair equipment, not dwell on fi lling out complicated repair orders. VMRS can help speed up the process. Th e VMRS codes help eliminate the need for extensive written communications with all the inherent problems of miscommunication normally associated with the written word. Th e coding structure encompasses most equipment found within today’s transportation activities, including trucks, tractors, trailers, forklift s, shop equipment, off -road and utility vehicles. If it needs maintenance, VMRS can help. Describing the work performed on a repair order can be a diffi cult task for many technicians. Too many choices can lead to frustration and incorrect data. VMRS brings continuity to the repair order process. With VMRS, a fl eet can operate multiple maintenance shops and receive consistent data throughout the organization. Code Keys VMRS is organized into code keys, which are data sets/elements or “buckets” of individual codes that describe a given function. For example, one such “bucket,” Code Key 18: Technician Failure Code, contains more than 90 codes that alphanumerically describe the apparent failure of a suspect component as determined by the technician /supervisor. Th ese include: • 04 Dented. • 10 Bent. • 14 Cracked. • 18 Leaking. • 21 Misadjusted. • 25 Out of Balance. • 27 Overheating. • 95 Requires Program Update. Code Key 15: Work Accomplished Code contains more than 45 codes used to describe the labor that was performed. Th ere also are codes for preventive maintenance (PM) levels. A few of these code examples are: • 01 Adjust. • 03 Replace with New. • 32 Torque. • 33 Tighten. • 45 Resurface. • 46 Regenerate on Vehicle. Code Key 33: Component Code, a nine-digit number, describes any part imaginable on a vehicle, no matter how small or large. Th e fi rst three numbers identify its originating system; next three, its assembly; and last three, the part itself. Technicians can use VMRS to make an alphanumerical coded sentence, usually as part of a maintenance management soft ware program. For example, suppose the technician spots a manually adjusted front wheel bearing that’s out of adjustment and then adjusts it to within 0.001” to 0.005” endplay as per OEM specifi cation. VMRS describes that consistently using Code Keys 15, 18 and 33 (component) in just 13 digits: 018-001- 002 21 01. What is it? Code Key 33: Component Code 018-001-002; stands for Bearing Assembly, Cup and Cone – Front Steer Wheel, Outer. What’s wrong with it? Code Key 18: Technician Failure Code 21; stands for Misadjusted. What was the correction? Code Key 15: Work Accomplished 01; stands for Adjust. Th e codes are a brief description of labor tasks that make it easy for a technician to choose the proper work that was performed on any type of equipment. Control of Costs Jarit Cornelius, director of maintenance for Nashville-based truckload carrier Sharp Transport – a panelist on the VMRS Study Group session at the 2015 TMC Annual Meeting in Nashville – explained that VMRS is the ideal tool to help fl eets gain complete control of their costs. He stated that VMRS allows the user to precisely track repair data for use in forecasting, set a realistic budget, identify if and where training is needed for technicians, proactively schedule maintenance With a standard method for recording work that was performed and why a certain part failed, confusing descriptions are eliminated and there is consistency throughout any maintenance organization. Photo courtesy of TMC VMRS cuts through the jargon that can encumber maintenance operations. 28 FLEET MAINTENANCE ❚ JULY 2016 ❚ VehicleServicePros.com
FleetMaintenance_July_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above