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Developing an Effective Maintenance Program
by Kevan Slater, Trico Corporation 

Modern maintenance tools such as Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Asset Management, Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), Planned Maintenance Optimization (PMO) and many others are being implemented at an enormous expense by many companies to improve the reliability and performance of their equipment. The benefits if successful will reach wider than equipment availability and the reduction in operating costs. It can increase the entire business effectiveness by improving risk-safety, environmental integrity, energy efficiency, product quality and customer service.

Regardless of the strategy, the execution of maintenance tasks remains paramount in the success of maintaining or even increasing equipment reliability. Bottom line….cost effective equipment reliability starts with the skill of the tradesperson.

While performing recent maintenance audits, I observed that while many skilled craftsmen are exceptionally well trained in areas of computer skills, PLC’s programming, PdM technologies and equipment specific operations, many of these individuals lack the basic building blocks required for competent machine maintenance. The foundation of reliability requires the execution of technically sound machine maintenance tasks including proper handling and installation of bearings, shaft alignment requirements, balancing, lubrication requirements, proper fastening procedures, etc….. The problem appears to be that we are training our craftsmen with new and emerging technologies that assist or monitor equipment condition but we have forgotten to blend these with the critical basic skills of machinery maintenance. 

Reams of historical data and case studies can be found to show that small errors in mechanical and lubrication techniques remain the root cause in the reduction of life and reliability of industrial plant equipment. Most training programs today focus on detecting the outcome of poor maintenance practices rather than placing the training emphasis on these root causes. Equipment knowledge and practical hands-on experience of a skilled craftsman remain the key ingredients to increased cost effective equipment reliability. Throughout North America, companies have failed to provide a mechanism of ensuring that these skills are being taught because for decades, it was simpler and cheaper to import the skills from abroad.

A competent well designed apprenticeship program remains the only proven solution for ensuring the skill of the craftsman, but these programs remain rare within North America and many of those in existence are poorly funded. The reasons vary but it appears that the corporate support to allow for an increased investment into global company changes to accommodate the integrating of skills development training has not been convinced of the potential benefits to the entire organization.

Reliability based maintenance improvement programs have lead to the creation of many “certification” training classes. These courses, while effective in fundamental knowledge development, lack the hands-on maintenance task development skills. The end result… “Certified" analysts/technicians who can pass tests but are still very inexperienced in the art of machinery maintenance.

Another method of skills development avoidance has allowed some corporations to contract or outsource various maintenance services. These contracting service organizations including the original equipment suppliers remain under the same training constraints and in some cases premiums are paid for inadequate experience of maintenance crews resulting in reduced equipment reliability. 

I believe these basic skills can only be developed through competent, rigorously controlled training programs that focus on how machines and their components operate, their design requirements, effective demonstrations and years of hands-on practical experience. To enhance, assist and ensure adherence in the development of these lost skills, an effective maintenance program requires detailed procedures to provide appropriate work direction and ensure safety and efficiency. All maintenance departments should develop procedures that are clear, concise, complete, current, and technically accurate. These will then provide the additional benefits:

• Decreases the probability of human errors
• Clearly defines support requirements for easier job planning and scheduling
• Provides procedures as a valuable training aid for inexperienced personnel
• Promotes error-free performance through human factors
• Provides reliable references for maintenance and engineering departments
• Provides template content for contract or outsourcing of maintenance tasks

Technically sound maintenance procedures that are combined with craftsman proficient in the “Basic” skills will provide the necessary foundation for a sustainable world-class maintenance program. Cost effective equipment reliability will follow.