Agree with Eugene, about the being "bitten by management" , we bite back

When we have a mysterious problem arise, and it seems no amount of investigation can uncover the culprit - we chalk it up to the 'gremlin' (that little b_st_rd that we can never catch)

UNOBTANIUM - A part or piece of equipment that an engineer has specified, but is either not made or is obsolete

DELIVERY REQUIRED YESTERDAY - Meaning I knew the lead time for a critical part but put off ordering until failure

quote:

Originally posted by Fairchild:
DELIVERY REQUIRED YESTERDAY

Many Maintenance clients want that as an option for the Priority field at the notifications / requests they fill in today.

Around here, engineers tease each other with nicknames comparing their specialties with non-technical careers or even animals. For examples (no hard feelings please):
* Industrial Engineers (like me) are called just Interior Designers for their plant layout / space optimization projects.
* Chemical Engineers are called Firefighters, since they end many times looking for extinguishers to turn off fires provoked by the mixtures they were working on.
* Electrical Engineers are compared to lizards that climb up electrical posts.

I am affraid to ask the nickname for mechanical engineers

Now you mention it:
* Mechanical Engineers are called "chupa-tuercas" (spanish) or "nut-suckers".
* Computer Engineers are called "Secretaries" due to the typing/keyboard use.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Eugene,

Hope nobody was ofended, the nicknames are used since university years when rivarly between departments were cooled off with jokes like:
- You call yourself an engineer? You are just an Interior Designer, which color do you specify for the courtains of the Packaging Area?
- Says who, the firefighter who burned out the Analytical Chemestry Lab yesterday?
or,
Do you think all who climb up electrical posts are "lagartijos" (lizards)?
Those were good old school days...

Beanies, I love it, it is so easy to get off track but I’ll try to stick with it,

Beanies - assumed to mean “Bean Counters, those whose focus is on the money, i.e. Management”

ROI – Return on Investment – A positive one is Beanie language for “I can support that; let’s move forward.”

“Business Case” – the tool or strategy used to get your point across when whining, crying and biting doesn’t work. The complied information/data verifying the ROI. The CMMS is often a good source to being collecting data for the business case.

“Coffee Pot Access” – frequent, casual access and dialog opportunities with “Beanies” to discuss ideas, make proposals and strategize possible solutions. The difficulty I’ve seen is that the so called “Beanies”, are typically far removed from the field/floor personnel and activities. Not having the Coffee Pot Access makes the ROI and Business Case a must do.

“Lack of Coffee Pot Etiquette” - when given the opportunity to discuss issues with the Beanies, because field personnel typically do not know the Beanie language, their pleas come across as, whining and crying and even perhaps biting, which will get you absolutely nowhere. Remember, “Use your words”, you need to know/learn the “Beanie” language. What’s in it for them? We know that communicating what’s in it for me is very easy, what’s in it for them is where we struggle.

But with all that, equally, Beanies should learn how to listen and recognize that what they hear as a gibberish whining foreign language are actually cries for help and then understand and tutor how their pleas could be better communicated and identify what obstacles still may stand in the way. After all we are all after the same goal, to be successful at what we do. More beans for everyone!

OK a few more -
“Cutie” – anybody who is not a maintenance or operations technician. (Office Personnel, including engineering, technical support, etc.)

“The White House” – where the “Cuties” reside; main office.

A personal observation - "...depends in which chair you sit."
“Scope Creep” – As define by the Project Engineering = put nicely, the things the field added to the project that caused delays and cost overruns.

Interrupted by the field as – also put nicely, the things not recognized during project scope development that are required for the thing to work and be properly operated/maintained.

ROE (Return of Effort) – similar ROI (Return on Investment) in Beanie language, ROE is “what’s in it for me”; I’ll put forth this much effort (non-monetary) and what is my return. Perhaps it is simply and only self-gratification. Considered this before building a business case.

And - My personal favorite –
“Pay-Rolled Retirees” – personnel who obviously have retired but still show up for work everyday. Just here for the pay check. Do you have Pay-rolled retirees at your plant? Regards,

"Do not Assume!"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Eugene,

[quote]And - My personal favorite –
“Pay-Rolled Retirees” [quote]
Seems that an early retirement window was open without HR or the Beannies knowledge.

quote:

Originally posted by Eugene:
[quote]And - My personal favorite –
“Pay-Rolled Retirees” [quote]
Seems that an early retirement window was open without HR or the Beannies knowledge.

The Pay-Rolled Retirees statement actually came from 30 day assessment presentation of a newly hire General Manager who spent some time in the field learning what we do. Although it came as somewhat of a revelation to others in management the field guys understood, could name them...the GM did not however. I guess the problem with asking management to come to the field is sometimes they do.

Noted correction – Scope Creep, “Interpreted” by… not; Interrupted by the field as…

White House? Our Beannies have thier offices at the Mount Olympus.
Curious, the architect who designed the administration building give to the two building wings the shape of inverted pyramids.

A recent post from noisemaker remind me of GIGO. He used it as Good In = Good Out, but it is almost allways translated as Garbage In = Garbage Out.

quote:

Do not Assume!"

My boss don't like the term Assume, he explains it as:

Make an ass (donkey) out of u & me

We cannot assume that the pump will work when needed, we must be certain

That's exactly the definition!!!

I was just reading a post in the Reliability section (Who should create PM,s)and came across the term "Pencil Whipping". A term I have heard in the past meaning let the pencil do the work also translated into falsifying documents. Not a fan of that. I have worked around people in the past that have used what they call "The plus one minus one technique" for doing coupling alignments. Too much trouble to do the job right. Who is gonna miss 0.001 inch or is it 0.002? Take one off of the left side and put on the right side and now your 0.003 went to 0.001.

There are a lot of terms that we all know but they seem second nature or is that language and we forget how unique they are. Thanks for starting this post I find it interesting.

Do it my way or the hard way...

In spanish "... a la mala..."

rules of the thumb...?

I saw this on a technicians wall....
Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.