Page 410 - Intro Predictive Maintenance

World-Class Maintenance 401

The technicians will be trained in advanced maintenance techniques, such as
predictive maintenance and equipment improvement. They also must have
extensive training and guidance in data analysis to prepare them to find and
solve equipment failure and effectiveness problems. Refresher training in the
fundamentals of sound equipment maintenance methods is also considered a
vital part of the program. Second, operators must be trained to do basic main-
tenance on their equipment in areas such as inspections, adjustments, bolt
tightening, lubrication, and proper cleaning techniques. Also, before doing any
repairs, operators must receive training to be certified to do the assigned tasks.
Without proper training in selected skills, the equipment’s effectiveness will
decrease. The degree of operator involvement must also fit with the company
culture. Additional training for work groups, leadership, engineers, planners,
and others is a vital part of the proactive work culture.

Allowing enough time for evolution to occur. The change from a reactive
program to a proactive program will take time. By some estimates, it may be
a three- to five-year program to achieve a competitive position. By failing to
understand this point, many managers condemn their programs to failure
before they ever get started.
Successful world-class programs focus on specific goals and objectives. When the
entire organization understands the goals and how they affect the company’s com-
petitiveness, the company will be successful. The five central objectives are to:

• Ensure equipment capacities.
• Develop a program of maintenance for the entire life of the equipment.
• Require support from all departments involved in the use of the equipment
or facility.
• Solicit input from employees at all levels of the company.
• Use consolidated teams for continuous improvement.
Ensuring equipment capacity emphasizes that the equipment performs to specifica-
tions. It operates at its design speed, produces at the design rate, and yields a quality
product at these speeds and rates. The problem is that many companies do not even
know the design speed or rate of production of their equipment. This allows manage-
ment to set arbitrary production quotas. A second problem is that over time, small
problems cause operators to change the rate at which they run equipment. As these
problems continue to build, the equipment output may be only 50 percent of what it
was designed to be. This will lead to the investment of additional capital in equip-
ment, trying to meet the required production output.

Implementing a program of maintenance for the life of the equipment is analogous
to the popular preventive and predictive maintenance programs that companies
presently use to maintain their equipment, but with a significant difference—it
changes just as the equipment changes. All equipment requires different amounts of
maintenance as it ages. A good preventive/predictive maintenance program considers
these changing requirements. Monitoring failure records, trouble calls, and basic