I have been in industrial maintenance longer than I have not. A portion of that time was spent in Maintenance Management. One lesson I learned was, that in order for a team leader (or company as a whole) to be successful, the entire team needs to be successful.
I tend to simplify things, maybe to a fault at times, nonetheless here are “The Three T’s” which I feel are essential for a maintenance team to be successful.
TOOLS: Your team needs tools. Good tools, tools that make chances of success much more likely. For instance VibrAlign’s precision shaft alignment tools and condition monitoring/machinery diagnostic tools.
Like the Fixturlaser NXA, EVO, or GO Series……….
Of course I am biased, but I have also used several different precision shaft alignment tools over the years and found these to be the most intuitive, user friendly shaft alignment tools in the market.
And the OneProd HAWK, Falcon, Eagle………..
The first thought that comes to mind is “Wow, I wish these condition monitoring and machinery diagnostic tools had been available when I was on the tools”. Maintenance Tech’s get pumped every time I have opportunity to show them the demo video.
TRAINING: Your team needs high quality, thorough training. You can have great tools, but to increase your success rate, it requires training. In every class I have the privilege of witnessing “good” aligners become “great” aligners! I have had the privilege of providing training for apprentices just beginning their career to forty year veterans.
Some comments I hear are, “this is the best training we have ever had” to “wow, I learned some things I was totally unaware of”. One of the things I remind the class of is, I was not born knowing everything. Everything I know I learned from someone else, a combination of people, or the school of hard knocks. The school of hard knocks is much more expensive and time consuming. Here are some training testimonies if you have not already viewed them.
“What would have taken me half a day… is now going to take me an hour.”
“Two moves or less. If you do any more than that, it’s you, not the process.”
“I know I can go back and use what I learned today on the job. Definitely.”
TIME: Make time for training a priority, it is worth every penny and the ROI is substantial. Give your team time to perform precision maintenance, the reduction of unscheduled downtime (the most costly) will also reduce costs and increase profit.
I know these things from experience, life’s most thorough teacher.
