Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1250226
AS I SEE IT cially true when advanced training concepts are used to update task procedures and tools. When training leads to sustained change with real value, then training should be viewed as an asset. After all, the definition of an asset is something that has future value. On the other hand, without transforma- tional training, old-school ideas and methods remain entrenched. Although their intentions are good, the teachings of many old-timers propagate the use of substandard methods and impair opportunities for change and improvement. Sadly, this induces and sustains a state of unreliable asset performance and high maintenance costs. Training both impacts and attracts good quality employees. Imagine that your people leave, what will they say about their experi- ence at your plant? Let's face it, social media is a megaphone. If people leave do you want the message to be "they didn't develop or care about their people," or "it was one of the best experiences of my career, if you can get a job there, do it!" 2. Training Drives Overall Workforce Effectiveness (OWE) Most of us have heard of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). is widely used metric is the arithmetic product of three factors: machine availability, machine performance, and product quality. It's a great "big picture" snapshot of a plant's general reliability program. Improving OEE requires improving one or more of the three factors. Looking at each of these three factors, from an operations and maintenance viewpoint, requires improvement in such things as work methods, skills, tools, culture, etc. Workforce training seems to drive most anything that is desired, including OEE improvement. We do what we learn and understand; the what, the how, the why, the when, the where. e opposite is equally true. In fact, you may have heard of overall work- force effectiveness (OWE) (aka overall labor effectiveness). Like OEE, the same three factors apply for OWE. Moving the needle on OEE means we must move the needle on OWE; they are in lock-step (Figure 1). Look at these OWE factors in the context of people skills, aware- ness, and standardized work: Availability. A well-run maintenance program may also be known as precision maintenance and planned maintenance. is is the opposite of breakdown maintenance. Maintenance personnel are available because of planned work, not emergent work, and doing the right things right, the first time every time. Under a planned maintenance program with 4 | May - June 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com OEE OWE A - Substandard B - Common C - World Class A B C skilled workers, increasing workforce bandwidth does not need to require increasing your work- force headcount or even hours worked. Precision and efficiencies make time and free up resources. Performance. Effective, up-to-date training can increase performance by improving the skills that directly impact the productivity of work performed. A skilled maintainer, technician, millwright, analyst, operator, etc. should know the correct procedure, the correct tools, etc. to perform a task quickly and efficiently. You've heard of the Optimum Reference State. Doing the optimum is enabled by knowing the optimum (through training and standardized work). Qua lit y. W hile performance is produc- t iv it y re l ate d , qu a l it y i n f luenc e s t he susta inabilit y a nd ef fectiveness of work performed. ere are right and wrong ways that affect performance and right and wrong ways that affect quality. Precision lubrication relates to the precise selection of lubricants, the right amount, the right frequency, the right method, the right location, the right cleanliness, the right inspection method, and so much more. ere are so many choices that technicians and operators face in performing maintenance tasks. e same is true with reliability and lubrication engineers. We don't know these things by instinct. e life expectancy of lubricants and machinery components directly relates to the choices we make and the choices we don't make. For instance, let's connect this to oil analysis — who in your organization is going to answer these questions and, most importantly, get it right? • Right machines to sample • Right sampling frequency • Right sampling location • Right sampling procedure • Right lab selection • Right tests to perform • Right alarms and limits • Right data interpretation strategy Training drives change in workforce avail- ability, performance and quality. A penny saved — by not investing in training — is not a penny earned, but rather hundreds of dollars forfeited all for the quest of a penny. Figure 1. The lock-step relationship between overall workforce effectiveness (OWE) and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).