In our high-tech world, we tend to look for high-tech solutions to deal with reliability, availability, and maintenance issues in today’s operations. In many cases, however, lower-tech tools can easily address the root causes of such problems. Equipment visuals fall into that category.
WORLD-CLASS SIMPLICITY
Putting crucial information right on the equipment, using something as simple as a paint pen or a gauge-marking label, improves task efficiency and accuracy given the fact there’s less reliance on human memory or trial-and-error methods.
Equipment visuals can communicate a wealth of information, including important operating and maintenance details and machinery specifications. Removing much of the guesswork about such information makes equipment easier to operate, maintain, inspect, and troubleshoot. The result is improved equipment performance and reliability.
Using something as simple as a paint pen or gauge-marking label to put crucial information on equipment, right where it’s needed, increases workforce efficiency and accuracy.
7 STEPS TO HELP YOUR MACHINES ‘COMMUNICATE’
Leveraging visual systems and, ultimately, transforming your plant’s machines into lean ones, involves seven steps:
- Talk with the machine operators to determine what kind of information will make your equipment easier to operate, maintain, and inspect.
- Do your research to find the correct information for each piece of equipment.
- Design a reliable application method and location for the visuals.
- Apply the information directly on the equipment at the point of use.
- If you make minor modifications, test them for safety and effectiveness.
- Teach people how to use the new visuals and modifications to make their work easier.
- Keep the visuals up to date. Teach people about potential pending equipment modifications.
THE DELIVERABLES
Labeling your equipment can engage the people closest to the equipment and help them to develop a sense of ownership. Mysteries about the equipment are solved. Access to parts and information is improved. Operating and maintaining the machines becomes easier. Orienting and training new people goes faster. Errors are reduced, if not eliminated. And improving the way people interact with their equipment will make it much more reliable. In short, the world-class simplicity of equipment visuals knocks down the barriers to improving performance throughout a plant.TRR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bob Williamson is a long-time contributor to the people-side of the world-class-maintenance and manufacturing body of knowledge across dozens of industry types. His background in maintenance, machine and tool design, and teaching has positioned his work with over 500 companies and plants, facilities, and equipment-oriented organizations. Contact him directly at 512-800-6031 or [email protected].
