FEATURE MAINTENANCE
NHE advocates the implementation of a proactive approach to maintenance and explains how the company’s tiered service structure takes care of assets while allowing business leaders to focus on improving company performance
P
lant maintenance has often been a mainly reactive process, with parts run
until they failed and then replaced. However, the drive to optimise productivity, reliability and to consistently deliver against schedule commitments means this approach has become outdated. The focus has switched to the proactive management of maintenance. In essence the approach is one of preventative maintenance – taking deliberate, planned steps to minimise the risk of failure of mission-critical equipment before it can happen. Instead of the cost of individual parts being at the heart of decision, total cost of ownership (TCO) of plant is now the main driver. A variety of techniques are typically
implemented in a preventative maintenance programme, with activity centred on time-based, condition-based or usage-based monitoring. Regular tasks are undertaken such as checks on critical equipment, oil and filter changes and lubrication, with the condition of equipment recorded. This provides maintenance teams with vital information on the rate of deterioration of critical parts, and therefore the likely date at which they will fail – allowing them to schedule shutdowns at convenient times for component replacement, routine maintenance, or a complete overhaul. A strategy can also be put in place to look at alternatives for parts identified as ‘bad actors’ – those which do not reach their expected service life or require regular interventions. So, how can a preventative maintenance
strategy aimed at reducing unscheduled downtime be applied in a surface finishing facility? In the main, equipment used in these facilities falls under three main categories: automated lines, manual lines and fume extraction systems. Automated and manual processing lines typically cover processes such as cleaning, chemical etching, electroless plating, electrolytic plating, hard or chromic anodising, tartaric sulphuric anodising (TSA) and conversion coating, such as alocrom or phosphating. Usually designed to fulfil application-
40 MAY 2018 | PROCESS & CONTROL
OUTSOURCED MAINTENANCE – LOWER RISK AND GREATER PEACE OF MIND
Whatever the size and make-up of the surface engineering facility involved, the effects of a planned programme of maintenance and service will be immediate and positive. This will reduce TCO and deliver a long- term impact on productivity, quality and commercial performance
specific requirements, fume extraction systems are employed to control pollution and emissions and fulfil biological monitoring. Each type of plant is subject to a variety of potential threats to its operation. Overheating equipment is liable to unanticipated and catastrophic failure. This often emanates from the failed operation of heating and cooling elements. In the worst cases, this can cause a fire – posing an even greater risk in sites where flammable chemicals are in use - resulting in damage to both equipment and buildings. Chemical spillages and leakages, either
during handling, or as a result of inadequate or failing pipes, valves or pumps, can cause severe damage to nearby plant equipment which is not sufficiently protected, and health & safety ramifications for production operatives working in the area. Meanwhile, fume extraction equipment,
if not properly maintained, can subject employees to unsafe levels of noxious gases and other health hazards such as a legionella threat. Perhaps most important of all, however,
is the impact of wear and tear resulting from routine machinery operation. Virtually any component in moving equipment will eventually wear and, if not replaced, is liable to fail without warning, leading to potentially catastrophic failure of the machinery and unscheduled downtime.
To guard against the risk of these issues and associated downtime – or at least to be in a position to proactively manage the deterioration of parts – a regular, planned
programme of maintenance and servicing is essential. Strict testing should be undertaken on all moving parts in mechanical operations, as well as tank structures. In electrical, control and automation applications, gauges, sensors and control devices must also be inspected regularly to ensure they are functioning optimally. Similar rigorous attention should be paid to the condition of current feeds and the physical integrity of cabling and trunking. These procedures, coupled with
thorough analysis of the ongoing condition of components, will reduce the risk of unscheduled downtime resulting from component failure and instead enable a proactive approach with regular scheduled plant stoppages for major tasks or system overhauls. There are different types of service and maintenance outsourcing support available in the market. As a company involved in the supply of
metal surface treatment, NDT and process water recycling plant, NHE offers a holistic approach to complex process plant servicing and maintenance, offering a tiered structure suited to different operational requirements. By outsourcing the maintenance of process plant to a specialist provider, manufacturing facilities can improve critical asset reliability and performance and avoid costly unplanned downtime. This will allow business leaders to focus on improving other areas of business performance.
NHE
www.nhe.uk.com
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