INFORMATION SHEET 5.1-3

Maintenance Methods and Systems

There are different methods, systems and techniques being applied in  the maintenance of training facilities and equipment such as the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), Predictive Maintenance (PdM), Preventive Maintenance (PM), and Total Production Maintenance. The  most popular are the Quality Management System and the 5S of Housekeeping. Of late, the installation of software or computer-based system is helpful.

Quality Management System

Quality management is a method for ensuring that all the activities necessary to design, develop and implement a product or  service  are  effective with respect to the system and its  performance  Quality  management can be considered to have 3 main components – quality control, quality assurance and quality  improvement.  Quality  management  focuses not only on product/service quality but also the means to achieve it. Quality management therefore uses quality assurance and control of processes as  well as products to achieve more consistent quality.

The following diagram is the Shewhart cycle (PDCA) for quality improvements (Made popular by Dr. Deming) www. quality-management- system.com

  1. Plan. In this stage an organization must be able to prepare a good maintenance program which will define the standards for Best Management Practices. The maintenance program must clearly answer the question on WHY, WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW.
  • Do. Here, the organization through the clearly identified maintenance program, must be able to practice the Methods and System defined in order to meet the standards (measurable performance levels of maintenance execution) established.
  • Check. To determine if the maintenance program is implemented according to what is planned, an assessment must be done. The result of the assessment will then be recorded and recorded to the proper authorities for the immediate action. Regular inspections are conducted to assure that the maintenance activities are done on the date and time it was planned and that the performance  levels adhered to the defined standard.

Act. Inspection will allow the organization to determine if the standards of maintenance are met. This will also allow the identification of further improvement in the process and  procedures. Hence, the results of the inspection must be properly documented and reported to the proper authorities for immediate action or correction needed.

The 5S Housekeeping Systems

5S is the name of a workplace organization methodology that uses a list of five Japanese words which are seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke. Transliterated or translated into English, they all start with the  letter “S”. It  is synonymous with standardized clean up. The list describes how items are stored and how the new order is maintained. The decision-making process usually comes from a dialogue about standardization which builds a clear understanding among employees of how work should be done. It also instills ownership of the process in each employee. www.training- management.info/5s.htm

Seiri (Sort)

  • TIDINESS, ORGANIZATION
  • Taking out and disposing of unnecessary items.
  • Unneeded items are thrown away or disposed.
  • Refers to the practice of sorting and through all the  tools,  materials, etc., in the work area and keeping only essential items.

Everything else stored or discarded. This leads to  fewer hazards  and less clutter to interfere with productive work.

Note: Things that clutter the workplace that are not needed should be taken out. They usually occupy space and restrict physical movement.

Seiton (Systematize)

  • ORDERLINESS:    Tools,    equipment,    and    materials    must    be systematically arranged for the easiest and most efficient access.
  • Arrangement/Organization of necessary items in good order
  • Assign a place for everything. The most often used item should be nearest and ergonomically situated, meaning – there  should  be little effort required in accessing, using and returning the equipment, tools and parts, even documents. There must  be  a place for everything, and everything must be in place.

Seiso (Sweep)

  • CLEANLINESS: Cleaning even if things are NOT DIRTY. A regular cleaning schedule prevents things from getting too dirty that it would be difficult to making it clean and span.
  • Indicates the need to keep the work  place  clean as well as neat. Cleaning in Japanese companies is a daily activity. At the end  of  each shift, the work area is cleaned up and everything restored to its place.

Seiketsu ((Standardize)

  • STANDARDS: Maintaining the workplace in high standard housekeeping.
  • Allows for control and consistency. Basic housekeeping standard apply everywhere in the facility. Everyone  knows exactly what his  or her responsibilities are. Housekeeping duties are part of regular work routines.
  • Prepare Housekeeping Standard Checklist. Checklist should  be  very detailed and stringent. Remember that thoroughness is a requirement of EXCELLENCE.
  • EVALUATE workstation according to the Housekeeping Standard Checklist.
  • IMPLEMENT a periodic clean-up schedule; and an award and sanction scheme.

Tips in Preparing a Housekeeping Standard Checklist:

  • Keep it simple – one page checklist
    • Follow a logical sequence
  • Use bullet enumerated points, if relevant and necessary
    • Consider the 5WH
    • Avoid making assumptions
    • From each item in your checklist, other items will naturally originate from it.

Note: Some samples of housekeeping and equipment standard checklist were presented in previous topics.

Shitsuke (Self-discipline)

  • SUSTAINING DISCIPLINE: Doing things spontaneously without having to be told.
  • “Teach by doing”
  • It is good discipline to leave the workplace cleaner than when it is found.
  • Refers to maintaining standards and keeping the  facility in safe  and efficient order day after day, year after year.

Safety, as defined may be the  freedom from danger injury or damage,  as well as security, are integral parts of the housekeeping system.

Safety Precaution

These are general safety precaution concerning people and facilities although these may vary depending on the trade which they are in.

Concerning People

  • When working wear appropriate clothing.
  • Make sure that the safety hat is worn properly.
  • Do not wear gloves when operating equipment except when any  part thereof is hot.
  • Never remove safety devices or safety cover from equipment.
  • Be careful of high voltages. Never touch switches with wet hands.
  • When repairing power lines turn off the main power supply first.
  • Should an accident occur, it should be reported immediately to proper authority no matter how trivia.

Concerning Facilities

  • Facilities must be adequately illuminated, clear, neat and dry.
  • Keep the area organized so there are no obstacles lying around the floor.
  • The equipment and the floor area round the equipment must  be free from dust and any chipping.
  • Workbenches must be strong and sturdy, and their surfaces treated with non-skid materials.

Security Policies and Procedures

The word security in the  general usage  is synonymous with “safety”  but as technical term “security” means that something not only is secure    but that it has been secured. Part of a good housekeeping program is the stress on security in the work area and of the tools and equipment. Here are some security policies and procedures that we may apply in the workplace:

Physical Property

Keep your premises physically secure. Always ensure you know who in the building. Prevent visitors casually wandering into your premises. If appropriate, fit an alarm, lock valuable asset (e.g. laptops, mobiles and the servers) in a secure room. Try to keep items out of direct public view.

Education

Let everyone know what is expected of them. Make sure they know the value of the information they  handle and are aware of any procedures you have developed to combat threats. Make sure people know what their responsibilities are.

Access Control

If you run a multi-user computer system, use the appropriate access control software to keep unauthorized

persons away from information held on your computer systems. Make sure everyone who needs access has their own ID and password and ensure they can only access what they need in order to do their job.

Clear Desks

Establish a practice of clearing desks at the end of each day. This need not be a complex process simply ensure that staff have lockable drawers or cupboards in which to place their work, and make sure these are locked and the keys removed.

Destruction

If you have sensitive information which you  wouldn’t want to  fall into the wrong hands, destroy any copies you don’t need. , if you have a lot of paper copies, modern shredders provide an inexpensive and  effective  solution. Some organizations use specialists destruction companies; this is normally only necessary if you have a lot of highly sensitive material.

Total Productive Maintenance

The Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) system is the systematic analysis, planning, control and application of work and materials  in  economic amounts by competent personnel to ensure  orderly  and continuous functioning of all productive resources.

Total productive maintenance main objective is to keep and improve production facilities stable and efficient at the lowest life cycle cost with the active participation of all members in the organization. Specifically, its purposes are:

  • To increase productivity through maximum utilization and improvement of all available equipment
  • To develop maintenance system to reduce life cycle cost of machinery and equipment through the involvement of everybody in the organization.
  • To develop operator’s capability to be competent in maintenance activities through education, training and motivation.
  • To enhance capability for advanced and sophisticated technology that would reinforce competitive power

Conditions for Maintenance Control

Basic Policy of Maintenance Control

  • Efficient operation of equipment
  • Enhancement of maintenance technology
  • Develop equipment to achieve stable operation
  • Assignment of job responsibilities for each work level
  • Technical training to upgrade the quality of workers, etc.

Basic Elements for Actual Maintenance Control

  • Organization
  • Standard Maintenance and inspection procedure
  • Work Order System
  • Work scheduling procedure
  • Material control
  • Maintenance record system
  • Maintenance performance measuring system
  • Power to implement all of the above

TPM balances maintenance cost and efficiency so that all equipment and facilities can operate at full capacity with the least possible cost. It aims to improve an organization through the attitude and skill of all personnel from the top management down to the operations level in various maintenance undertakings.

Improved equipment effectiveness not only drives home the 5S of maintenance but also eradicates the six big losses in equipment. TPM produces system effectiveness or overall equipment effectiveness through combination of availability, efficiency, and the proportion of quality products processed.  To maximize the effectiveness of this man machine  system, the  six “big losses” listed that interfere with its effective operation must be eliminated:

  1. Equipment failure – downtime losses caused by unexpected breakdowns
  2. Set-up and adjustment – downtime losses from set-up times and adjustment such as exchanging dies in press and  injection  machine
  3. Idling and minor stoppages – losses resulting from idling and minor stoppages caused by the operation of sensors and  blockages  of work on chutes
  4. Reduced speed – losses caused by the discrepancy between the design speed and actual speed of equipment
  5. Defects in process – losses caused by defects and reworking of defects
  6. Reduced yield – losses that occur between start-up and steady production

Tag-out System

Tagging-out is a system to warn or let you know whether something in your workplace should either be operated with extra care or left alone. Tags and labels help ensure the safety of trainees/trainers/staff and prevent improper operation of equipment.

Tagging-out consists of placing labels or hanging  tags  on equipment or  a part of big equipment. This gives information on the status or abnormal condition of the equipment or special instruction in  its  operation.  The  note/s on the tag or label, color (red- for danger, yellow for caution), size, make-up, and the  policies and procedures for enforcement may vary from  one organization to another. The tag-out activity should be logged.

Purposes of Equipment Tag-out Bill

1. To provide a procedure to prevent the improper operation of a component, piece of equipment a system, or portion of a system that is isolated or in an abnormal condition.

2. To provide a procedure in operating an instrument that is unreliable or not in normal operation condition.

3. To provide separate procedures for trainees/trainers/staff when accomplishing certain planned maintenance (PMS) actions.

Tag-out Documents

  • Tag out Logs
  • Caution Tags
  • Danger Tags
  • Out of – Calibration Labels
  • Out of – Commission Labels

As a good practice and for better  maintenance  control,  document/record tagging-out activity as well as inspection and audit conducted. Following is a sample template # 6 for reference.