*4.4.4 Plant reliability*

Plant reliability can be described as the probability that the plant(s) in the production network will be available for effective production in a manufacturing industry. Plant reliability is influenced by the number of breakdowns, the length of time before repairs are concluded and the duration of downtime. Machine reliability is usually expressed in percentages. Positive improvements in the MTTR (like JIT) translate in the reduced duration of downtime as well as a reduction in the number of breakdowns. The plant reliability performance of the AICC was benchmarked against the performance of a sister industry, the AIHC.

As shown in **Figure 8**, the plant reliability benchmark of the AIHC (the blue horizontal line) for 2017 was 75%. In comparison, the AICC achieved a monthly average of 68% (second red vertical bar from origin of the graph in **Figure 8**) for the same period. This is an indication that the plants of the AICC performed below that of the sister company, the AIHC. Although, the AICC, in September 2018, attained a reliability of 75%, (the red vertical bar, to the right, next to 2018 yearly average), this is still below the new benchmark of 80% set by the AIHC for 2018. However, if there were consistent improvements in the MTTR in the last quarter of the year, it may be possible to meet the benchmark set by the AIHC.


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*Harnessing the Multiple Benefits of a Computerised Maintenance Management System*

operation and help in achieving the objectives of smart maintenance.

This could be described in the following understandable terms.

achieving customers' satisfaction and profitability [37, 38].

the objectives of smart maintenance [4, 19, 20].

**Table 5** provides a summary of the functional use of the CMMS tool by AICC industry. Currently, the maintenance unit have activated and effectively using the different components of the maintenance management modules, as well as create synergy with other divisions of the industry. This will facilitate automation of

The manufacturing company demonstrated a higher level of harnessing the potential inherent in a typical CMMS through the practice of comprehensive maintenance management, which includes planned, preventive, proactive and breakdown maintenance. The practice includes the analysis of the information in the operational database of the CMMS. These analyses enabled the maintenance unit to know the impact of the frequency of breakdowns, the length of time before repairs are completed and the effect of the duration of downtime of machines on the reliability and availability of machines in the production line. The analysis exposed the impact of the length of downtime on the productivity of the company.

*The average duration of downtime for 2017 was 250 hours per month, which is considerably higher than the benchmark, representing a level of 38.8% above target. This translates into 2.9 days' production lost per month and an average of 34.8 days per year, resulting in a revenue loss equivalent to 1 month per year.*

This realisation challenged the maintenance unit to improve on the MTTR. Success in the MTTR or JIT [3] is the product of appropriate maintenance planning, positive work ethics and the professional attitude of the workforce. This includes effective coordination between the maintenance unit, purchasing department, finance department and stores, the inventory control of stock and the timely availability of spare parts. It is important to note that the industry will have value for money through the effective management of an adequate stock of spare parts rather than purchasing on demand, which is more expensive [36]. Spares that are available reduce repair time and reduce the incidence of the 'fire-fighting approach' when sourcing spare parts. This enables the maintenance unit to strive towards achieving best practice, which suggests that 85% of repairs should be executed through planned maintenance and 15% through breakdown repairs [37]. These efforts culminate in the benchmarking of plant reliability with their sister industry. It is worth noting that plant reliability facilitates production planning, sales and marketing projection,

The detailed analysis of the information in the operational database of plants in the production network enables maintenance units to identify area(s) requiring critical attention around which performance improvement strategies should be developed [39]. It provides intelligent information relating current performance against predetermined goals to decision-makers at all levels [19, 21]. This exercise challenges maintenance units to practise the art of continuous data collection, analysis and the interpretation of information to facilitate the development of appropriate improvement strategies [15]. Furthermore, it supports compliance activities, proposals for changes or requests for additional resources as it illuminates the link between strategies, performance and expected outcomes. It also achieves

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93732*

*4.4.5 Summary of findings*

**4.5 Discussion**

#### **Table 5.** *Summary of findings.*
