Machine availability, often synonymous with uptime, is a critical metric that assesses the operational time of a machine against its scheduled time. It is pivotal for production planning as it influences production capacity, delivery schedules, anticipated breakdowns, and cost management.
As a crucial KPI in manufacturing, machine availability is integral to determining Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), which measures the efficiency of manufacturing equipment. It’s computed using the formula:
Availability = Run Time / Planned Production Time
For instance, a machine operating for 8 hours with 2 hours of downtime in a 10-hour shift boasts an 80% availability.
Increasing machine availability can significantly optimize operations. Here are three primary strategies to enhance it:
A significant portion of downtime stems from equipment malfunctions, tool failures, or insufficient technician training. By leveraging a CMMS, manufacturers can monitor equipment performance, enabling them to refine maintenance tactics. Utilizing a condition-based approach or integrating predictive maintenance into your strategy allows anticipation of issues before they materialize.
Downtime is frequently linked to inadequate SOPs. Reducing the variance in operator performance by standardizing processes can significantly reduce downtime. Additionally, robust inventory management can mitigate factors that detract from machine availability.
A CMMS aggregates historical maintenance data while streamlining scheduling for preventive maintenance and inspection tasks. By monitoring inventory, quality, safety, and engineering systems, a CMMS provides a holistic view of factors affecting machine availability, empowering technicians to minimize downtime effectively.
