CAREER EPISODE 2

INTRODUCTION

C.E 2.1 The Steam Plant Performance Improvement Plans is the title of my second career episode
where I was leading a multi-disciplinary team to craft and implement improvement plans for steam
generation boilers maintenance costs containment. I worked on this project for 4 months from
October 2014 to January 2015. This project was done during my tenure as a Delta Beverages
Utilities Maintenance Planner and was done under the supervision of the Utilities Engineer. I
worked in a team comprising of machine specialists, boiler operators, process artisans, graduate
engineers and myself. Delta Beverages is a leading beverages manufacturer in Zimbabwe.

BACKGROUND

C.E 2.2 Delta Beverages is a business that always strive to carry out its operations in an efficient
way in order to minimize costs and hence to operate in a sustainable way. Under its Asset Care
Global Evaluation of Manufacturing Strategy, Delta Beverages lager beer business is required to
ensure that total maintenance costs for each plant are below US$1.80 per hectoliter of beer
packaged without compromising equipment reliability and availability. The total maintenance cost
is then split per each production department and each department is obliged to be vigilant in
managing its maintenance costs. From the maintenance cost split the Utilities department
maintenance costs must not exceed US$0.70/ per hectoliter of beer packaged. To better manage
maintenance costs Delta Beverages employs the Performance Improvement Projects (PIPs)
methodology in order to measure, analyze and control the costs so that the business remain
viable. PIPs are centered on the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)
methodology to ensure control mechanisms are put in place and sustained afterwards in order to
reap the desired rewards.

In implementing PIPs costs should be managed well but, without compromising equipment
maintenance requirements in order to prolong equipment shelf life.

C.E 2.3 The objective of carrying out PIPs was to determine systematically and scientifically what
was to be done to ensure the steam plant boilers continue to perform to the expected design at
the most cost effective rate – strategic cost management whilst enhancing machine availability
and reliability.
C.E 2.4 The nature of my work on this project involved defining the project, data collection,
analysis, development and sustaining of control mechanisms using the DMAIC methodology. The
DMAIC methodology is widely recognized by maintenance professionals as one of the most cost
effective ways to develop world class maintenance programs. DMAIC correctly applied should
lead to sustained and substantial improvements in steam boilers machine availability, reliability,
product quality, safety and environmental integrity by arresting equipment potential failures
leading to reduced boiler maintenance costs. The steam boilers PIP, DMAIC methodology was
used to develop all the appropriate control measures to well manage the maintenance costs. The
main benefits of performing PIPs was interactions that result in shared learnings when the Multi-
Disciplinary Team (MDT) met to analyze and develop the Improvement plans.

C.E 2.5 The Organisational Structure below highlights my position in this career episode:

Plant Manager

Engineering Brewing Packaging

Manager Manager Manager

Utilities Engineer
Brewing Packaging
-
Engineer Engineer
My Supervisor

Maintenance
Maintenance Planner
Controller -
Project Leader

Process Artisans
Graduate
Machine Mechanical Process
Engineers in
Specialists Operators
Electrical Training
Instrumentation

Figure 1: Organizational Structure

C.E 2.6 My duties in the project were as follows:
 Developing a project plan – the timelines for completing each stage of the PIP using the
DMAIC methodology.
 Selection of a Multi-Disciplinary project team.
 Defining project details – data to be used, defining roles of team members, tracking was
to be done for a period of one year from the day of project initiation.
 Measuring data – collecting data about steam boilers maintenance cost.
 Data Analysis – Pareto analysis to determine the main contributors of high boiler
maintenance costs.
 Identifying root cause of each maintenance significant item.
 Generating action plans – creating a gap list worksheet and close of identified issues.
 Developing control systems to sustain improvements.

PERSONAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITY

C.E 2.7 Defining the Project: Boiler Maintenance Costs Reduction
I used my inter-personal professional communication skills to motivate the Project team. Firstly, I
explained the project scope and intent to the team to make sure everyone was on the same page.
In addition to that I also took time to take the team through the PIP template that we were going
to use during the course of the project. I then presented each Team Members with appointment
letters detailing their duties & responsibilities.
 I used the DMAIC methodology to approach the project steps and my Maintenance
Planning Loss and Waste analysis knowledge to come to the conclusion that we were to
focus on boiler performance improvement in order to manage the Utilities department
maintenance costs.
 We employed the 5W1H [asking questions – what, where, when, who, which, how]
methodology to thoroughly define the project.
 In the defining stage we also came up with a Project plan showing how long the project
was going to take per each stage of the DMAIC process.
 I then identified Core Team members including those who were supposed sustain the
project improvements at the project end.
 Sustaining team selected compromised of executive mangers who were to provide
support in availing resources, Line Managers who were to own the process and give
direction to the project improvements and operations supervisors who were to implement
the improvements.
  I then went on to do a stakeholder analysis. Communication channels and frequencies
were then established for all stakeholders. Stakeholders analysis was done guided by
three main selection criteria namely relationship, involvement and responsibility to the
project.
 For easier tracking of the project I defined KPIs and entered historical data to have a
picture of how the boiler maintenance costs were trending. In addition to that I also started
tracking performance on a weekly basis to measure improvements.
 I also kept a record of all incurred costs by the project.
 During the course of the project execution potential barriers to the project were being
communicated with all stakeholders for swift implementation of alternative solutions.

C.E 2.8 After a detailed definition of the project, we then completed a process flow diagram for
the steam generation process in order for every team member to understand the scope
boundaries on what was going to be covered by the project. Critical steps in the process focusing
on where the problems were occurring were then identified.

 For every critical step that was identified, OPIs were developed in order to draw a full
picture of what affects every critical step.
 I then collected data for all Boiler maintenance cost drawings by machine component from
stores spares requisitions and purchase orders.
 Using a Pareto analysis, I then analyzed the maintenance cost data to determine what
were the main contributors to high maintenance costs.

C.E 2.9 From the Pareto I then used the 80/20 rule to focus on the 20% of the problems that were
giving 80% of high maintenance costs. Together with my project team we brainstormed for
possible root causes of high boiler maintenance costs using the cause and effect diagram.

 we then went through the list of possible root causes to come up with the most probable
root causes.
 Together with my project team, we employed the 5 Why technique to determine the root
causes of high stocker boiler maintenance cost.

C.E 2.10 After identifying a couple of root causes, I then draw up an action plan in form of a tracker
which was showing a responsible person and the target closure date. I ensured implementation
of the action plans by making regular follow up and addressing any challenges that were being
encountered by the responsible person. For any challenge that was beyond my capacity I
engaged by immediate boss who was also the Project Champion.
  In order to carry out a comprehensive root cause analysis the Reliability Centered
Maintenance (RCM) strategy was employed and detailed sustainable control mechanisms
were developed. RCM is a 7-step methodology used to develop analytically derived
preventive maintenance schedules.
 I collected machine running history to obtain information for carrying out the Fast TRACC
RCM process analysis.
 Using the Fast TRACC RCM worksheet I started by partitioning the boiler machine into
sections, Maintenance Significant Items (MSIs) and sub-assemblies to aid in performing
the fault tree analysis of the entire machine. I used machine failure history to establish the
boiler machine MSI potential failures and captured the information under a faulty tree
analysis worksheet. I identified root causes for the machine failures and classified the root
causes under of man, machine, material, measurement and method categories. I then
grouped the root causes according to categories and numbered each gap.
 I then captured actions for root causes that were in the man, method, measurement &
Material categories and I assigned responsibilities relating to counter measures for failure
elimination and timelines to appropriate team members. For machine root causes I then
took the loss of function of each machine related root cause through level 1 of the logic;
this process picks out the machine failure cause and assigns them to respective root
cause. From this process I assigned root cause numbers for each MSI. Using the impact
and probability matrix I then prioritized the gap list. The listing included; cleaning
procedures and SOPs documentations, quality parameter confirmations, redesign issues,
maintenance work-orders and training needs.
 Using the probability (frequency) and failure consequence (downtime/repair cost) I
completed a risk rating for each machine related root cause. I then used the TRACC
FTRCM decision logic diagram to capture the machine functional failure root cause effect
category on the machine root cause and task required to restore function using the wheel
of tasks. In consultation with the machine specialists, I then developed maintenance task
lists detailing the duration of tasks, frequency of execution, associated workstations,
special tools requirements, spares requirements and machine state. I then created
maintenance plans in SAP in order to facilitate maintenance execution.

C.E 2.11 I then developed control systems in order to sustain improvements that we implemented.
The improvements were One Point Lessons (OPLs), Trainings – for Operators and Artisans,
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and maintenance schedules.
SUMMARY

C.E 2.12 The boiler maintenance costs at Delta Beverages Southerton plant needed to be
managed well in ways that would optimize plant availability and reliability. Improvement
opportunities were to be identified and implemented, thereafter control measures were to be put
in place to sustain the improvements. The project was a success due to team work, support from
top management, proper planning, experience and technical competence, motivation and
dedication of team members. The plant reliability has greatly improved and the plant is running
on control systems that were implemented. My working as a team leader was improved and I felt
ready to face challenges in my career advancement.