On The Floor: Looking Ahead And Back

As we begin a new year we asked our panel members to look at whether 2015 goals were met and to identify maintenance and reliability goals they have set for 2016.

January is often thought of as a month for looking forward and backward, and this reader forum is as good a place as any to do it. While the end of one year and start of another can be an especially busy time for those serving in the maintenance and reliability trenches, we know it’s also a time when many are thinking about their work-related goals—including past ones not yet realized. Here, edited for clarity and brevity, are answers to the final two, admittedly softball, EP Reader Panelist questions of 2015. We thank those who managed to carve out a few minutes from their hectic business and personal schedules to thoughtfully respond in the run-up to 2016.

Q: What maintenance- or reliability-focused goals have you and your organization made for 2016 and why (or what goals of this type have your clients or customers made)?

“Speaking for my clients, to have all KPIs integrated in a business-intelligence system so they can take action and discover opportunities for improvement. This includes conducting real-time condition monitoring. Also to assure that this model is reflected in the organizations’ ERP and associated with ISO55000 efforts.”

… Senior Operations/Maintenance Consultant, Mexico

“This is written from our customers’ standpoint. They are focusing on life extension of lubricants and equipment through whatever means possible. Within the metals industry, monies are not available to implement reliability right now so they are running based on gap sleds for casters, and not on vibration, thermo, or other. It is tough out there in this industry, but we are making do with further lab data and analytics. In power generation though, the main focus is on uptime and making the necessary changes to be ready and come online without interruption, so turbine fluid and maintenance is key to this requirement from the government. Marine is focusing more on meeting the VGP requirements for EALs, emissions, and others so changes are happening but more from governing bodies than a reliability aspect.”

… Industry Supplier, Midwest

“We are trying to change our mindset and turn challenges into opportunities: We will listen actively to customer’s concerns, present a solution, and take action and follow-up.”

… Principal Member, Technical Team, South

“Speaking for one client, [our goal involves] a strengthening and formal definition of the interaction and support between maintenance and production crews to establish a clear asset-management approach that optimizes reliability and minimizes possible stoppages or delays of flow.”

… Industry Consultant, Midwest

“We are focusing in 2016 on improving our maintenance work management by implementing new planning and scheduling procedures. We hope to reduce overall maintenance cost and perform more work with the same number of resources.”

… Planned Maintenance Supervisor, Southwest

“Our main attention for our organizations in 2016 will be on training programs directed toward upgrading our employees’ knowledge in state-of-the-art equipment, programming, and troubleshooting methods. We will also attempt to advance our employees’ knowledge of their employment expectations and how the organization will advance and support their working-experience goals. We are hoping to improve the reliability of the maintenance staff.”

… College Electrical Lab Manager/Instructor, West

Q: If you and your organization (or your clients and customers) established maintenance- or reliability-focused goals for 2015, were they kept? If so, what made it happen?

“Again, speaking for my clients, the goal was to create a maintenance management model to build a culture in the organizations and assure this model was in the ERP and SAP, and to review and consolidate all maintenance strategies using RCM concepts. In some cases, we started with basic models and basic CMMS systems.”

… Senior Operations/Maintenance Consultant, Mexico

“I would say at our company they [goals] were kept, but we are not a big maintenance-based company. [Our] goals have been achieved at, say, [one of our customers in the metals sector], where we converted an entire cast line to a new grease and are seeing bearing reclamation, as never seen before, and elimination of roll marks. Consumption has to remain the same, so only equipment life extension and tons cast [made it happen].”

… Industry Supplier, Midwest

“We haven’t started so far, but we’re proactively working on bringing some solid strategy [in 2016].”

… Principal Member, Technical Team, South

“To this regard, I am expecting [my client] to establish some real measurements that may allow a true assessment and baseline to set new goals and affirm whatever good things that are already happening in its operations. They are producing more than a million units of product each day!”

… Industry Consultant, Midwest

“In 2015, we focused on hiring the correct people to fit in our organization. We were losing several maintenance technicians to retirement programs and career advancement. We needed approximately 15 staff people that fit our expectation of a top maintenance person. We did the usual advertising, chatted with many technical schools, spent time with military people [who were] being discharged, and did many career fairs. The results were interesting.  A high percentage of people [with whom] we discussed employment possibilities did not want to work 12-hr. shifts, weekends, or holidays. Many thought the $32/hr. [wage rate] was not high enough for what we expected them to accomplish doing a work shift. After many interviews, we hired six.”

… College Electrical Lab Manager/Instructor, West

About the EP Reader Panel

The Efficient Plant Reader Panel includes approximately 100 working industrial-maintenance practitioners and consultants who have volunteered to answer monthly questions prepared by our editorial staff. Panelist identities are not revealed and their responses are not necessarily projectable. Note that our panel welcomes new members. To be considered, email your name and contact information to jalexander@efficientplantmag.com with “Reader Panel” in the subject line. All panelists are automatically included in an annual cash-prize drawing after one year of active participation.