Seven common misconceptions among equipment management professionals

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　　Equipment management is the material foundation that ensures a company’s production and reproduction, as well as the basis of modern production. Due to the long-term influence of traditional maintenance models and a reactive approach to maintenance, there are currently seven common misconceptions in the equipment management practices of domestic enterprises, which severely hinder the improvement of their equipment management capabilities and the process of modernization. To meet the requirements of modern equipment management models, equipment managers must move beyond misconceptions and establish a new framework of understanding. 　　Myth 1: All equipment will fail. Correction: The reliability-centered maintenance approach shows that, by relying on reliability data analysis and using advanced testing techniques and diagnostic methods, it is possible to achieve zero equipment failures. This approach gives maintenance work a greater degree of specificity, aligns the subjective and objective aspects better, enhances its scientific nature, and reduces arbitrary actions. 　　Myth No. 2: Equipment must undergo regular major repairs. Correction: Research in recent years has shown that with the use of new materials and new manufacturing processes, the reliability of equipment is increasing, while its intangible wear and tear is accelerating. For over 60% of the equipment, the failure rate curve shows only an initial failure period, with no wear-related failure period. Blind overhauls will introduce a new initial failure period, increasing the equipment’s failure rate. Due to the different movements of various components of the equipment, as well as differences in load and operating environment, wear and degradation as well as damage vary. Therefore, local repairs, such as minor repairs, component repairs, or repairs of assemblies, are more economical and reasonable. 　　Myth 3: It’s difficult to identify the cause of a fault when there are no problems. Correction: Faults don’t appear out of nowhere; they develop over time as a result of cumulative issues. Problems such as dust, oil contamination, stress, microcracks, corrosion, looseness, poor contact, and aging are all causes of failures. Therefore, there are numerous underlying problems associated with the fault that we need to carefully observe and identify; this is also the purpose of team-based maintenance. By strengthening the foundation and starting with minor tasks such as inspection, cleaning, maintenance, corrosion prevention, vibration reduction, and balancing, it is possible to prevent problems before they occur; this is also the most cost-effective strategy for equipment maintenance. 　　Myth 4: It’s difficult to manage spare parts effectively while balancing the need for repairs with the goal of reducing spare parts inventory. Correction: By properly categorizing spare parts, storing critical ones in excess quantities, keeping ordinary spare parts at normal levels, allowing a shortage of less important spare parts, and eliminating inventory for many other spare parts, it is possible to reduce inventory costs without facing emergencies due to shortages. For example, equipment, components, and parts are classified into A, B, and C categories based on their level of importance, ranging from AAA to CCC. Depending on this level of importance, a management system is implemented that involves maintaining redundant inventory, regular inventory, inventory that can be depleted, or even no inventory at all – in which only information is kept rather than physical parts. 　　Myth 5: It’s impossible to involve operators in equipment maintenance. Correction: Operators come into contact with the equipment daily and know best its various capabilities ； Abnormalities in the sound, temperature, movements, odors, color, etc., of the equipment during operation are also the first things that on-site operators notice. Therefore, whether the operator can perform the tasks correctly and is responsible for the equipment makes a big difference in the outcome. As equipment becomes more automated, operations become simpler and easier, which also makes it possible for operators to take on more responsibility for the equipment. 　　Myth 6: The organizational structure for equipment management in enterprises cannot be changed. Correction: Equipment management organizations should strive to become more flat, with better professional coordination, process prioritization, streamlined management processes, reduced division of labor, and blurred boundaries between different responsibilities. The reason is: too many layers create more problems, solve fewer problems, lengthen the management cycle, and reduce efficiency ； The production site is like a battlefield; following the principle of prioritizing processes, those at the same level can give orders to one another, enabling streamlined management and rapid responses ； Implementing a less rigid division of labor and blurring boundaries can turn shirking responsibilities into proactive support ； Always adhere to setting positions based on needs and assigning people to those positions accordingly. 　　Myth 7: Companies need a maintenance team capable of handling all equipment issues. Correction: The conflict between advanced equipment and inadequate maintenance teams will always exist. Socialized maintenance is the trend of the future, and what companies need to do is focus on integrating maintenance resources and improving maintenance management.