In the world of essential capital assets (facilities, plants, equipment, infrastructure, buildings, etc.), we must embrace the guiding principles of continuous, incremental improvement. Whether it’s discreet manufacturing, primary metals, petrochemical, foods, pharmaceuticals, utilities, or other types of operations, there are always problems to
solve and opportunities for improvement. Always.
But what tools do we use? Sadly, mistakes often are made by throwing “improvement toolboxes” at problems and opportunities.
SORTING THROUGH RAM’S TOOLBOXES
The quantity and variety of tools we have at hand today are almost endless. Tools for improving reliability, availability, and maintenance (RAM) go well beyond wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, meters, gauges, and the contents of individual technician’s and mechanic’s toolboxes.
The proven tools of RAM improvement are also found in the individual toolboxes for preventive maintenance (PM), predictive maintenance (PdM), maintenance management systems, spare parts, planning & scheduling, training & qualification, root cause analysis, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and analytics, and we cannot forget checklists (the “world’s best
maintenance tool”).
Looking beyond the spectrum of typical maintenance toolboxes, we also have toolboxes for Lean, continuous improvement (CI), six sigma, maintenance and reliability engineering, employee engagement, and teamwork.
And, let’s not overlook the toolboxes for Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Asset Management Standards (IS0 55001), Theory of Constraints (ToC), and for work-culture change.
PICK THE RIGHT TOOLS
I often see and/or learn of attempts to throw a toolbox at a problem (or opportunity). I've heard many reasons/excuses for doing so, including, among other things: “We need to implement a new approach to predictive maintenance.” “We need a major culture change around here to focus on reliability.” “It’s time for a new spare-parts system. We’ve got way too much invested in our inventory.” “We need more people doing root-cause analysis.”
Think beyond the toolboxes and tools to the desired outcome. What is the specific improvement opportunity: improve throughput, reduce cost per unit produced, improve on-time delivery, reduce injuries, cut our utilities costs, expand the business? As with a mechanic’s toolbox the goal is NOT to use all the tools, but to identify the problem and select the specific tools to solve the problem.
We can learn plenty from the requirements of ISO 55001: 2014 (Asset Management Standard) that begin with a focus on the goals of the organization. What that means is the same principle embodied in PAS 55:2008 and Total Productive Maintenance: a line of sight from the specific improvement activities to one or more goals of the organization.
However we phrase it (improving asset performance, reliability, equipment effectiveness, availability, or utilization), the focus should be on identifying and eliminating specific problems. Sometimes, when we say “eliminating problems,” we think of a program to implement, a toolbox to deploy.
But beware: In many organizations today, there aren't enough people with enough talent to deploy new improvement toolboxes and tools AND carry on with the day-to-day tasks. Many organizations are “resource constrained.” That said, how do we resolve problems, improve performance, and free up resources at the same time?
The answer is to focus on results, as follows:
1. Look for that specific opportunity for improvement (or problem).
2. Identify and select the specific tools to make the improvement.
3. Assess the resources that can be committed to the solution.
4. Use the right tools the right way to make the improvement quickly.
5. And do it over and over again for specific opportunities (or problems).
In short, keep the above five-point list handy and take it to heart. It's what continuous improvement of reliability, availability, and maintenance is all about.
