On-Site Spares & Emergency Parts
Establishing an inventory of on-site spares and emergency parts is important to minimize potential downtime. Select parts or components may have a long procurement lead time, and there may also be times during the year when your Continuous Monitoring (CM) manufacturer is not able to process orders. Contact your supplier for recommendations and incorporate the procedures into your Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Spare Parts – What to Stock
Your CM manufacturer can make recommendations on the types and quantities of spare parts to maintain in on-site inventory. Table A is a sample list of typical components to stock for immediate availability to replace damaged components or devices.
Table A – Sample Spare Parts Inventory Items
| Description | Notes & Comments |
| Probes | Probes are typically the component that most frequently fails. Stock the recommended minimum quantity or a percentage of the total number of installed sensors. |
| Transmitters or Readers | Although these devices do not have a high failure rate, failures can and do occur. |
| Access Points and/or Repeaters | If applicable, maintain at least one of each device type. |
| Accessories & Other Items | Accessories and other items can include batteries, extension cables, probe bottles, media, and/or other components required for the system. |
Maintaining spare parts on-site also enables quick and easy expansion. In the event there is an urgent need to monitor a new appliance, the components and devices are available for rapid installation and deployment.
Spare Parts – Inventory Management
It is recommended that inventory levels be regularly checked to verify the minimum quantities are available. A standard interval is a monthly check, but a quarterly check should be the longest interval.
How to Procedures
In addition to maintaining spare parts on site, contact your CM manufacturer to obtain available “How To” procedures or resources. As applicable, training or certification may be available or required.
Excluded Components or Devices
Note that certain components or devices can only be replaced or serviced by the manufacturer. Contact your CM manufacturer for recommended procedures and guidelines for these types of components or devices.
Summary
Establishing and managing an on-site spare parts inventory will minimize any potential system downtime and enable rapid installation/expansion when needed. Contact your CM manufacturer for guidelines and recommendations.
For more information on the Keys to Successfully Implementing a Continuous Monitoring System, please check out our full outline, or contact a Mesa Labs representative for a free consultation.
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