Prologue
1. The
critical aspects of maintenance need to meet the challenges of future operational
environment. It is an accepted norm worldwide to get maintenance right first,
coupled with a robust logistics and to top it up with trained manpower. Maintenance
of systems, therefore, comes right at the start of the ladder and cannot be by-passed
by any other norm. The challenge, therefore, is to assimilate the maintenance norms
correctly and avoid time lags in equipping the operational environment both
with material and trained manpower.
2. As,
the Indian companies define their new roles and missions to meet the perceived
challenges in their business environment, the article attempts to lay out a
philosophy of Maintenance- The Key to
Healthy Operations.
Introduction
3. Planned and correct maintenance at the
right time is bound to ensure ticking platforms. The coupling of maintenance by
skilled manpower and a robust logistics network can ensure achievement of
operational goals. Companies worldwide have established various internal
sub-departments/agencies which maintain a vigil on various aspects of
maintenance and also are a repository of vital information.
4. Due inputs from OEMs are to be
incorporated and relevant maintenance documents are to be in place for equipments
sustaining operations. The beauty of every production unit is the amalgamation
of various equipments from various OEMs. Most of the OEMs lay tough
stipulations in their maintenance recommendations and it is difficult to
achieve operational synergy if those regimes are to be followed in principle.
Moreover, the preliminary repair pattern of machines revolves around refurbishment and cannibalization as a major
component of upkeep and maintenance policy. This is a but natural concept and
hinges on the bare fact that most of the equipment is sourced from OEMs abroad
and logistic backbone is always in a learning and procurement curve as the
spares requirements are arbitrary and all the spares cannot be made available off
the shelf. Another vulnerability of Indian scenario is that concepts like JIT even
in their improvised forms cannot be practiced unless financial powers are
divested further to enhance over night
fast track procurements from the foreign OEMs.
5. The above lacunas bring us to the core
issue of what type of maintenance is required? Do we cater for maintaining the
functionality of the manufacturing line or maintenance of individual systems?
It’s a tricky choice as it involves certain crucial decisions involving a
matrix which looks at whether the consequence of failure affects the safety,
operational factors, non-operational factors or cost. It does lead towards the
concept of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Methodology. However, the
cascading effect is that RCM can only function if it is derived and delivered
coherently.[1]
6. The first line of defence in the
maintenance field is the ground crew. All defects and their remedial measures
are to be noted in the relevant equipment passports. The passports offer a
vital clue to the overall system health and the methodology and spares consumed
to maintain the system. These details can be recorded in this document. The
promulgated safety returns can be easily prepared based upon the data available
in the passports. The returns can be then utilized by the nodal agency to
prepare a coherent and focused maintenance information acquaint for each
system. It is a well known fact that information regarding defects should be
shared between all the stakeholders so as to forecast the maintenance
scenarios. This would also help to generate an End to End Maintenance Strategy.
7. The
usage of the equipment is crucial to derive the correct maintenance. This data
base can be developed and the required level of maintenance schedule can be
followed. For example, considering the vintage of the equipment, the rotating
machinery would need a thorough maintenance after fixed operation hours and not
merely a passing glance or waiting for the next big routine maintenance. The
older the equipment, the more would be the maintenance. This eventually leads us into the realms of Reliability
Engineering which is sub-discipline within Systems Engineering. Reliability
Engineering focuses on costs of failures caused by system downtime, cost of
spares, repair equipment, personnel and cost of warranty claims. Eventually this
should strive to produce greater safety and environmental integrity coupled
with improved operating performance and maintenance cost-effectiveness.
8. There has to be a careful blend of both
corrective and preventive maintenance to achieve operational synergies. It is
so because in a pure corrective environment, the operator has the key to the
equipment. In the pure preventive environment, the maintainer holds the key of
the equipment. Hence, a middle path has to be followed to achieve the maximum
system stability and availability. Also, the maintenance pattern has to be user
and maintainer friendly and provide maximum bang
for the buck spent.
9. However, the over arching factor would be
that maintenance should not be deferred. In today’s systems, majority of
software driven modules are not inter-changeable. Any shifting of modules
between systems is neither prudent nor advisable to maintain system integrity.
The systems would need to be tackled by properly trained personnel and with
proper documentation. The inventory of spares can never be complete and this would
continue to put systems at a disadvantage.
10. The optimum maintenance needs to be
delivered in a coherent manner and it is directly coupled to strong logistics.
Every demand needs to be chased in a pro-active fashion and Minimum Spares have
to be maintained. The software based systems and modules sourced from foreign
OEMs would continue to pose a series of maintenance/upkeep issues including
system tuning. It would be imperative that the foreign trained personnel are
carefully nurtured and ensure that their knowledge is disseminated. The
envelope for system maintenance is expanding fast with the new technology.
There is a need to stress upon the new generation concepts of maintenance and
evolve a careful strategy wherein correct maintenance can be imparted.
[1] “Where Does My Maintenance Come From? David Webb, RCM Technical
Analyst, Maritime Maintenance Support Group.
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