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Hello everyone, I am seeking to gather comprehensive information on transforming a reactive maintenance approach into a proactive one. It's a common tendency for humans to react rather than plan ahead. We tend to only visit the dentist when we have a toothache, learn how to fix things only when they break, seek help from a mechanic when our car has issues, and see politicians addressing issues only after they become major media events. However, when it comes to implementing proactiveness in the workplace, we discuss change management, key performance indicators (KPIs), maintenance training, and the utilization of tools like RCM, PMO, and RCFA. Strong management commitment is also crucial in this process. What are the initial steps, from the first to the final stage, in establishing a culture of reliability and proactive maintenance? I welcome any input from the group. Regards, Rolly Angeles
I noticed on your resume that you have experience with implementing TPM. I see you also mention RCM - have you implemented this as well? Do you rely heavily on reliability engineering techniques to develop preventive maintenance strategies?
Hey Josh, I've successfully integrated TPM into our processes. I'm currently working on creating a training module for Proactive Maintenance and would love to gather some valuable insights. Let me know if you have any helpful posts or resources that could be beneficial.
Unsure of the specific information you are looking for, but it seems that TPM involves proactive maintenance strategies. In proactive maintenance, the shift from time-based preventive maintenance to CBM (Condition Based Monitoring) is crucial for early detection of potential failures. Determining shutdown intervals and frequencies is key, as many simply rely on set timeframes without thorough analysis of equipment failure patterns. Utilizing CMMS effectively is essential for data gathering and proper work management in support of proactive maintenance practices. To uncover hidden failures, conducting failure finding tasks, functional tests, and instrument loop tests is necessary. Implementing a dedicated maintenance planning section within the Maintenance Department demonstrates a strong commitment to proactive maintenance culture. RCA, reliability engineering, lubrication and contamination control programs, as well as precision maintenance during repairs, overhauls, and assemblies, are all vital components. Ensuring personnel competency should be a priority to successfully carry out CBM, NDT, and precision maintenance tasks. Establishing procedures and KPIs are essential for guiding maintenance practices in the right direction. Engaging operators in proactive maintenance through frontline tasks, adherence to equipment policies, and preventing maloperations is also important. For more details, visit www.plant-maintenance.com. It would be interesting to compare notes on our approaches to proactive maintenance strategies.
Thank you for your information, Josh. Despite efforts to improve maintenance practices, many industries still tend to be reactive rather than proactive. Maintenance is often approached from a reactive standpoint, where repairs are made after a failure occurs. However, implementing proactive maintenance strategies is crucial for preventing these failures before they happen. While concepts like TPM, RCM, CBM, Contamination Control, RCFA, and CMMS are important tools, they can often be overlooked in favor of prioritizing productivity and output. To shift towards a proactive maintenance approach, we need to address the cultural mindset that prioritizes quick reaction times over preventive measures. It can be challenging to allocate resources and time towards proactive maintenance when the focus is on immediate repairs. Taking small steps towards proactive maintenance is essential, even if it means starting from scratch. How can we overcome the resistance to change when management is accustomed to a reactive approach? Maintenance workers should not be reprimanded for taking a proactive approach, as investing time in prevention ultimately saves time and resources in the long run. Let's work together to shift the culture towards proactive maintenance practices.
Rolly, I require your immediate contact. Kindly send a brief email to eml@effective-maintenance.com at your earliest convenience.
I understand your current stance on shifting from reactive to proactive strategies. Are you currently in a constant fire-fighting mode, causing neglect in other areas like preventive maintenance? What industry are you in, that lacks even the minimum preventive measures?
Maintenance is a crucial aspect of capital-intensive industries, impacting commercial risk, plant output, product quality, and environmental performance. However, many organizations struggle with limited resources, leading to a cycle of breakdowns and reactive maintenance. This results in a "fix-it-quickly" mentality and temporary repairs that only worsen the situation. The lack of preventive maintenance leads to lost productivity and reduced morale among personnel. As resources are rationed, breakdowns consume the available manpower, further deteriorating maintenance standards. Reactive maintenance becomes the norm, with organizations facing a higher-than-necessary level of breakdown work. Maintenance engineers often deal with design flaws or incomplete information, as they join the process after construction and commissioning. They are left to interpret design intent, failure modes, and plant limitations without adequate resources or documentation. The rush to establish maintenance policies leads to overservicing, task omissions, and inefficient maintenance programs. In full production, maintenance tasks multiply, often duplicating each other and adding little value. The growing maintenance program impacts asset availability, leading to a reactive organizational culture. As preventive maintenance requirements exceed available resources, production windows shrink, and breakdown maintenance becomes the norm. To learn more about this topic, contact steve@omcsinternational.com or access papers at the following URLs: - Full paper - Shorter Paper
Dear Rolly, if you are seeking a representative to deliver these documents to your company, we have a joint venture with OMCS Philippines situated in Manila. Someone from their office will be able to pay a visit. Currently, there is a significant project underway at Shell Philippines Exploration that may pique your interest. Additionally, there are upcoming training courses in Manila focused on this specific topic on January 29 and 30, 2007. Please reach out for further details. Best regards, Steve.
Hello Steve, I operate as an independent reliability consultant rather than representing a specific company. My focus is on providing technical training sessions on the best practices in Reliability and Maintenance that are sought after by various companies. Here is a comprehensive list of the maintenance trainings I offer, ranging from Lubrication Strategy to Proactive Maintenance. These trainings cover important topics such as Understanding Total Productive Maintenance, Root Cause Failure Analysis, and Optimizing Equipment's Reliability. Thank you for sharing the article with me; I found it to be enlightening, especially the debate between you and John Moubray on RCM and PMO in Plant Maintenance. It was a valuable exchange of perspectives from two industry stalwarts in the field of maintenance. Best regards, Rolly Angeles.
Hello Vee, I have responded to your email on Yahoo Mail as well as the one you referenced in your message. Please contact me privately to discuss your issue further and to see how I can help. Sincerely, Rolly Angeles.
It all begins by identifying a problem to address. The key is to address the manager's challenges and enhance their work life. It is crucial to engage the manager's interest and demonstrate how transitioning from reactive to proactive maintenance and reliability practices can benefit them. Starting with small successes and gradually building a case over time can help illustrate the positive impact of proactive measures. It is important to show the management the tangible results and suggest implementing proactive strategies on a larger scale. While it is vital for top management to endorse proactive maintenance, it is also necessary to be flexible and willing to compromise. Consistent communication and advocacy for the advantages of proactive maintenance are essential for success.
Hello Joe, I completely agree with you that tackling this challenge is like ascending a steep mountain. In my experience consulting with various manufacturing companies, I have noticed a common issue where maintenance reports are directed to operations, who are often not technically inclined. This presents a significant obstacle that needs to be addressed. The key to success lies in how the maintenance department is structured. If maintenance reports directly to the maintenance department, there is a greater opportunity for proactive measures to be implemented. However, if maintenance reports to operations, this is where complications may arise.
In the manufacturing industry, it is common for companies to have a Preventive Maintenance system in place to schedule equipment for replacements and overhauls. Imagine a manufacturing firm with several stations, each station having around 10 similar equipment producing the same product. While some machines may perform well, others may experience frequent breakdowns. For example, machines 4 and 5 consistently have 5 to 8 failures a month, while the rest have minimal failures. This raises questions about the distribution of preventive maintenance activities. Should all machines receive the same level of maintenance, or should more attention be given to the problematic machines? When it comes to scheduling preventive maintenance, should the focus be on following the set schedule or using common sense to address the machines with the most issues? Many manufacturing companies face this dilemma, balancing the need to adhere to schedules while addressing urgent maintenance needs. Failure to adhere to the scheduled maintenance may lead to non-compliance issues with the Quality Control department. In conclusion, the challenge lies in finding a balance between following maintenance schedules and addressing critical maintenance needs in manufacturing plants.
In order to ensure optimal performance, it is crucial to adhere to a well-developed plan. If the plan is not yielding the desired results, it should be reassessed and potentially revised. Performing a thorough Root Cause Analysis on underperforming machines (specifically 4 and 5) or on the preventive maintenance they are receiving can help pinpoint the issue - whether it lies in the plan itself or its execution. While this may require additional resources, deviating from the plan could lead to operational risks and potential maintenance oversights. It may be necessary to create a new plan specifically tailored to machines 4 and 5 to address any shortcomings in the current plan's effectiveness.
In the context of assembly line operations, it is important to ensure that identical machines receive the same preventive maintenance (PM) schedule. However, factors such as operator skills, machine workloads, production needs, and other circumstances may require adjustments in the PM approach for each machine. Conducting a comparison study may be necessary to determine any performance or reliability differences between identical machines. For equipment operating in a duty/standby mode, separate PM schedules are recommended. While a maintenance plan should be followed, flexibility is key in adapting to practical needs. Variance change controls can be used to document justifications for deviations from the original plan. If deviations, such as missing a PM for a month, occur due to operational challenges like attending to a broken machine to maintain production figures, a variance control process should be initiated for transparency and consensus among stakeholders. Encouraging workers to adhere to procedures with the motto "Do what you write and write what you do" may be challenging if procedures are not practical and do not accommodate valuable input from workers. Continuous refinement of procedures over time is essential for optimal operational efficiency.
Answer: - Answer: Common challenges include resistance to change, lack of employee buy-in, inadequate training, and the need for significant cultural shift within the organization.
Answer: - Answer: Management commitment is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire organization and ensures that resources, support, and focus are aligned towards proactive maintenance initiatives.
Answer: - Answer: KPIs such as equipment uptime, maintenance costs, mean time between failures (MTBF), and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) can be used to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of proactive maintenance efforts.
Answer: - Answer: Change management is essential in addressing resistance to change, communicating the benefits of proactive maintenance, and ensuring that employees are engaged and motivated throughout the transition process.