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Reliability and Maintenance Management
Consultant Idhammar is vice president of IDCON,
Raleigh, NC, a reliability and maintenance
management consulting firm, specializing in education, training and
implementation of improved operations, reliability,
and maintenance management practices.
Feedback on this reliability
article is appreciated. Send to info@idcon.com
For plant
maintenance consulting information. Please call (919) 847 8764.
More information available in our reliability
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(part 1) (part
2)
Reliability Improvements = Cost Reduction
In the May column, I discussed results that a mill had experienced in
the ten years following implementation of initiatives with a primary focus
on cutting costs as quickly and extensively as possible. In summary, it
proved to be a financial disaster.
In this article, I will discuss what happened in another pulp mill during
a similar time period.
PRIMARY FOCUS: RELIABILITY. This mill decided
to focus primarily on reliability improvements instead of cost reduction
alone. This program included the following activities:
- Development of a clearly spoken and well-established partnership
between operations, engineering, and maintenance.
- Replacement of a reactive maintenance policy with one that is planned
and scheduled. Formerly, less than 10% of all maintenance work was planned
and scheduled; ten years later, more than 85% of all work was executed
after being planned and scheduled.
- Implementation of a strong vibration analysis program; prior to the
project, the average vibration level was 0.23 in./sec, but today, it
has been decreased to 0.11 in./sec.
- Professional training of lubricators; this training resulted in better
filtration, including water removal, better seals, oil testing, and
use of fewer types of lubricants. Cost for lubrication was reduced by
60%.
Dynamic balancing of all rotating equipment above 1,000 rpm before being
put into service;
- Improvement of many equipment bases by installation of Jack-bolts
to facilitate better alignment precision;
- Marking and rotating of electric motors and rolls in store at an
interval of twice per month;
- Implementation of alignment training, standards, and execution;
- Analysis and improvement of stores inventory and services; by maintaining
a service level of more than 96% to maintenance, stores value was reduced
by more than 30%.
- Adherence to preventive maintenance schedules increased more than
90%.
RELIABILITY BRINGS RESULTS. During the first
three years of the reliability improvement program, maintenance costs
increased a total of 8% (2.5% to 3.0% per year). During the same period,
reliability - and, consequently, production throughput - increased steadily
from 83% to 90%. After the initial three years, the reliability continued
to increase to 92%, resulting in a reduction of maintenance costs by 40%
(Figure 1). Figure 2 shows the financial impacts of the reliability improvement
program.
FIGURE 1. During the first three years, maintenance
costs increased 8% and then began to fall, ending with a final reduction
of 40%.Reliability and production throughput increased steadily to a total
of over 92% (time and quality performance).
FIGURE 2. Short-term increase in maintenance costs of about $3.3 million
resulted in savings of $17 million annually. Value of increased and sold
production represented $18 million annually ($ values are per year).
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