Outages overrun for predictable reasons. Rarely the big component everyone planned around, and very often a gasket, a stud, or a valve that was opened for inspection and found to need more than inspection.
Start from the scope
The planned scope covers what is known. The spares list has to cover what is likely, because a part ordered mid outage arrives after the outage.
The distinction worth drawing is between items that extend an outage and items that merely cost money. A transition piece extends it. A box of gaskets does not, provided the box is on site.
The list, in order of damage done
Long lead, outage critical
Hot gas path components for the frame and stage. Compressor blading. Anything cast, coated or machined to order. These are established months ahead or they are not established at all.
Opened, therefore replaced
Gaskets, soft goods, packing and seals for every joint the scope opens. Inexpensive, and the single most common cause of a job waiting. A joint that is broken needs new soft goods, and reusing them to save a day usually costs several.
Found on inspection
Valve internals, actuator soft goods, strainer elements, filters. The scope says inspect. Experience says a proportion will need work, and that proportion is knowable from the last two outages.
Fasteners
Studs, bolts, nuts, washers, lock plates and lock wire. Almost free, routinely forgotten, and entirely capable of stopping a reassembly.
Before the outage starts
- Confirm the frame and suffix, and the makes and models of the valves in scope.
- Reconcile the spares held against the scope, not against the last list.
- Identify anything with a lead time longer than the outage itself.
- Decide what is repaired and what is replaced in advance, rather than on the day.
Afterwards
Record what was actually consumed. The difference between the list and the consumption is the correction for next time, and it is the only reliable way a spares strategy improves.
Send the frame, the unit designation and the scope and we will work through the list. Parts are searchable in our catalogue, and repair work is covered under services.
