Everyone looks for the silver bullet or simple solution to their maintenance problems. How about this simple idea: Take your current maintenance process and ensure it is followed to the letter with discipline. If your maintenance team would follow your process, the results will far exceed your expectations. It does require discipline in the following areas, which you already have in place (they may not be world class but that is ok):

• Preventive Maintenance - Are your maintenance team performing Preventive Maintenance on equipment that continues to fail? If so, ask them for a solution to the problem.

• Maintenance Planning and Scheduling - If you have a maintenance planner or planner-scheduler stop asking them to chase parts or rush order anything. Allow them to plan and schedule as good as they know how.

• Work Execution - Ensure maintenance technicians are making repairs to a standard. Think simple, use of a torque wrench on all fasteners (electrical and mechanical), handle and install bearings according to SKF Bearing Installation Manual, etc. Inspect that maintenance work is being performed correctly. Do not be aggressive toward your staff, be engaging, ask them for solutions, lead them to the answer.

• Word Order Close Out - Insure all the codes, equipment numbers, parts, etc are on all work orders (work orders required for all work). Inspect what you expect.

• Measure Performance - Measure Mean Time Between Failure and PM vs. Emergency Labor Hours to begin with. Sit down with the maintenance team and go over the results on a weekly basis.

All I am trying to help one see is that the simplest solution to success is leadership. Let's use what we have been given and make it work effectively. This was what I learned as a maintenance supervisor. I focused on what I could control and did not worry about what I could not and the results were great. One last thing, always be humble, if production rates begin to sky rocket do take credit. You and your team know what is happening and that is all that matters.

If you have questions or comments or are interested using my Tool Box Training Sessions - Single Point Lessons, send me an email at rsmith@gpallied.com and I would be happy to provide you access to all of them.

Tip Provided by: Ricky Smith, CMRP Senior Technical Advisor
GPAllied
Tel: +1 843.414.5760