Analyzing and Interpreting Failure Data Models in SAP Asset Performance Management

1. Failure Data Objects: Elements in SAP APM that are structured in a hierarchical model to define and analyze failures, including Classes, Operating Context and Conditions, Maintainable Items, Failure Modes, Failure Mechanisms, Causes, and Failure Effects.
2. Catalog Code (Failure Data): Codes used in SAP APM that correspond to failure data, which are replicated from SAP S/4HANA and are standardized to define different types of failure-related information.
3. Class: A way to logically group technical objects in SAP based on various criteria, which is helpful for locating, selecting, or analyzing these objects.
4. Operating Context and Condition: A category that further differentiates technical objects within a class based on their usage and condition (for example, "Submerged/Dirty" versus "Submerged/Clean").
5. Maintainable Items: The parts or assemblies that are typically the focus of maintenance activities, corresponding to Object Parts in SAP S/4HANA.
6. Failure Modes: Specific ways in which an item can fail to perform its intended function, which are mandatory to include in the failure data model.
7. Failure Mechanisms: The physical, chemical, or other processes that may lead to a failure mode.
8. Causes: Conditions during design, manufacture, or use that may trigger a failure mechanism.
9. Failure Effects: The consequences or impact of the failure on the item's function or status.
10. Recommendations: Suggested actions derived from the analysis of failure modes, mechanisms, causes, and effects to mitigate the risk of failure.
11. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM): A maintenance strategy in SAP APM focused on preserving system function, rather than preventing individual component failures.
12. Technical Object: An item within SAP that can be an Equipment or Functional Location object, which is the starting point for RCM assessment.
13. Functions: Definitions of what a technical object is intended or required to do, including performance standards.
14. Functional Failure: Descriptions of the conditions when a technical object fails to meet its defined function.
15. Consequence Evaluation: A process within RCM Assessment that involves assessing the failure mode through a series of questions.

A hierarchy of failure data objects is used in Asset Performance Management for both Strategy Assessment for Classes and Reliability Centered Maintenance assessments. What we refer to as Failure Data in SAP Asset Performance Management is referred to as "Catalog Code" in the SAP S/4HANA system. In fact, the Failure Data codes used in SAP Asset Performance Management are replicated from the SAP S/4HANA system. Catalog types 0 through 9 and A through O are delivered by SAP and standard assigned meanings. Catalog types P through Z can be defined as needed.

The illustration below shows the basic failure data model used for Strategy Assessment for Classes, along with the analogous data in the SAP S/4HANA system.

Both data models begin with the concept of a Class. Classes are used to logically group technical objects by various defined criteria. Classes are useful for quickly locating or selecting subsets of technical objects and can also be used to define groupings for analysis or reporting.

The next object in the Failure data model is Operating Context and Condition. This further breaks down the technical objects in the class based on how they are being used and what condition they are in. In the example of the Centrifugal Pump class above, the class is broken into two Operating Context and Condition groupings: Submerged/Dirty and Submerged/Clean. In both groups, the context is "Submerged," but in the first case the condition is "Dirty" and in the second it is "Clean."

Operating Context and Condition is optional, but if included in a Strategy Assessment for Classes, the Operating Context and Condition is defined based on Characteristics associated with the selected class in the SAP S/4HANA system. One or more characteristics can be selected as needed. For each selected characteristic, one or more values should be selected. The result will be a defined Operating Context and Condition made up of selected characteristics and values relevant to the selected class.

The next object in the hierarchy, which is also optional to include, is Maintainable Items. Maintainable Items are parts or assemblies of parts that are normally the lowest level in the equipment hierarchy during maintenance. These are pulled from Object Parts (type B) in the SAP S/4HANA catalog.

Failure Modes are next in the hierarchy and are mandatory to include. Failure modes are pulled from the Coding codes (type D) in the selected Failure Data Profile/Catalog Profile. Failure modes describe the way in which an item fails to meet its intended function. In the centrifugal pump example, an example of a Failure Mode could be Under Pumping.

For each failure mode, three additional types of codes can be assigned: Failure Mechanisms, Causes, and Failure Effects.

• Failure Mechanisms
• Causes
• Failure Effects.

Failure Mechanisms describe the physical, chemical, or other processes which may lead to the failure mode. In the pump example "Erosion" is an example of a possible failure mechanism.

Causes are the circumstances present during design, manufacture, or use of an item which may trigger the failure mechanism and lead to the failure mechanism which in turn leads to the failure mode. "Abrasives in liquid" could be an example of a cause in our pump example.

Failure Effects describe the impact or consequences of a failure on the function or status of the item. In our pump example, a failure effect could be "Leaking".

In the example above, the pump failed to meet its function by pumping too little liquid (the failure mode). Abrasives present in the liquid being pumped (the cause), caused the pump to begin leaking (the effect) due to the abrasives present in the liquid eroding the pump components (the failure mechanism).

Any given failure mode could have a number of relevant failure mechanisms, causes and effects.

In Strategy Assessment for Classes, once the class and associated failure mode(s) have been assigned, along with the Operating Context and Condition and/or Maintainable Items if desired, the relevant failure mechanisms, causes and failure effects from the selected failure data profile/catalog profile are assigned.

At this point, Recommendations can be created for each failure mode. Any combination of the failure mechanisms, causes and failure effects selected for the failure mode can be assigned to the recommendation. In the pump example, a recommendation to add a pre-filter could be created for the Under Pumping failure mode with the Abrasives in Liquid cause assigned, while another recommendation for the same failure mode could be created with a different combination of failure data assigned.

Video Summary

Learn about SAP Asset Performance Management's Failure Data Model and how it is integrated with your EAM system. Discover how this model enhances asset strategy and maintenance execution.

Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) is focused on developing maintenance plans that preserve system function, as opposed to preventing individual component failure. A Reliability Centered Maintenance Assessment begins with the selection of a Technical Object - a centrifugal pump in the example above, which must be an Equipment or Functional Location object. Next, the Functions of the selected object are defined. The function is a definition of what the object is intended or required to do, including a standard of performance. In the example above, the centrifugal pump needs to be able to pump a volume of 500 liters per hour. The function may also include the circumstances under which the object must meet the standard of performance. Note that the object itself may have a design capacity beyond the required function, i.e., the pump may be able to pump 700 liters per hour in perfect condition and under ideal circumstances, even though its intended function in the system is to pump 500 liter per hour.

Next, at least one Functional Failure is defined for each function. Functional Failures describe failure conditions of the object. In the simple example above, the functional failure is defined as the pump not being able to provide 500 liter per hour. In a more detailed example, the function may have been defined with more criteria, such as operating temperature window, max current draw, pressure, etc. Functional failures could be defined related to any of those conditions.

Both Functions and Functional Failures are defined only in APM, and do not have analogous codes in SAP S/4HANA. Structurally, APM allows for the creation of Code Groups and Codes for both Functions and Functional Failures.

Next, for each Functional Failure, one or more Failure Modes must be assigned. As with Strategy Assessment for Classes, failure modes are pulled from the Coding codes (type D) in the selected Failure Data Profile/Catalog Profile. Failure modes describe the way in which a specific item fails, which leads to the defined functional failure. In the example above, the pump failed to start pumping. A pump could also over pump, under pump, pump intermittently, etc.

Once failure modes have been assigned to a functional failure, they can each be assessed. The Consequence Evaluation is a key step in the RCM Assessment process, which guides the assessor through a series of questions about the failure mode.

Failure Mechanisms, Causes and Failure Effects are modeled and used here in the same way as they are in Strategy Assessment for Classes. Similarly, recommendations can be created for each failure mode just as in the Strategy Assessment for Classes, including the assignment of any combination of the failure mechanisms, causes and failure effects for the failure mode.

To summarize, both Strategy Assessment for Classes and Reliability Centered Maintenance assessments make use of APM's Failure Date Profile, which begins with a set of Failure Modes (drawn from the SAP S/4HANA Coding code group). For each failure mode, three additional types of codes can be assigned: Failure Mechanisms (Overview of Damage code group), Causes (Causes code group), and Failure Effects (Effect code group).