Reliability, Availability and Maintenance

Moving from a reactive to a more proactive, reliable and efficient environment.

Reliability can take a number of forms within companies.  The starting point is usually determining why a production loss occurred and completing actions to stop it reoccurring.  Analysing production losses is a good first step but remains reactive.  The costs of the repair and the production losses are absorbed by the organisation.

At Performance Improvements (PI) Ltd we look holistically at the whole Asset.

Benchmarking and Competitive Analysis can be carried out to assess the Assets against the Company goals and ethos or against World Class criteria.  The results will be reported in radar and statistical charts which will show the areas requiring more focus and quantify the gap to be closed.

A number of tools and approaches are used to identify the most practical, cost effective, reliable and sustainable way to close the gaps.

Reliability reviews use the CMMS (computerised maintenance management system) data to identify the high cost systems and equipment.  Areas of high maintenance spend can be indicative of recurring failures and maintenance or operations induced failures.  The CMMS system is used to report Opex and man hour losses.

A robust RCA (root cause analysis) process ensures good quality analysis is available when required.  Training, auditing, relevant KPI’s and an easy to use database ensures that the process is sustainable and cross asset/shift learning is maximised.

A risk and opportunity register can be used to collate and quantify the risk to production and the opportunities to increase production for all of the chokes.  This assists in making Business decisions when resources have conflicting priorities and presents an easy overview for management on the challenges currently facing the asset.

RAM (reliability, availability and maintainability) models are used to determine the inherent reliability of the plant.  Comparison against the historical actual reliability of systems and equipment identify and quantify the projected losses for the future.  A proactive approach can minimise or eliminate the future losses.  Models are also used in the design phase of new facilities to identify bottlenecks or proposals which will reduce the availability of the already existing plant.

Breakthrough teams are an effective way of capitalising on the enthusiasm generated by the move to become more proactive.  These teams have clear short terms goals to resolve tangible, quantifiable problems.  Their successes generate more enthusiasm and belief in the change program.

Training, whether it is technically orientated or in the processes and improved ways of working, is important to any change.  Quality training not only explains the most effective way of working, it also explains why it is the most effective way.  This achieves buy in and understanding from the users which results in a more sustainable implementation.

Developing complementary KPI’s (key performance indicators) show a more rounded picture of the effectiveness and efficiencies of the Assets.  For example a schedule attainment of 98% is impressive and World Class but if the schedule contains only 50% of the available man hours the achievement wanes somewhat.

Reliability, Availability and Maintenance