3M (Maintenance and Material Management) System records, ca. 1966–February 12, 1974

The 3M System works to manage maintenance and maintenance support to ensure maximum equipment operational readiness. It consists of two sub-systems, the Maintenance Data Collection System (MDCS) and Planned Maintenance System (PMS). MDCS allows maintenance personnel to report applicable maintenance requirements and configuration changes to equipment, while PMS is a standardized method of planning, scheduling, and accomplishing preventive maintenance.

Many codes are utilized in 3M reporting; the codes described in this paragraph are translated by records in this sub-series. Work center codes identify work centers throughout the ship. The EIC (Equipment Identification Code) is a seven-digit alpha/numeric combination that identifies the desired breakdown of a piece of equipment or unit. The APL (Allowance Parts List) number is an 8- to 11-digit number that identifies the parts list of a piece of equipment or component.

The following documentation present in this sub-series pertains to MDCS: Maintenance Data Forms and the Current Ship’s Maintenance Project (CSMP). Maintenance Data Forms (also known as 2Ks) are used by maintenance personnel to report deferred maintenance and completed maintenance, and to track intermediate maintenance. They originate in the work center and are screened by the Division Officer and Engineer Officer before being forwarded to the 3M Coordinator. The Maintenance Data Forms retained in this sub-series originate from work centers with substantive maintenance work or from work centers relating to areas of the Museum open to the public. The CSMP is a regular report listing deferred corrective maintenance and alterations that have been identified through MDCS reporting. The Engineer Officer is provided with a copy for each of the Engineering Department work centers, and each work center is provided a copy that shows only its own deferred maintenance.

PMS makes use of the following documentation present in this sub-series: Maintenance Index Pages, which are issued for each piece of equipment and point to Maintenance Requirement Cards; Maintenance Requirement Cards, which provide detailed procedures for performing specific maintenance actions; Equipment Guide Lists prepared by work centers, which accompany Maintenance Requirement Cards when they apply to a number of identical items (i.e. motors) and which list a single day’s worth of work; Quarterly PMS Schedules, which are visual displays of the work center’s PMS requirements to be performed during a specific 3-month period; and PMS Feedback Reports, which are sent by work centers through the Division Officer and Engineer Officer to the 3M Coordinator, report discrepancies and problems, and request PMS coverage and materials.

For further information about the working of the 3M System, see the glossary in the first folder of this sub-series, the MDCS Code Manual in this sub-series, the Air Department PMS Manual and, outside of this collection, A00.2012.21 (a 3M Manual that was used by the Communications Department).