In a previous post, equipment with established maintenance procedures was discussed. These procedures may have been recommended by the manufacturer, from established industry resources, or even from individual experience (as determined by the feedback loop discussed). However, not every piece of equipment has established maintenance procedures. Perhaps it is a custom machine used as part of your unique manufacturing process. Maybe it is a collection of equipment assembled together for a unique purpose. Custom equipment or equipment utilized for novel purposes may not have established maintenance procedures, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require routine, preventive and / or predictive maintenance. What do you do?
There are tools and methods that can be used to work through these challenges. One method might include a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. This tool has key people who are knowledgeable about the equipment and how it is used work through a methodical series of questions to determine the likely points of failure, their potential causes, and possible solutions to prevent those failures. This tool can be used on virtually any type of equipment but it is particularly useful for equipment that is custom-made, inherently complex, and/or unique in some way.
The key to performing an effective FMEA is to have a facilitator that can lead the team through the process to ask the right probing questions, collect the relevant solutions, and then compile them into an effective set of maintenance procedures. To learn more, start here: https://michaud-engineering.com/maintenance-consulting
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