In the manufacturing and packaging industries, it is typical to see equipment that has been in use for at least 25 years. No business wants to finance a sizable capital expense unless it is absolutely necessary.
The guidelines for operating and maintaining your devices are quite similar to those for maintaining your own health: a little maintenance audit today can prevent more costly repairs and major issues in the future.
The Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of every machine, however, starts to decline with time as a result of a number of potential inefficiencies, such as breakdown, setup and adjustment, minor stoppages, slowed speed, process flaws, and start-up losses.
You can have a better grasp of the state of your machine by doing a thorough audit. This contains details on the problems that must be resolved right once and the prospective obstacles that may arise in the future. Your audit ought to give you:
- Possibilities for lowering the overall maintenance costs
- Less sudden and urgent operations interruptions due to equipment breakdown
- A stable workforce and consistent workloads
- Controlled cuts in the supply of raw materials and replacement parts
- An increased amount of work that can be repetitively planned and scheduled
- A reduction in high-priority, ad hoc, and unscheduled activities decreased unnecessary equipment damage
In addition to these advantages, the audit process can assist your business in planning for parts requests and spending while preparing for machine maintenance and downtime. Some audit procedures, such as the ones we use at CaTS can even provide your purchasing department with all the details it needs upfront regarding the expenses necessary to maintain the functionality of current machines with the least amount of downtime and troubleshooting.
How your company can help a successful machine audit
While the vendor you hire will understandably do the majority of the work required to perform the audit, there are some things your company can do to ensure the success of your machine audit(s). This includes the following:
- Obtaining commitment from top management
- Applying the audit findings to your daily practice and following maintenance advice at the recommended cadence. These procedures should be implemented right away.
- Including process operators from the start
- Ensuring that everyone on your team understands the true cost of maintenance in the future to reinforce the importance of daily routines
A quality audit provides your company with invaluable information on the status of your most valuable assets. You’ll understand what issues are impeding your productivity today and what issues you’ll need to be aware of in the future. This allows you to address immediate needs while allocating future budget resources to issues that do not require immediate attention.
It’s the peace of mind you need when it comes to your company’s most important components, and you’ll look forward to this type of audit every time.
In conclusion, conducting a comprehensive maintenance audit for your production equipment is a crucial investment for any company. By taking a proactive approach to equipment maintenance, you can reduce downtime, prevent breakdowns, and save money in the long run.
A thorough maintenance audit can help you identify areas of improvement and prioritize maintenance tasks based on their impact on production. This ensures that you are allocating your resources effectively and addressing the most critical issues first.
Regular maintenance and implementing condition monitoring tools can also extend the lifespan of your equipment, allowing you to get more value out of your investment. It can also improve the overall safety of your production facility by identifying potential hazards and mitigating them before they cause harm.
Furthermore, a maintenance audit can help you stay compliant with industry regulations and maintain a good reputation among your customers. It shows that you are committed to providing high-quality products and services and are willing to invest in maintaining your equipment to achieve that goal.
In today’s competitive business environment, it’s essential to be proactive and stay ahead of potential problems. A comprehensive maintenance audit can help you do just that, ensuring that your equipment is operating at its full potential, and your business is thriving.
I Need A Maintenance Audit
If you want to improve the efficiency and productivity of your production line while reducing costs and downtime, it’s time to consider a comprehensive maintenance audit for your equipment. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits it can bring to your business.
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