How can you make your equipment maintenance program more customer-focused?

Entender a forma com que os equipamentos ser?o exigidos tais como, tempos de utiliza??o, locais onde ir?o operar, expectativa de confiabilidade dos usuários s?o pontos fundamentais para que se possa tra?ar uma boa estratégia de manuten??o.

As the Maintenance Leader in the steel sector, I've shifted focus from reactive to proactive maintenance, emphasizing a customer-centric approach. Through Pareto analysis, I identified key issues causing most equipment failures and implemented strategies to extend machinery life and efficiency. Adopting Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), which includes autonomous and planned maintenance, improved safety, and Kaizen, has significantly enhanced my plant's Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), rising from 58% to 84%. This strategic shift not only conserved resources but also increased our market share in Pakistan's I-section industry to over 90%, demonstrating the effectiveness of proactive, customer-focused maintenance model.

Bottom Line in this regard is Communication. Spend the time to get to know your clients: How long have they been playing? What level do they play to? What are their expectations for the future of thier game? Propose some changes that would help and see if they are open to them or would like a different approach. PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES! You will always come out on top if you put their needs at a #1 priority, sometimes even if it doesnt generate revenue for you this time round, you may have generated an client for life that may bring you further opportunities with others if not themselves.

Using a PM based system you can adjust your inspection times to better suit your equipment and customer needs. you can see what most issues affect your equipment and adjust your checks to better service the customer.

Also make sure you develop a time tested honorable relationship with your customer. He or she should feel confident that you will make sure you have the knowledge and ability to help in the decision process. If the customer knows you are sincere in meeting or exceeding their expectations they are more likely to feel confident in the purchase. Integrity of the equipment representative should be priority, not the profit margin.

The foundation of our maintenance strategy hinges on designing tactics and strategies around the 4M's (Manpower, Machinery, Materials, Methods). While preventive maintenance is essential, I emphasize predictive maintenance using NDT techniques like UT, Vibration Analysis, and Thermal Imaging. This approach allows early problem detection, enabling proactive work order preparation. Transitioning from uncertainty to predictability, I efficiently schedule maintenance during operational windows or planned shutdowns, aligning with production and sales needs. This strategy not only prioritizes customer demands but also strengthens our market competitiveness.

Os clientes ou usuários dos equipamentos precisam conhecer de forma clara o por quê de cada item sugerido no plano de manuten??o, bem como os benefícios que ir?o trazer aos ativos. Isso garante a credibilidade do processo de manuten??o que precisa ser visto como um item estratégico e benéfico ao processo.

It is now a general practice (especially after implantation of Management systems like ISO) to communicate at the beginning of the year to all relevant stakeholders about the proposed PM schedule that is planned for the year.

In the steel sector, overcoming the challenge of developing skilled resources was crucial. Lacking specialized knowledge previously hindered production. As a leader overseeing utilities, maintenance, and projects, I recognized the need for domain-specific expertise. We initiated weekly in-house training and collaborated with partners for targeted training based on gap analysis. Promotion is now based on skill and added responsibility, not tenure. Customized coursework and tests ensure skill development. Daily group sessions encourage knowledge sharing, assigning team members to teach juniors. This focus on continuous learning has resulted in a team of skilled, knowledgeable engineers, proving invaluable for our operations.

Everything we have today is more complicated with processors, telematcs and GPS on board the staff need training to understand it all. Training leads to knowledge which leads to empowered employees.

Fundamental ter uma equipe treinada para melhor atender os clientes. Esse treinamento vai desde a parte técnica, administrativo, seguran?a e comportamental. Ou seja, o cliente precisa ser bem atendido.

The key challenge that the present day Maintenance heads face is the updation that needs to be done to the team on the various new trends / improvements, happening in the industry. This can be made possible by utilising the Service engineers or AMC vendors , who visit them.

PDCA cycle has to be put into the Maintenance schedule and the Maintenance PM program should always be dynamic and continuous improvement has to be there.

Aplicando indicadores de gestión, trabajar para mejorar el tiempo medio entre fallas, análisis FODA, siempre buscando la mejora continua.

Planos de manuten??o s?o vivos, ou seja, n?o podem ser engessados. Eles podem mudar em fun??o das condi??es apoeracionais, nível de confiabilidade requeridas, topografia e condi??o climáticas onde operam os ativos..

Uma boa forma demonstrar os cases de sucesso do seu processo de manuten??o e criando indicadores de performance e com base nos históricos criados poderemos ter de forma clara a representatividade dos planos de manuten??o bem executados.

Network has to be there among the Maintenance community and sharing of knowledge, will always be mutually beneficial. General rapport with the OEM is always required as they will be the first point of contact for anyone and their feedback will be of great use to the Maintenance community / Fraternity.