Maintenance as a management process

Well-founded maintenance management encompasses more than just the maintenance of machines and systems. A holistic maintenance approach supports production in quality assurance beyond maintenance and provides the necessary basis for plant optimizations, plant expansions or new acquisitions.

The human factor is underestimated

The smooth running of production is a prerequisite for the production of high-quality products. The maintenance specialists are responsible for the operational and plant functionality and should optimise it if possible. The quality manager monitors compliance with product quality and ensures its continuous improvement. However, the monitoring and further development of services and internal processes also usually falls within his area of responsibility. In many companies, maintenance is located in production and quality assurance is an independent department. Often, there is not enough cooperation across departments. As a result, plant malfunctions and customer complaints are viewed in isolation.

When the devil is in the details

Sometimes the causes lie in the details. Here is a practical example: In a food company with 24-hour operation, various small batches are filled on a filling line. For this purpose, the machine must be adjusted to new container dimensions each time. The machine operator does not adjust the machine optimally. The result: many production interruptions and possibly half-empty products at the customer. To get the machine running again, the maintenance specialist is called in, even in the middle of the night. The maintenance specialist notes down the malfunction and the effort required to remedy it in a report. The cause remains unclear due to the unspecific documentation. Two weeks later, the quality manager receives a customer complaint. The delivery contained half-empty bottles. The next time there is an incorrect delivery, the supplier will be changed. During his research, the quality manager finds the report of the maintenance specialist, but the fault diagnosis is not apparent. The maintenance specialist cannot remember or cannot be reached. Result: The elimination of the weak point cannot be tackled in the long term and further faulty deliveries are likely.

Error analysis and correction are strategic success factors

With appropriate maintenance software, such classic sources of error could be determined and eliminated in the shortest possible time. Based on the analysis, it would quickly become clear that the employee was obviously not trained enough during the batch changeover at the machine. This is where the first lever could be applied. In order to prevent the delivery of faulty products to customers and thus prevent image damage, the machine could be optimized as a further measure. It would be possible to retrofit the machine with a level indicator or to pay attention to this quality-assuring element when purchasing a new machine.

Maintenance concepts provide sustainable support

A holistic maintenance approach is understood to mean activities and measures that serve to specifically maintain or increase the value of a plant. This includes operational management, process management, process optimization as well as value-preserving and value-enhancing maintenance.

The goal of a holistic management process in maintenance is the optimization of the maintenance effort of the plants, combined with a trouble-free production under continuous compliance with the required quality standards. In order to meet the simultaneous demand for operational safety and availability on the one hand and cost optimization, sustainability and planning reliability on the other, computer-based tools are being used more and more.

Depending on the industry, high quality standards are specified, legal requirements must be met, and there are different requirements for production times or response times in the event of malfunctions. To ensure that the plants remain state of the art after commissioning, it is worth implementing a sound maintenance concept. This defines the processes as well as the methods of maintenance and the practical organization of the necessary work steps. Work instructions and forms not only support the quality management processes, but also ensure that substitutes can be found at any time in the event of staff absences or job changes thanks to detailed process and plant documentation.

Strengthening entrepreneurial core competencies

In addition to the classic DIN 31051 approach, sustainable maintenance software optimally supports modern maintenance concepts as well.

• with fault-related, preventive, condition-oriented as well as reliability-oriented maintenance (RCM - Reliability centered Maintenance)
• a holistic approach to the optimal use of production equipment with the aim of maximizing overall equipment effectiveness (TPM - Total productive Maintenance)
• and the risk-based inspection (RBI) planning method.

In many industries, trouble-free production combined with compliance with the highest quality standards is of decisive importance for the success of a company. In particular, the chemical industry, pharmaceutical companies, food production, automotive suppliers, energy service companies and the metal industry rely on proven IT tools and thus give maintenance strategic importance.