Equipment managers need to clarify their work objectives and master the correct methods and approaches

Thread Content

Equipment is the means through which a company’s production can operate smoothly, and the prerequisite for its use is regular management, maintenance, and upkeep. Therefore, to achieve lean production and enable equipment to serve the enterprise better while creating more value for it, we need to reduce equipment wear through maintenance under TPM management, improve the equipment’s operational rate and output capacity, and keep the equipment in good condition at all times. During long-term use of the equipment in various environments, including harsh conditions, mechanical components wear out, gaps increase, and the fit between them changes, all of which directly affect the equipment’s original balance. The stability, reliability, and efficiency of the equipment will all be significantly reduced, and in some cases it may even cause the mechanical equipment to lose its inherent basic functions and fail to operate properly. As a result, the equipment must be overhauled or replaced with new equipment, which undoubtedly increases the company’s costs and affects the rational allocation of its resources. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a scientific and effective equipment management system, strengthen the daily management of equipment, combine theory with practice, and formulate scientific and reasonable maintenance plans for the equipment. A dedicated person is responsible for implementing various systems, regulations, and plans, as well as carrying out routine maintenance work ； Regularly check the maintenance and upkeep status, and carefully keep records of the machinery’s operation and maintenance. Establish a scientific and effective equipment management system, which specifically includes the following aspects: 1. Strengthen the daily maintenance of equipment to prevent improper or incomplete maintenance. Such maintenance tasks must be enforced, and it should be linked to the company’s reward and punishment system, so as to reward those who perform well and punish those who do not, thereby motivating the construction workers. Ensure proper maintenance work is carried out. Maintenance work should start at the source to prevent repair from replacing maintenance. 2. To strengthen the routine inspection of equipment, dedicated personnel should be assigned to carry out these inspections. Detailed records should be kept, including information on the equipment’s daily operation, operating time, and the frequency of maintenance, so as to analyze and identify potential faults in the mechanical equipment and to address such issues promptly and accurately. 3. Management and monitoring of mechanical equipment should be strengthened. Personnel in charge of such equipment need to be well-informed about it and understand its performance. Based on the quality of the equipment and the allocation of corporate resources, they should develop scientific and reasonable maintenance plans. They must also manage and monitor maintenance activities as well as procurement processes to avoid unnecessary waste of funds. 4. Establish and improve systems for the maintenance of mechanical equipment, emphasize the importance of equipment management, and refine the data statistics system. Details regarding the intake and exit of mechanical equipment, its operating conditions, performance metrics, as well as maintenance and repair activities must all be carefully recorded, with a separate record kept for each piece of equipment to ensure there is evidence available for reference. 5. Strengthen the training of mechanical equipment managers and maintenance personnel. They should possess a strong sense of responsibility and dedication. Technically, they need to understand the principles, structure, and performance of mechanical equipment, as well as be able to quickly identify the causes of faults and carry out repairs to eliminate them, thereby fully utilizing the operational capabilities of such equipment. The routine maintenance of mechanical equipment involves checking the equipment when no faults have occurred, cleaning its components, replacing wear and tear parts, and adding or changing lubricants, all as part of the daily efforts to ensure the proper operation of the equipment. On the surface, it seems that companies need to invest funds to carry out routine maintenance of mechanical equipment. However, from a broader and long-term perspective, routine maintenance involves simple technical procedures at low costs, while ensuring the proper operation of the equipment, reducing wear and tear on its components, and extending its lifespan. This allows companies to allocate their limited resources more scientifically and efficiently, thereby achieving the goals of reducing expenses and increasing income. The shorter the service life of a device, the higher its reliability; the longer the service life, the lower its reliability. The lower the reliability, the more likely mechanical equipment is to fail; the greater the physical wear and tear on the equipment, the higher the costs required to repair it. Modern mechanical equipment is capital-intensive; the costs associated with its investment and operation are very high, which makes it imperative to achieve economic efficiency in equipment management. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the physical wear and tear of the equipment through regular maintenance, thereby cutting down on repair costs and other unexpected expenses throughout its lifecycle. “\"A craftsman must first sharpen his tools if he is to do his work well.\" As we all know, the purpose of equipment management is to maintain the various performance indicators of mechanical equipment at an optimal level, by following the inherent laws of such equipment as well as objective economic principles. This is achieved through maintenance and other measures, thereby increasing productivity and utilization rates, extending the equipment’s service life, and minimizing the costs associated with its lifecycle. The goal is to achieve accident-free operation and high efficiency, ultimately leading to benefits for both the enterprise and society.