How To Minimize Unplanned Downtime With Preventative Maintenance

How To Minimize Unplanned Downtime With Preventative Maintenance

Every minute of lost production time is crucial for any industrial or manufacturing operation. Unscheduled downtime could result in high costs to businesses. Businesses need to find ways to prevent or at the very least minimize delays and disruptions.

Unplanned downtime can have obvious negative consequences, but many businesses view equipment inspection and testing as a burden. It is, however, a business necessity and, very often, a competitive advantage.

This issue should not be approached in a linear manner. “We need to keep our equipment operating at optimum production levels. So what must we do? It requires a positive, dynamic approach to problem-solving that includes all aspects of the business and, most importantly, the human element.

It’s not new. There have been many versions of preventative maintenance over the years, including OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), TPM (total productive maintenance), and RCM (reliability-centered maintenance). Because people are what make things happen at work, it is crucial that organizations create a culture in which everyone knows their roles and follows through.

Even if your business depends on automated equipment, it is impossible to avoid production loss simply because you have the correct testing instrument or detailed maintenance procedures. It is the human factor that ensures things run smoothly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

As you go through the checklist on how to prevent unplanned downtime, remember your people and look for ways to empower them to solve the problem. You are their frontline, so get their input and include them in the decision-making process. Your preventative maintenance program will succeed if your employees have a proactive mindset and are determined to solve problems before they happen.

See also  Tips to Choose a Business Coach

1. Make sure your machine operators are able to take control of their processes

Workers who take on responsibility for essential maintenance and problem notification of their machines and process increase their skills and empower them to push for the best outcomes. Continuous monitoring also reduces the chance of unplanned downtime.

2. Plan for maintenance well in advance.

It’s as obvious as it sounds, yet many businesses only have short-term plans. You should plan ahead in order to take advantage of slow output times, such as if your operation is quieter during Christmas. Also, ensure you have enough downtime for a thorough check. You must also ensure that your team follows regular preventative maintenance strategies. This includes keeping equipment clean, applying appropriate lubrication, and using non-destructive equipment like laser alignment systems to ensure that machinery runs optimally.

3. Make sure you have all the necessary parts and accessories

Many businesses have fallen for the trap of keeping too many tools, parts, and accessories on hand but failing to replenish them as they are used. This can lead to equipment downtime and production delays that are longer than anticipated.

4. Regularly audit maintenance stock

Why would you keep a stockroom full of obsolete parts or spares? Regular inspections of your maintenance stock will help you to ensure that no equipment is left behind or that obsolete spares are not kept unnecessarily.

5. When scheduling maintenance checks, take into account the equipment’s age.

While you may have procedures and policies in place to maintain your equipment, does the frequency of inspections increase with age? It is essential to inspect older equipment and plants more often when scheduling maintenance. However, it is easy to forget about the age of equipment and plants. This may require more downtime, but it’s better than unplanned breakdowns.

See also  What Is Cosmetic Mica Powder?

6. Involve the operator daily in equipment condition monitoring and checks.

Operators should continue to look for ways that they can improve service and equipment operation and identify potential problems. The operator should keep an accurate record of equipment maintenance history, track down any downtime and use this information to plan future servicing and prevent potential problems. Remember that the human element is crucial – and if an operator has concerns about maintenance or production issues, they should address them immediately.

7. Train employees properly

Your team must be able to use the equipment correctly. Therefore, it is essential to provide comprehensive training to minimize operator-instigated shutdowns or slowdowns.

Preventative maintenance doesn’t mean putting aside time to clean and inspect equipment. Businesses will save time and money by performing regular testing and inspections. This strategy should be implemented across the entire team.

Many businesses are unaware that the supplier of testing and inspection equipment can play a vital role in improving their operations and building a business.

70 thoughts on “How To Minimize Unplanned Downtime With Preventative Maintenance”

  1. Usually I do not read article on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to try and do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thank you, quite great article.

  2. I am really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility problems? A couple of my blog visitors have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari. Do you have any suggestions to help fix this issue?

  3. Pretty part of content. I simply stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to claim that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing for your augment or even I achievement you get entry to consistently rapidly.

  4. Howdy! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to take a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Wonderful blog and terrific design and style.

  5. An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been doing a little research on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this issue here on your web page.

  6. Its like you read my mind! You seem to understand so much approximately this, like you wrote the ebook in it or something. I think that you could do with some p.c. to force the message house a bit, however other than that, this is wonderful blog. An excellent read. I’ll definitely be back.

  7. Today, I went to the beach with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!

  8. Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you could be a great author. I will make sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back at some point. I want to encourage continue your great job, have a nice day!

  9. Appreciating the dedication you put into your website and in depth information you provide. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Wonderful read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  10. You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the article you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.

  11. I’m not sure why but this website is loading incredibly slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.

  12. You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the article you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.

  13. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told used to be a amusement account it. Glance complex to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we keep in touch?

  14. An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who was doing a little research on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this matter here on your site.

  15. Does your website have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.

  16. Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

  17. Hi there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Thanks for your time!

  18. Hello! I’ve been following your web site for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the excellent job!

  19. Thank you, I’ve just been searching for information approximately this subject
    for a long time and yours is the best I have found out so far.

    But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure in regards to the
    supply?

  20. Hello there, You have performed an excellent job. I will definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this web site.

  21. Greetings! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!

  22. This design is spectacular! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!

  23. I will right away seize your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please allow me recognize so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.

Leave a Comment