Using portable data files in facilities management Available to Purchase

This paper presents the findings of a one‐year study concerned with the development and testing of an information storage tool designed to empower maintenance operatives on location by means of low cost 2D barcodes. A recurring problem for maintenance engineers is the inability to access reliable and in‐depth information about products or assemblies when on location. The scope of information which might be required is often difficult to foresee. Information about plant, distribution and cabling systems can be complex and involve sizeable amounts of data provided by the manufacturer. Added to this is the maintenance history which accrues to each and every item within a facility. The study sought to establish whether there was a low‐cost method for making both product information and maintenance history accessible on the job. Findings from the study suggest that 2D barcoding is one of several possible solutions which can provide practical benefits for a maintenance management programme bringing direct and indirect cost savings.