Clayton,
Thank you. For me, there are two goals. One is to pass the exam.. However, an equally important goal is not merely to pass the exam but use that time that I am studying to gain more knowledge. I completely resonate with what you are saying regarding your on the floor experience helping you etc... My difficulty is that as a manager, it is difficult for me to be on the floor for extended periods due to other demands that I have regarding broad oversight and planning and development for capital projects etc...
So, my approach is to go through the 3 books that you talked about, but also go through the other ones as well and integrate that learning into my oversight and presence on the floor during the work day. I want to be able to have that level of detail knowledge (as much as I can) so that I can make better decisions as the maint manager for my plant.
Passing the exam, at that point, is almost more so a "bonus".
That is great guidance regarding the CMRT exam. Thank you.
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Christopher Lee
Maintenance Manager
Ecolab
Martinsburg WV
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2026 12:46 PM
From: Clayton Robbins
Subject: About CMRT preparation
Yes, I do own all of the resources you listed. I accumulated those books, along with the knowledge behind them, over the past 20 years working as a Maintenance and Reliability leader.
That said, I did not study from any single book alone. What helped me most was the combination of real-world experience, troubleshooting, equipment failures, rebuilds, planning, and maintenance leadership, then using these resources to reinforce specific areas and sharpen my review.
If I had to narrow that list down to the top 3 for someone trying to pass the SMRP CMRT exam, I would recommend:
SMRP Body of Knowledge (BoK) and Best Practices
This is the most important one because it keeps your study effort aligned with the certification itself.
Industrial Machinery Repair: Best Maintenance Practices Pocket Guide
Very practical and useful for core maintenance practices, inspection methods, and corrective work.
Machinery Failure Analysis and Troubleshooting: Practical Machinery Management for Process Plants
Strong resource for troubleshooting and failure analysis, which are critical areas for the exam.
The others still have value, but if your goal is passing the exam efficiently, those are the three I would prioritize first. If your mechanical fundamentals are weak, I would also spend time with the Audel Millwrights and Mechanics Guide.
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Clayton Robbins, CMRP, CMRT
Senior Consultant
Osorno Group
Atlanta, GA
Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2026 12:10 PM
From: Christopher Lee
Subject: About CMRT preparation
Congratulations Amor on passing your CMRT exam!
Clayton Robbins, in a previous message on this thread, mentioned about a number of books that would help. Did you end up using all of these books below? or did you end up using different study material? Can you describe what you used? Thanks!!
SMRP Body of Knowledge (BoK) and Best Practices
Industrial Machinery Repair: Best Maintenance Practices Pocket Guide (Plant Engineering)
Audel Millwrights and Mechanics Guide
Machinery Failure Analysis and Troubleshooting: Practical Machinery Management for Process Plants
Rolling Bearing Analysis - 2 Volume Set (Rolling Bearing Analysis, Fifth Edition)
TPM Education and Training: Total Productive Maintenance
The Toyota Way (Second Edition): 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer
The Goal
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Christopher Lee
Maintenance Manager
Ecolab
Martinsburg WV
Original Message:
Sent: 04-17-2026 06:43 AM
From: Amor BABA ARBI
Subject: About CMRT preparation
Gntlmn؛
By God's grace, I am now CMRT certified. Thanks to everyone, and I truly appreciate all your help.
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Amor BABA ARBI
Mechanical technicien
Sonatrach
Zaouia El Abidia
Original Message:
Sent: 02-20-2026 07:11 PM
From: Amor BABA ARBI
Subject: About CMRT preparation
Hello, I'm a new member and I want to prepare for the CMRT exam, but I don't know where to start. Is there anyone who can guide me to the resources I need and where to begin?
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Amor BABA ARBI
Mechanical technicien
Sonatrach
Zaouia El Abidia
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