The 10-second measure of maintenance effectiveness
Two decades ago, I worked in the Florida citrus industry. Near the end of each growing season, the fruit became softer. This promoted increased damage during handling, especially in the bins where the fruit was temporarily stored during testing.
This, of course, wasted money, as juice literally went down the drain.
We built and automated a system that would allow us to bypass these storage bins while still allowing us to meet all of the necessary testing requirements. But this system came with its own costs and risks, so it was only economical to operate late in the season when fruit quality was diminished.
Our company had sophisticated measurements in place, including comparative values across the state. We could use these measures to determine at what point in each season we should convert to this system.
But, we didn’t need those comparisons.
My engineering office was on one side of those elevated fruit bins. The business offices were on the other. Every morning, I walked under them to a staff meeting.
When my shoes began to stick to the floor, from the bit of extra juice that had been lost from the fruit, I knew in 10 seconds that it was time to switch systems.
A few years later, I had a new role in another company, installing maintenance software systems in 33 factories. We found a broad spectrum of maintenance capabilities and results. We also found this interesting corollary: The factories with the cleanest repair shop floors were also the factories with the greatest maintenance effectiveness! No oily rags or metal shavings on the floor. Floor coatings in good condition. Regularly swept.
It wasn’t that a clean shop resulted in high maintenance effectiveness. It was that the professionalism and discipline that supported effective maintenance programs also supported a clean shop.
Take 10 seconds to look down at the floor the next time you walk through your repair shop. What does it say about your maintenance operation?
(Try this in your favorite automotive repair shop next time you take your car in for repair.)
What are your own personal methods to determine or identify maintenance effectiveness? Let me know by leaving a comment below. If you have any questions on this subject, also post the query below or e-mail me.
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Filed Under: Featured, Maintenance Excellence | Tags: 5-S, CMMS, continuous improvement, employee engagement, engineering, maintenance, maintenance manager, maintenance procedures, management, metrics, motivation, muda, workplace organization
Comments
By sense_maker on June 22nd, 2009 at 11:42 am
What a pity way to measure an important parameter using, in the first example - amount if mud on you boots as an indicator when to switch the systems, and in the second one - floor cleanleness to assess maitenance effectiveness. It looks like in authors’ view these simple indicators are advantageous over sofisticated ones.
I am trying to guess what is the point of this paper? What one suppose to learn here? May be he is advised to watch the floor he is stepping on? Obviously never hurts… Or the author calls for paying more attention to simple, not technical things. This may be correct, my great grandmother new it. But maintenance engineering trade should be at a higher engineering level. Did I miss something?
By Ned Mitenius (author) on June 23rd, 2009 at 8:02 am
Sense_maker, I am so glad you posted a comment because I am in strong agreement with your points! With time and practice, and feedback like yours, I will eventually learn to write a good blog. To paraphrase David Letterman, the point I intended to write isn’t always the point that is read by the reader, and that is entirely my fault, not yours.
As a nuclear engineer, operating a submarine, I totally get the need for greater sophistication in our maintenance practices. I am a fan of “technical things.” You will see future blogs along this line. In fact I have a blog posted now bemoaning the lack of progress toward sophistication in the last 25 years.
What this article tries to convey is that simple indicators are sometimes sufficient, sometimes faster, or sometimes the only thing available. If you are touring a plant where you are applying for a job, or touring a prospective co-packer, or visiting a new auto repair shop, you won’t have time to conduct a comprehensive survey of their maintenance practices. But a look at the floor could at least tell you something.
The citrus illustration was intended as a potentially humorous anecdote to set the stage for the topic. (It was actually an almost imperceptable film of sugar solids, not mud.) The simple indicator was about 1-2 days faster then local yield results, and 10 days faster than the state’s statistical compilation of yield results (the “sophisticated method” in this example). For the sake of this blog, perhaps I should not have used an unrelated example.
Sense_maker, are you contributing a blog here? I would enjoy reading more of your thoughts.
By Rick on June 25th, 2009 at 4:34 am
So all I need to do to qualify for a great repair shop is have a spotless shop? I get your point but leaving judgement to such simple a item overlooks the complexity of life. Frankly I doubt is would pass any measurement of quality of work.
By Allen Flores on June 25th, 2009 at 6:08 am
I think this article is “on the money”. What others may not see just below the surface of this article is that it is all about people. You can have all the cool stuff, the latest technology, the bells and whistles, but if you don’t have the right people doing the right things at the right times, it’s all worthless. A simple thing, like looking at the floor, measures in countless untold ways. The “best” machine shops, work ceneters, amusement parks, shopping centers, dental offices, hospitals, etc., ALL have the cleanest and most well-kept areas. This, unfortunately, does NOT work in reverse: Just because you maintain a clean work environment does not mean you are the best at what you do, it just means you have a clean work environment! I think the Author is accurate in stating that this is one indicator that you / your company are on the right track for success; this is just one measure, and a very accurate one, to tell whether or not you are building the right CULTURE that will breed success today and into the future.
By Ned Mitenius (author) on June 25th, 2009 at 6:36 am
Gosh no, Rick! I would love to suggest a.comprehensive review of inventory and maintenance practices, compared to world class standards.
This is just meant as a first impression or a quick read when you are introduced to a maintenance operation. Looking backwards, I have noticed a strong correlation to those sophisticated measures.
Perhaps you will post a blog with some of the measures you like to use? I would love to hear your views and I am sure other readers would as well.
OBTW - if someone inherits a maintenance operation that is not yet measuring up, the cleanliness of the shop is not a bad place to start. It portays a visible sign to those inside and outside maintenance that things are changing. And it begins to instill the discipline within the maintenance group that you need for good PM attainment and other similar initiatives.
Now I have another blog I am writing titled “Time to take maintenance out of the cave.”. But I think I had better put that one on the shelf until all this furor over clean shops subside. Lol.
By Ned Mitenius (author) on June 25th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Thanks Allen! I was beginning to believe I was alone in this opinion.
You said it better than I did. (Are you submitting a blog?)
To reiterate; a geat maintenance operation has a clean shop. A clean shop, if that is all you are focusing on, does not guarantee great maintenance.
By Rick on June 25th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Just for thought.
My current employer is a stickler on clean-up. It is all about looks. When it comes to running reliably they are clueless. The Predictive Maintenance department gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling while the real methodology is run to failure. Only the supper critical get repaired while the rest quietly causes reliability issues day in and day out. Using your First impressions rule, as a guide, it would indicated otherwise. The company is shallow as people that judge a shop only by cleanness of the floor. I suspect this is an exception to the rule but still think it is about the people and culture and less about the paint.
“To reiterate; a great maintenance operation has a clean shop. A clean shop, if that is all you are focusing on, does not guarantee great maintenance.”
I do agree with the reiterated statement. My guess is a trained mechanic or professional could root out even the clean shop with bad procedures buy asking the right people the right questions in five minuets.
Rick
By Ned Mitenius (author) on June 25th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I like your thoughts Rick. While any one indicator can deceive us, you point out that a few more observations or questions would root out the real facts.
(Rick - why don’t you post on what you think some of those additional questions might be?)
I guess your experience with a clealiness stickler who is otherwise clueless predisposed a negative impression with the original article. I frankly had not thought about that angle when writing.
You and Allen both point out the real strength is in our trained and motivated people. The new tools and technologies are great, but only if we understand them and are willing to put them into practice.
… I think maybe another blog is being born!
By Denny C on June 28th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Wow….right on guys.
Couldn’t agree more that the general appearance of the workplace tends to be indicative of the how effective the operation is. I guess I’d take it beyond the floor though, after all how effective can an individual or a crew be if they have to spend time searching for tools, materials and/or equipment?
I do believe that the shop appearance, and/or location, provide a “window” into how management envisions the maintenance function. In many cases it also reflects how the personnel in that area interpet their role in the organization.
I aslo have to agree that “a clean shop does not guarantee great maintenance” but a clean and organzied work shop/area does provide the opportunity for the maintenance personnel to function at ahigher level of effectiveness.
By Ned Mitenius (author) on June 28th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Right on, Denny! Of course as we begin to look at tools, material, and equipment, we will have to rename the article, “The 14-second measure…”
By Joe on June 29th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
to quote a previous comment- ….that the general appearance of the workplace tends to be indicative of the how effective the operation is…
How many have seen an “excellent” maintenance operation in terms of all the bells and whistles that looked like a tornado has just visited the shop- not too many I would suspect.
You may not be able to totally connect maintenance excellence with a clean shop, but I would propose that a messed up shop and poor maintenance can be confidently connected by the dots
By Ned Mitenius (author) on June 29th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Joe, I like the way you connect the dots!
By Steve on July 2nd, 2009 at 7:10 am
I’ve been in the game over 30 years, and my favourite place to look is the toolbox. I think a good set of tools in good order, preferably shadowed in the box, speaks volumes. It also helps to ensure the fitter hasn’t left any tools on the job!! A clean plant and machinery also helps us to spot early failure warning signs!
By Ned Mitenius (author) on July 2nd, 2009 at 10:08 am
Good points!
And I like the segue into the benefits of clean machines to spot early failures. (How long has that advice been around, and ignored - see my other current post on “What our plants have failed to learn in 25 years!”)
By Robert Schindler on July 3rd, 2009 at 6:54 am
I see the main point here as using our common sense when we approach problems. Sometimes we tend to over-analyze and lose valuable time when a simple test based on experience can point us in the right direction. The erperience part is the hard one to find lately as our technically oriented staff melts into the retirement woodwork. As we share anecdotes and lessons learned, we leverage our own experience for the next generation of maintenance and reliability managers. Keep sharing.
By Ned Mitenius (author) on July 3rd, 2009 at 8:28 am
You keep sharing, too, Robert!
By V.Narayan on July 8th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Ned and others.
I recommend a book called “Blink[” by Malcolm Gladwell, where there are many more examples of the 10 sec judgement call.
About 25 years ago in Malaysia, a young Chinese workshop engineer asked me for permission to stop work on Friday afternoon. Puzzled, I asked him if he was going to give a 1/2 day off (in which case I did not have the authority to approve it). He explained that he was going to get them to clean their workplace of all metal swarf, oil spills etc., and wash the floor with soap & water, so I agreed. Next Friday he wanted to stop work again at mid-day. This time he wanted to paint the concrete floor white! I felt he was going over the top, and said so, but he was passionate about his idea. I gave in, and that was one of my better decisions. The spotlessly clean floor was never dirty again and we had excellent housekeeping. To me, he was the the one who pioneered the Broken Windows theory.
Clean surroundings encourage clean attitudes and behaviors, a fundamental tenet of Nakajima’s TPM approach. They help ‘catch’ defects early, and so limit damage. Clutter and disorganization tend to poor work quality. In turn, that results in low reliability.
Technology, gizmos, software, KPIs are all very useful to improve reliability. But we need people to use them well. That needs motivation, attitudes and behaviors.
I look forward to you next tghread/topic!
By Rod on July 8th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I share the same view. I used to assess maintenance facilities and clean shops usually had better maintenance programs.