How Proper Operator Training and Maintenance Improve OEE

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Part 3 of 4 Part Blog

by Dion Volk

Now that we understand what OEE is and the contributing factors to its loss; how does operator training and maintenance really improve your numbers?  Again, we look to the equation,   OEE = Availability x Productivity x Quality, then break it down from there.

AVAILABILITY, A correctly trained maintenance team will be able to conduct repairs and perform preventative maintenance in a timely and efficient manner.  As packaging equipment machines speeds increase the complexity of the technology required to control these machines increases as well.  Twenty years ago a typical packaging machine consisted of a couple motors, a small microcontroller, maybe a touch screen, and some other miscellaneous hardware.  Today’s machines have multiple servo motors, advanced PLCs, and complex safety circuits, so training becomes more and more critical when troubleshooting.  An untrained or poorly trained maintenance team will struggle to make repairs, in some cases further damaging the machine.  With the correct training you can prevent a costly emergency repair call from an outside service provider.  When a machine operator has received the proper training he or she will run the machine as designed avoiding practices that are hard on the equipment, eventually causing downtime.

PRODUCTIVITY, Correctly trained operators have an increased confidence in their ability to operate packaging equipment machines smoothly, this contributes to a more positive attitude.  Without training operators struggle, get frustrated, waste film and product, damage equipment, causing a lower output than trained operators.  Trained operators make operating a machine look easy, they are not tied to the machine, allowing them to perform other tasks as the machine runs.

QUALITY, Trained maintenance staff and operators know exactly where to look on a machine when they discover a quality issue with a package.   The result of the confidence and positive attitude that training provides is shown in the pride a skilled operator takes producing the best package possible.

Let FASTechnology’s packaging experts help you discover what your machines are truly capable of producing.  Our +30 years of packaging knowledge will increase your output, bolster your quality, and give your staff confidence that they can handle any issue on their own.

In part four of this Blog we discuss “The importance of knowing what your OEE is.”

Here is a Link to Part One “What is OEE and How Can It Be measured?”