Production Machinery: Investment, Demands, and Continuity
Production machinery generally costs a “fortune.” Therefore, the general idea is clear: it must run “all the time, ” no matter what, with production taking priority over any other work involving the machines.
However, even though a machine supplier’s specifications are becoming increasingly specific, the implementation process is not the same everywhere.
Issues such as:
- humidity,
- the height,
- actual use,
- belonging to one process or the other,
- the specific conditions of the production environment,
may result in their terms of use differing from the general terms set forth above.
For this reason, specific adjustments and settings are often required to ensure optimal performance based on the installation location.
Every factory has its own reality
Furthermore, a factory is not a “franchise.” They are not all the same.
Depending on their infrastructure, the resources allocated, the approach taken, and management’s involvement, the specific cases to be addressed—even though they share a common goal—vary widely.
And this is true even when considering the same industry sector, and even within the same industrial group.
When it comes to maintenance, no two factories are “the same.” Although they may share initial approaches, strategies, training, and good intentions, each one has its own unique “flavor” and must be considered on a case-by-case basis.
From a reactive approach to a preventive one
This “reactive” approach succeeded in creating “experts” who, through experience, knew the machines’ behavior inside and out.
And our dependence on them became more and more inevitable with each passing day, making it difficult to predict in advance what would happen and what it would cost us.
Fortunately, for companies that take pride in their work, this “reactive expert” approach—which still exists—has gradually been replaced by a PREVENTIVE approach, incorporating “unproductive” machine downtime scheduled exclusively for maintenance activities.
Anticipate, record, analyze, and improve
The key lies in planning ahead:
- methodical,
- frequency,
- based on triggers such as operating time, machine cycles, blade cuts, etc.,
- to be adjusted periodically based on the results obtained.
These are results that we must record and then analyze together, using statistical methods.
Only then can we truly understand how our machines perform and, based on that, identify their weaknesses so we can make the best decisions regarding their maintenance.
The Key Role of CMMS Software
All of this is done with the help of CMMS software:
- easy,
- flexible,
- integrated with the meters,
- related to the production CPP planning,
- participatory,
- but always under the supervision of an expert in maintenance management and planning.
Because having data isn’t enough.
We must ensure the quality of the data, its correct interpretation, and its actual usefulness for decision-making.
Maintenance isn’t just about repairs
Our maintenance technicians DO NOT REPAIR machines.
They KEEP THEM!!!
