A good
friend of mine, Bob Williamson, expert in these concepts defines the visual
systems as the means that allows our machines and systems "to tell us"
what they need and how well they are working.
Indeed, we all know that good communication contributes to an
organization of any size to work better. That it is exactly, the function of the
visual systems: Improve Communication!
We
should use visual systems for different purposes but always with the idea in
mind of communicating or activating the communications. Such is the case of the
“Opportunity Cards” that we hang on the equipment or the facilities where we
indicate the need to make a repair, improvement or modification. Information
Boards that contain graphics, the names of the participants in a project, the
reports of achieved improvements, verification lists, and many more data, are
good visual systems too.
In
this aspect we need to use a lot of creativity. It should not be regulated and
not necessarily standardized.
Let us
see some examples...
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For
example in a machine, it will be convenient that in all types of instruments:
pressure gauges, thermometers, etc. to mark lines or areas that indicate the
ranges of normal operation and the ranges of risk.
Also analogical meters should be rotated them so that the pressure,
temperature or correct reading is in the position of "the 12:00"
(top). We can paint or stick color film indicating: Correct or good (green)
reading; Yellow-caution; Red-danger, either if there is risk in the operation
for the operator, the machine or that the product can be damaged or have poor
quality. In the event of digital indicators,
we should make sure to have a clear sign indicating the reading or correct
readings. There should also exist a
clear indication of what we are measuring in that instrument.
Visual
systems should also be applied to facilitate the inspection and the maintenance.
For example, if in the verification list the point number 7 is a belts
transmission, the corresponding belt-cover will have a number 7 clearly marked.
This can be inside a square or inside a circle, this will tell us that the
number is part of a check list or report.
And
speaking of belt-covers: It is very convenient to have a clear mark that tells
us what type of belts and the number of them that are required. It is also
helpful to have an arrow that indicates the correct rotation. This is
particularly useful when a major repair is done in which it is necessary to
change or to disconnect and to reconnect a motor or electric elements. Rotation
arrows should be present in All Rotating Devices. Let us remember that there are
many machines that can suffer serious damage if they work in the wrong rotation.
Another
aspect of great advantage is that the grease fittings and points of lubrication
also be clearly identified. It is not only important to know where they are, but
what type of lubricant they should be supplied with. In many cases there may be
a color code for this purpose. With grease fittings, it is advisable to use
covers for them. Besides helping (with their color) to identify them, the covers
will avoid the contamination of bearings and lubricated surfaces.
The
same consideration for piping: standard codes exist and also conventional codes.
The important issue is that all the people, who are involved with the equipment
in its operation and maintenance, very clearly understand the code meaning. In
most of the cases we should try to have good quality quick release plugs,
which generally facilitate the maintenance operations and the tooling changes
(setups), etc. Use the color codes and also clear signs and arrows showing the
direction of flow on the pipes.
Another
practical application of visual systems is the use of pilot lights that allow
observing from the distance some problem with an equipment or system.
Also
very important among these visual systems will be the
visual board of each
machine. This serves so that at all times, any person can see the performance of
the equipment, name and if possible picture of the equipment’s operator(s) or
"proprietors", maintenance details, operation graphics, indexes of
productivity, reports and verification lists for operations of autonomous
maintenance in charge of the operator "in their own words."
Important
use of visual systems is with respect to warnings of caution and/or danger,
recommendations of use of personnel protection equipment, clean maintenance of
the area, and others that may be pertinent.
In
support of 5Ss,
an important issue is the marking of lines and location areas on the floor.
Generally, using adhesive tapes, you will be able to conserve the order and
organization of the workspace. Again, this allows all persons to understand the
correct use of the area.
There
is no limit for these visual supports. Let us make use, as it was said before,
of the creativity of the whole personnel. I have found some with very
explanatory drawings. We can even organize competitions on diverse warnings in
the plant.
In all
presentation that I make and also in the electronic mail groups, this question
frequently arises: Which is the best CMMS? And my answer will always be the same
one: The one that is fully used.
For
those who have been in maintenance for many years, it is easy to understand that
a system doesn't require too much sophistication to offer us a good service.
However, it is indispensable to provide the system with all the necessary
information, otherwise we won't be able to obtain a favorable result.
It
doesn't matter if it is a package of a few hundred dollars or one of ten
thousand. If it is used well, it pays for itself with the multitude of services
that it can provide us. If it is not used well or it is not provided the correct
information, which unfortunately happens in about 90% of the cases, no software
package can make a miracle.
Some
of the reasons where the CMMS systems don't work well:
The
person in charge of introducing the information doesn't know anything or very
little about the program or of the maintenance work, or both.
The
work orders are not able to complete the cycle: Emission, Execution, Feedback,
because the personnel has not understood the importance of contributing to such
purpose.
From
the beginning it was not possible to establish the correct machines catalog,
reserve parts, suppliers, required services, etc.
It is
not considered important to report details of what was or was not made; neither
is it upgraded to conform to the changes in the system or the plant.
The
program of Preventive Maintenance is not realistic or reachable. As a result,
the people responsible of doing it lie in the reports.
The
maintenance personnel don't have the appropriate training in the equipment as
well as in the requirements of the program.
Too
many "emergency" services happen and the process of information is put
aside.
Several
of the intrinsic aspects of the TPM mean an important support to the good use of
a CMMS program.
The
education and the training that are promoted by TPM pay special attention to the
importance of documenting all the relative issues related to the equipment, as
well as to pinpoint the Root Cause of the problems. These formative elements
should extend to the point that all the personnel can operate the system
correctly, to conclude and complete the work orders, to feed the information
corresponding into the system, to adjust the identifications of Preventive
Maintenance, to generate reports and in general, to take advantage of the
program. This totally eliminates the need for a person to be unaware of the
maintenance items to be involved in that task. In certain cases, a revolving
system takes place so that the calls will always be answered by a technician,
who will have the ability to issue the work order and to assign it, although
when having a monitor open in all the shops, it is frequent to see technicians
self-assign an order as soon as this it is issued. When having this kind of
access, it is easy to get each technician to return directly to the terminal to
close the order in a timely manner
when he has a fresh vision of what happened and of how it was solved.
As the
TPM advances in the plant, the equipment catalogs, parts, etc. will keep
upgrading and maintaining up-to-date information. The same happens to the
improved maintainability that will facilitate the development of the Preventive
Maintenance. The technicians will be empowered to make the pertinent adjustments
to the PM orders.
TPM
considerably diminishes the incidence of "emergency" repairs so the
personnel has the necessary time to keep the information base up to date.
In the
typical plant, 80% of the maintenance work is for emergencies and only 20% for
preventive and scheduled jobs. Once TPM is implemented, that proportion is
usually reversed and it can still improve. There are plants where after two or
three years of implementation they end up having even less than 10% of
“emergency” services. That allows them to have very effective programs of
Preventive and Predictive Maintenance.
How to
Measure The Generated Improvements For The TPM In Terms Of The Overall Equipment
Effectiveness?
All
performed effort should have certain parameters in order to evaluate the
achievements. The TPM effort won't be the exception to this rule. To be able to
measure that advance, we have the OEE, Overall Equipment Effectiveness. It is a
useful concept and helps to define restrictions in the plant.
The
OEE contributes to measure how the improvements will positively affect the
productivity thanks to the appropriate operation of the equipment.
TPM
plays an important role in this process, since the effectiveness of the
equipment is improved. A basic goal of the TPM is "Zero interruptions or
production stoppages" which makes it possible to increase the effectiveness
of the equipment so that each machine can be operated at its full potential and
maintained at that level. We will use the denomination: OEE.
The
attitude in the implementation of TPM should be centered in zero breakdowns.
Only with that conviction can a good implementation of TPM be achieved.
»
OEE = EA X PR X QR
Being:
»
OEE = Overall Equipment Effectiveness
»
EA = Equipment Availability
»
PR = Performance Rate
»
QR = Quality Rate
The
Equipment Availability (EA) is improved through reducing or eliminating the
breakdowns, setups and adjustments, and all kinds of stoppages. This can be
achieved thanks to realistic Preventive Maintenance and the opportune scheduling
of repairs when the equipment begins to show some abnormality, earlier than the
failure point.
The
Performance Rate (PR) improves through eliminating the losses of speed,
stoppages and smaller failures. TPM
allows the operators to notice any reduction of the capacity of their equipment,
and they also learn how to use it at its full capacity. As they know it better,
the operation is safer and fluid.
The
Quality Rate (QR) improves eliminating defects in the process, especially during
the beginning of a new product.
The
indexes can be determined in each workstation. The high level of effectiveness
OEE will only be achieved when the three indexes are high.
The
following principles should be applied when improving the effectiveness:
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Make detailed and exact measures
»
Establish priorities
»
Establish clear goals
To
calculate the indexes to use, it is necessary to review the following concepts:
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Production Time: refers to
the net availability of the equipment during a given period. In other words it
is the available total time for operation minus the necessary times for breaks,
chats, lost cycles, etc. (unavoidable).
»
Operation Time: the production time minus the time in which the equipment
is stopped due to breakdowns, adjustments, setups and other stoppages. It is the
time in which the equipment is in operation.
»
Net Operation Time: the time in which the equipment is operated at stable
and constant speed. From the Operation Time subtract the time lost by smaller
stoppages and for loss of speed, (especially in the kick off).
»
Productive Operation Time: the Net Operation Time minus the estimated time
that is required to rework the faulty products. It is the time during which the
acceptable products are manufactured.
»
Ideal Cycle Time: the time designed for the production of one unit. We
should bring it the closest possible to the "Takt Time".
»
The "Takt Time": a theoretical time that results of dividing the
Net Operation Time by the number of pieces that are required to be produced.
The
levels for the effectiveness of the equipment differ depending on:
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The industry
»
The
characteristics of the equipment
»
The production
systems involved.
The
effectiveness of the equipment averages from 40 to 60 percent in plants that
remain working with traditional corrective or reactive maintenance procedures.
This standard can be as high as 85 or 95 percent through several Kaizen Events
focused in the reduction and elimination of the effectiveness losses in the
equipment.
W.
Edwards Deming conducted a thriving worldwide consulting practice for more than
forty years. His clients included manufacturing companies, telephone companies,
railways, carriers of motor freight, consumer researchers, census
methodologists, hospitals, legal firms, government agencies, and research
organizations in universities and in industry.
The impact of Dr. Deming's teachings on American manufacturing and service
organizations has been profound. He led a sweeping quality revolution that is
improving the competitive position of the United States.
President Reagan awarded the National Medal of Technology to Dr. Deming in 1987.
He received the Distinguished Career in Science award from the National Academy
of Sciences in 1988.
Dr. Deming received many other awards, including the Shewhart Medal from the
American Society for Quality Control in 1956 and the Samuel S. Wilks Award from
the American Statistical Association in 1983.
The Metropolitan section of the American Statistical Association established in
1980 the annual Deming Prize for improvement of quality and productivity. Dr.
Deming was a member of the International Statistical Institute. He was elected
in 1983 to the National Academy of Engineering, and in 1986 to the Science and
Technology Hall of Fame in Dayton. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of
Fame in 1991.
Dr. Deming is perhaps best known for his work in Japan, where from 1950 and
onward he taught top management and engineers methods for management of quality.
This teaching dramatically altered the economy of Japan. In recognition of his
contributions, the Union of Japanese Science and Engineering (JUSE) instituted
the annual Deming Prizes for achievements in quality and dependability of
product. The Emperor of Japan awarded to Dr. Deming in 1960 the Second Order
Medal of the Sacred Treasure.
Dr. Deming received his doctorate in mathematical physics from Yale University
in 1928. A number of universities have awarded to him the degrees LL.D. and Sc.D.
honoris causa: the University of Wyoming, Rivier College, the University of
Maryland, Ohio State University, Clarkson College of Technology, Miami
University, George Washington University, the
University of Colorado, Fordham University, the University of Alabama, Oregon
State University, the American University, the University of South Carolina,
Yale University, Harvard University, Cleary College, and Shenandoah University.
Yale University awarded to him also the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal. Rivier
College awarded to him the Madeleine of Jesus Award.
Dr. Deming is the author of several books and about 200 papers. His books,
"Out of the Crisis" (MIT/CAES, 1986) and "The New Economics"
(MIT/CAES, 1994) have been translated into several foreign languages. Hundreds,
perhaps thousands of books, films, and videotapes profile his life, his
philosophy, and the successful application of his teachings worldwide. Dr.
Deming's four-day seminars reached 10,000 people per year for over ten years…
In
his book: "Out of the Crisis", Dr. W. Edwards Deming shows, in
the second chapter his 14
steps toward an improved management. It is not easy in the American
Culture to establish such changes. Perhaps that barrier is keeping the American
Industry from achieving as impressive results as the ones reached by the
Japanese.
1. Create constancy of purpose for
improvement of product and service with the aim to become competitive and to
stay in business, and to keep providing jobs.
2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are
in a new economic age. Western management must awaken to the challenge, must
learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change.
3. Cease dependence on inspection to
achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building
quality into the product in the first place.
4. End the practice of awarding
business on the basis of price tag. Instead, minimize total cost. Move toward a
single supplier for any one item, on a long-term relationship of loyalty and
trust.
5. Improve constantly and forever
every process for planning, production and service. Improve quality and
productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.
6. Institute training on the job.
This should be a part of everybody's every day’s activities.
7. Adopt and institute leadership.
The aim of supervision should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a
better job. Supervision of management is in need of overhaul as well as
supervision of production workers.
8. Drive out fear so that everyone
may work effectively for the company because they want it to succeed.
9. Break down barriers between staff
areas or departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must
work as a team, to foresee problems of production and in use that may be
encountered with the product or service.
10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations
and targets for the workforce asking for zero defects and new levels of
productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the
bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and
thus lie beyond the power of the work force.
11. Eliminate numerical quotas for
the workforce and numerical goals for management.