Poor maintenance habits will destroy your machines, increase downtime, increase repair and labor costs and delay the much-needed production time. Most companies need intervention, to save their machines and increase uptime, a change in outlook and maintenance program will improve the dynamics of their program.
The main goal for this change is to increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). According to Machinery Lubrication, OEE is the standard for measuring manufacturing productivity and the efficiency of a manufacturer’s operation. All maintenance actions must be documented in a process for this sort of maintenance.
Signs of a Bad Maintenance Culture
Maintenance breakdowns and a poor maintenance culture are closely connected. Maintenance personnel becomes demotivated when they are constantly dealing with mechanical failure. With constant failure, the plant's equipment regulates the work schedule. There are organizations that can help your company with your maintenance program.
- Neglecting Periodic Maintenance - Focus and attention are needed in maintenance. The lack of motivation and rigor lead to conscious forgetfulness. Having a happy and healthy maintenance team will increase the uptime and productivity of your team.
- Prioritizing Pay over Machine Reliability - For some organizations, personnel may prioritize overtime pay over machine reliability. This is detrimental to work culture and quality. In order to prevent this from happening, companies should provide benefits or incentives to help boost the morale of employees and reinforce the desired outcome.
Solutions for Bad Machine Maintenance Culture
Machine reliability is a science that starts at the top and works its way down a plant's organization. Machinery does not simply fail. Personnel who are not well-trained and well-experienced with the proper procedure don't know how to prevent these errors. A positive work culture alters behavior and promotes dependability. Management and leadership define and improve an organization's culture. A bad maintenance culture can always be changed. This change can be difficult and confusing, but it is not impossible. This will not be effective unless the management is committed to providing the parameters and resources for this change.
The management widely influences group behavior and culture through team building, engaged team members, empowerment, communication, goal setting, mission and vision building, and a lot more. With this in mind, here are the solutions for Bad Machine Maintenance Culture according to Machinery Lubrication:
1. Right Seat for the Right Person
We've all heard that a company's most valuable asset is its people. This can only be true when we hire the right person for the right position. The right person is aligned with your company's core values and vision while being in the right position means having the competencies that are required for that position. Certain personnel that are incompetent or mismatched might pose significant operational and safety concerns rather than being productive assets. To create a successful maintenance culture, choose, nurture, and motivate the right individuals.
2. Procedure-based Maintenance
According to Machinery Lubrication, procedure-based maintenance serves to address key issues when performing maintenance activities. It reduces the variation that occurs when personnel is conducting the same work. Procedure-based maintenance also helps in minimizing the chances of mistakes. There are factors that can increase the likelihood of error. These are human sensory aspects, psychological factors, and physiological factors.
System-based maintenance is a combination of procedures created by industry professionals. These procedures improve a program by using a feedback cycle. The result of using system-based maintenance is the most highly efficient, effective, and honest work output.
Proper procedures can decrease the likelihood of maintenance errors. Following a system-based guideline for your program will lead to an effective and efficient maintenance program.
3. The Tools
A lot of new technology has entered the area of lubrication and machine maintenance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Many of the tools used in the past should be improved. The maintenance tools of today should be modernized and upgraded to cater to more than just repairs and corrections. It should also include instruments and equipment for inspecting and controlling situations that might cause failure or are early signs of failure. Inspection tools, condition monitoring equipment, contamination control devices, and other items are among them.
Providing your personnel with proper resources and manpower can increase productivity and work satisfaction. Giving sufficient support to your maintenance team will promote harmony and balance in your maintenance program.
4. Training
People feel good about themselves and their jobs when they accomplish good work, as previously stated. People desire to accomplish things correctly the first time and every time. Unconscious incompetence, on the other hand, affects many people. In other words, they are either oblivious of or deny their level of incompetence. Personnel should be educated with the proper, modern, and effective procedures. Service manuals should always be reviewed from time to time as well.
You will not be able to plan and schedule corrective measures unless you can recognize the need immediately. A company suffering from a terrible maintenance culture is tormented with mechanical failure.
Long before a repair is required, proactive maintenance detects and responds to failure underlying causes. Proactive maintenance culture is the best kind of maintenance culture. A breakdown should be uncommon and all activities are well-planned.
6. Motivation
Maintenance personnel should be empowered and motivated. A big part of the success of your maintenance program relies solely on work culture. Having a healthy and respectful relationship in the organization will surely change the culture in a positive way.
7. Investment
Companies should learn to invest in improving the work culture. You may organize training and events that will help build trust and respect between you and your maintenance team. Learn to invest in your employees to ensure a smooth workflow. When it comes to the needed lubrication accessories, companies should invest in high-quality products that will last. Most of the time, these high-quality products will also save your machinery from impending damage.
Source: machinerylubrication.com