Adding Value To Your Role In Maintenance, Repair, and Operations

If you work for a manufacturer that has industrial or other types of production lines that experience wear and tear during the course of an average working year, it can be helpful to set up a program to get ahead of potential damage so that you can minimize the impact on operations.

The nice thing about doing your job in the here and now is that you have access to a number of resources on the internet that can provide you with parts that are integral to your line.  Twenty years ago, Intel, the computer manufacturer offered a special backup tape program for companies that needed next day replacement of broken drives.  The tape drives themselves cost a couple of thousand dollars.  The service itself cost around $40,000 per year at the low end because the part had to be shipped next day as soon as the order was received.

Today, it is possible to identify the key parts that you have and will need when your line goes down.  You can work with representatives at companies like Mrostop.com to get a feel for how much inventory that they tend to keep on hand of those particular items.  You can also learn more about their individual suppliers by visiting their site online.  Once you know what is normally stocked, you can arrange to work with them on express shipment should you have an immediate need for a part.

By planning ahead, you can avoid having to pay a premium like you used to.  Of course, in addition to setting up a program that covers all the key parts on your production line, it is a good idea to work with your line managers and upper management to determine what types of parts that might be considered necessary additions to your line capability and cover those as well.

Once you have your parts covered in theory, you should also check out whether or not the parts that you are replacing your line pieces with meet the quality standards that you set.  It is quite possible at this point to decide that you should actually upgrade your quality standards so that you have fewer problems going forward.  Working with the manufacturer and their current customers in order to make the necessary tests and find out how the machines hold up in practice can help you look very good in front of any bosses that you might have.

Putting together a framework for MRO that makes your firm more efficient at replacing broken parts and actually lowers the amount of problems that you have on the line can help your firm save time and money.  It can also put your career on even more solid footing than it already is.