Improving Asset Reliability

Asset reliability (AR - a strategic goal of zero unplanned downtime) was one topic discussed by Vision 2025 participants as they weighed in on challenges they face and solutions they’re considering (or using) to improve AR in their respective companies.

This year at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, 127 participants gathered from CPGs and other organizations such as PMMI and the Contract Packaging Association, to discuss key manufacturing challenges with a broad array of stakeholders – from C-suite to mid-level management with various areas of functionality such as operations, engineering, etc. The result is Vision 2025, with an even greater collaboration among a broader array of stakeholders.

Most participants said that they were at the Beginner stage with only a handful at the Intermediate to Advanced stages. This indicates there is considerable room for improvement in AR. And as one panelist noted, this reveals AR to be a process embodying Continuous Improvement (CI) principles rather than a program with a set beginning and end.

Here is just some of the feedback:

What are the greatest challenges you face in getting from where your current program is to where you would like it to be, for example, understanding the value of AR to your company, stating the business case for AR, no roadmap to implementation, etc.?

76% Culture change and sustaining change

48% People to help support and operate

42% Building teams for design & selection of equipment

42% Combating tribal knowledge

What role can OEMs play in helping CPGs on this journey to improved technical and operational readiness?

75% Partnership vs. transactional relationship

66% Focus on operability, maintainability and reliability from day one

53% Maintenance schedules to the component level

38% Engage operators (for training)

GENERAL CHALLENGES:

• Moving beyond tribal knowledge – knowledge in the hands of a few, longtime associates – into a culture of knowledge sharing.

• One big challenge is the lack of proper AR training and the documentation of processes.

• Most highlight the need for improved organizational culture from corporate to plants as there are often communication challenges and/or competing agendas for both that impede improved AR.

GENERAL SOLUTIONS:

• All would like to see cultural changes that include stronger relationships with internal and external stakeholders, a team approach to the selection and validation of new equipment and committing the right people to oversee AR – leadership, operations, data analysts, etc.

• Most would also like to see a commitment to a certain percentage of planned maintenance downtime, several participants citing 4%, in a rolling schedule that dictates planned maintenance activity.

EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND DATA CHALLENGES:

• A large base of legacy equipment with varying technologies making AR improvements difficult.

• One of the greatest challenges cited by most participants is the difficulty in managing the data they collect, especially ensuring its accuracy, their ability to analyze it effectively and their ability to act upon it effectively to improve AR.

• Many participants point out that technologies are rapidly improving, but CPGs willingness to invest in improving AR does not always match the pace of change.

EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND DATA SOLUTIONS:

• Most agree that building stronger partnerships – transformational, not transactional – between CPGs and OEMs that allows them to focus on operability, maintainability and reliability can help significantly with AR improvements.

• Most participants would like to find solutions for AR improvements that have a quick ROI, not 18-24 months later.

• Most participants would like to see more OEM YouTube-type videos to help train and engage CPG operators.

• All agree with the need for developing better RFPs upfront that includes an understanding of TCO throughout the entire purchasing process and life cycle of equipment. (See OpX RFP solutions here.)

 Source: PMMI Business Intelligence “Vision 2025 PACK EXPO Las Vegas”

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Make plans to visit PACK EXPO East in Philadelphia, March 3-5, to see on-trend food processing and packaging machinery and materials.