Investigation of the maintenance organisation for hot rolling mills

Production systems have undergone dramatic changes in recent years. Many companies have implemented new technologies such as flexible manufacturing systems. There is therefore a shift in focus to maintenance and the effective management thereof. Maintenance is a dynamic activity and is comprised of a large number of interacting variables. An effective maintenance organisation is required to control these variables . This paper discusses the building of a maintenance organisation and the aspects that should be considered during the design. The way in which five companies that operate hot rolling mills apptoached the problem of building an effective maintenance organisation was investigated.Vervaardigingstelsels het drastiese veranderinge ondergaan die afgelope aantal jaar. Verskeie maatskappye maak nou gebruik van nuwe tegnologiee, soas byvoorbeeld aanpasbare vervaardigingstelsels. Daar is gevolglik 'n verskuiwing in fokus na instandhouding en die effektiewe bestuur daarvan. lnstandhouding is 'n dinamiese aktiwiteit en behels 'n groot aantal' gekoppelde veranderlikes. 'n Effektiewe instandhoudingsorganisasie word benodig om hierdie veranderlikes te beheer. Hierdie artikel bespreek die daarstelling van die instandhoudingsorganisasie en die parameters wat oorweeg moet word tydens die ontwerp. Die wyse waarop vyf maatskappye wat warmwalse bedryf die ontwikkeling van 'n effektiewe organisasie vir instandhouding benader het is ondersoek.http://sajie.journals.ac.z

An analysis of South African sawmilling competitiveness

The South African sawn timber market supply and demand are in equilibrium and significantly associated with the local residential construction market. During the great financial crisis (GFC), the local residential construction market contracted. This caused a reduction in sawn timber demand, price and margin. Subsequently, the competition between sawmillers increased and led to the closure of 41 mills. This study included a sawmilling competitiveness analysis for South African sawmills taking part in the Crickmay Intermill comparison from 2004 to 2017. The Crickmay Intermill comparison assumes that nett margin is the measurement for competitiveness. Spearman correlation tests were used to compare performance measurements with nett margin. This and other studies found significant associations between the implementation of value-adding strategies and competitiveness. Sawmills that effectively create more value from the raw material tend to be more competitive. In contrast with other studies, our research determined that people costs are significantly associated with competitiveness. However, like other studies, it was confirmed that labour productivity is not associated with competitiveness. This study argues that South African sawmillers can increase competitiveness by implementing value-adding strategies, implementing competitive remuneration policies and increasing the sawn timber usage intensity in South Africa.The Graduate School of Technology Management at the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology of the University of Pretoria and the National Research Foundation of South Africa.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tsfs20hj2022Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

A model for continuous improvement at a South African minerals beneficiation plant

South Africa has a variety of mineral resources, and several minerals beneficiation plants are currently in operation. These plants must be operated effectively to ensure that the end-users of its products remain internationally competitive. To achieve this objective, plants need a sustainable continuous improvement programme. Several frameworks for continuous improvement are used, with variable success rates, in beneficiation plants around the world. However, none of these models specifically addresses continuous improvement from a minerals-processing point of view. The objective of this research study was to determine which factors are important for a continuous improvement model at a minerals beneficiation plant, and to propose a new model using lean manufacturing, six sigma, and the theory of constraints. A survey indicated that managers in the industry prefer a model that combines various continuous improvement models.Suid-Afrika beskik oor ’n verskeidenheid minerale hulpbronne, en verskeie veredelings-aanlegte vir minerale is tans in die bedryf. Hierdie aanlegte moet effektief bedryf word sodat eindgebruikers van die produkte internasionaal kompeterend kan bly. ’n Volhoubare kontinue verbeteringsprogram is nodig om hierdie doelwitte te bereik. Verskeie raamwerke en modelle vir kontinue verbetering word in veredelingsaanlegte wêreldwyd gebruik, maar met wisselende sukses. Geen van hierdie modelle is spesifiek ontwikkel vir kontinue verbetering by veredelingsaanlegte nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om belangrike faktore te bepaal vir ’n model vir kontinue verbetering by veredelingsaanlegte. ’n Opname het getoon dat ’n model wat verskeie elemente van bestaande modelle gebruik verkies word deur rolspelers in die industrie. 1http://sajie.journals.ac.za/pubam201

Development of a maintenance strategy for power generation plants

Effective maintenance of power generation systems is essential to ensure that the variable demand for electricity is satisfied on a daily basis. Equipment used on generation plants, e.g. boilers, turbines, generators, compressors and pumps, are becoming more sophisticated and complex, and therefore require more effective maintenance strategies and tactics. A number of maintenance approaches have been developed in the last 4-5 decades, e.g. reliability-centred maintenance, business-centred maintenance, and total productive maintenance. This paper discusses the results of a research study done to investigate strategy in the maintenance environment of power generation systems. The study found that most power stations have a maintenance strategy and use maintenance approaches and different maintenance tactics like run-to-failure, time-based maintenance and condition-based maintenance. It was also found that the SAPTM information system is used by nearly all power stations.http://www.saiee.org.za/DirectoryDisplay/DirectoryCMSPages.aspx?name=Publications#id=1588&dirname=ARJ&dirid=337am2016Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Factors that influence the decision to outsource maintenance in the processing industry

The success rate of outsourcing in South Africa is fairly low. Companies that make the incorrect decision to outsource maintenance place themselves at risk of poor maintenance performance, a high operational cost of maintenance, and substantial costs to redevelop internal maintenance capabilities. The identification of the factors applicable to the decision to outsource maintenance can form the basis of a decision framework or model, and has the potential to improve the quality of decision-making in maintenance management. This paper discusses the results of a survey that was carried out to determine the main decision factors that maintenance and asset managers could use when they consider outsourcing some maintenance work. Most of the 62 respondents were from the oil and energy sector or the chemicals sector of South African industry. The main decision factors were identified as contractor experience, the availability of a suitable contractor, and the scarcity of skills or employees. The findings of this survey are useful for maintenance and asset managers to decide whether or not to outsource an activity, and to rank potential contractors.Die sukseskoers van uitkontraktering in Suid-Afrika is taamlik laag. Organisasies wat die verkeerde besluit neem rakende die uitkontraktering van instandhouding verhoog die risiko van swak vertoning vir instandhouding, hoër bedryfskoste vir instandhouding en koste om ʼn interne vermoë vir instandhouding te skep. Die identifisering van toepaslike faktore vir die besluit om instandhouding uit te kontrakteer kan die basis vorm van ʼn raamwerk vir besluitneming. So ʼn raamwerk of model het die potensiaal om die kwaliteit van besluitneming in instandhoudings-bestuur te verbeter. Hierdie artikel bespreek die resultate van ʼn vraelys wat versprei is om te bepaal watter faktore die belangrikste is wanneer instandhoudings- en batebestuurders moet besluit of sekere instandhoudingswerk uitgekontrakteer moet word. Die meeste van die 62 respondente was werksaam in die olie en energie sektor of die chemiese sektor van die Suid-Afrikaanse nywerheid. Die belangrikste faktore wat geïdentifiseer is, was ondervinding van die kontrakteur, beskikbaarheid van ʼn geskikte kontrakteur, en ʼn tekort aan vaardighede en personeel. Die resultate van hierdie vraelys is nuttig vir instandhoudings- en bate-bestuurders om te besluit of ʼn aktiwiteit uitgekontrakteer moet word, en om potensiële kontrakteurs in ʼn rangorde te plaas.http://sajie.journals.ac.za/pubam2022Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

Evaluation of the importance of the 39 subjects defined by the Global Forum for Maintenance and Asset Management

The Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management (GFMAM) was formed in 2011 to bring together various experts, practitioners, academics, and other professionals who are active in the field of asset and maintenance management. The primary mission of GFMAM is to develop and promote knowledge, standards, and education for the maintenance and asset management professions. To fulfil this mission, GFMAM developed an ‘Asset Management Landscape’ document, which defines 39 subjects on asset management, grouped into six main subject areas. This paper reports on two surveys that were conducted to determine the importance of the 39 asset management subjects. Respondents were requested to rate the importance of each of the 39 subjects on a five-point scale. Results from the survey indicated that the five most important subjects are ‘asset management strategy and objectives’, ‘asset management policy’, ‘strategic planning’, ‘asset management planning’, and ‘asset management leadership’.Die ‘Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management’ (GFMAM) is in 2011 gestig om verskeie kundiges, praktisyns, akademici, en ander professionele persone wat betrokke is in die kundigheidsarea van bate- en instandhoudingsbestuur met mekaar in kontak te bring. Die hoofdoelwit van GFMAM is om kennis, standaarde, en opleiding te bevorder in die instandhouding- en batebestuursprofessies. Ten einde hierdie doelwit te bereik het die GFMAM ’n batebestuur landskap dokument ontwikkel. Die dokument bevat ’n lys van 39 kundigheidsareas wat in ses hoof onderwerpareas gegroepeer is. Hierdie artikel bespreek die resultate van twee opnames wat uitgevoer is om die belangrikheid van die 39 kundigheidsareas te bepaal. Respondente is versoek om die belangrikehid van elk van die 39 areas te verskaf op ’n 5-punt skaal. Volgens die opname is die vyf belangrikste onderwerpareas ‘batebestuur strategie en doelwitte’, ‘batebestuur beleid’, ‘strategiese beplanning’, ‘batebestuur beplanning’, en ‘batebestuur leierskap’.http://sajie.journals.ac.za/pubam201

An analysis of maintenance performance systems in the South African mining industry

The measurement of performance is an essential part of the management process. The planning function usually defines the goals and objectives for the business enterprise or division of the enterprise. The control function should monitor the performance measures and establish corrective action if actual performance deviates significantly from planned performance. Maintenance performance measurement is therefore essential to ensure that maintenance objectives are achieved, and that maintenance adds value for the company. The objective of this paper is to discuss the findings of a project that investigated aspects of the maintenance performance system of a number of mining companies in South Africa. The findings of a survey indicated that maintenance performance management is not yet used to its full potential in the mining industry.Die meting van prestasie is ’n noodsaaklike deel van die bestuursproses. Die beplannings-funksie defineer normaalweg die doelwitte vir die organisasie of divisie van die organisasie. Die beheerfunksie monitor die prestasie en bepaal of korrektiewe aksie nodig is wanneer die werklike prestasie noemenswaardig afwyk van die beplande prestasie. Prestasiemeting in instandhouding is dus noodsaaklik om te verseker dat die doelwitte vir die instand-houdingsafdeling bereik word en dat instandhouding waarde toevoeg vir die organisasie. Hierdie artikel bespreek die resultate van ’n projek wat verskeie aspekte van die prestasiestelsel van ’n aantal mynmaatskappye in Suid-Afrika ondersoek het. Die vernaamste bevinding van die projek is dat prestasiebestuur in instandhouding nog nie ten volle benut word deur verskeie mynmaatskappye in die mynbou-industrie nie.http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_indeng.htmlai201

Managing uncertainty in typical mining project studies

Mining project studies and their evaluation are characterised by high uncertainties. These uncertainties range in magnitude from, and are prevalent in, the geological data on which the project is based, through to the final prices received for the ore, metal, or mineral being sold to the market. The process for managing uncertainties in mining projects could have a huge impact on the decision about the final option and on the project composition. It is therefore critical that a systematic process is followed that manages these uncertainties effectively and consistently throughout the project phases, and when evaluating various options one against the other. This paper discusses the results of an investigation to determine the extent to which risk management was applied in twenty different project studies in the mining environment. The results of these studies indicate that uncertainties relating to typical mining project studies are not well understood or managed. A process to manage these uncertainties throughout the project development phases was developed and used in a typical pre-feasibility study. The results indicate that the process can be successfully implemented; and that the process helps to develop the project faster by focusing the project teams most on the uncertainties that affect the project need or requirement.Projekstudies in die mynboubedryf en die evaluasie van sodanige projekte word gekenmerk deur hoë onsekerheid. Hierdie onsekerhede wissel in grootte, en is teenwoordig vanaf die geologiese data waarop die projek gebaseer is tot by die finale prys waarvoor die erts, metaal, of mineraal verkoop kan word. Die proses wat gebruik word om die onsekerhede in mynbouprojekte te bestuur kan ’n groot impak hê op die uiteindelike opsie wat gekies word en die samestelling van die projek. Dit is derhalwe van uiterste belang dat ’n sistematiese proses gevolg word om die onsekerhede effektief te bestuur deur die verloop van die projekfases en wanneer alternatiewe met mekaar vergelyk word. Hierdie artikel bespreek die resultate van ’n ondersoek wat gedoen is om te bepaal tot watter mate risikobestuur toegepas is vir twintig projekstudies in die mynbou-omgewing. Die resultate van hierdie navorsingsprojek in die mynboubedryf het aangetoon dat die onsekerhede met betrekking tot tipiese projekstudies in mynbou nie goed verstaan word deur bestuur nie. ’n Proses om hierdie onsekerhede deur die loop van die ontwikkelingsfases van die projek te bestuur is ontwikkel en toegepas op ’n tipiese voor-doenlikheidstudie. Die resultate toon aan dat die proses suksesvol geïmplementeer kan word en dat die projek vinniger ontwikkel kan word deur die projekspanne te fokus op die onsekerhede wat die behoefte van die projek die meeste beïnvloed.The author was enrolled for an M Eng (Project Management) degree in the Department of Engineering and Technology Management, University of Pretoriahttp://sajie.journals.ac.za/am201

Risk management during outage projects at power plants

Outages are needed for the maintenance of most continuously operated plants such as power plants, refineries, and petrochemical plants. Such plants comprise thousands of items of complex equipment and machinery that operate under rigorous operating conditions. Tasks carried out during outage projects include overhauls, inspections, repairs, replacement of equipment, and modification. Like most complex projects, outage projects have a high risk that there will be cost and schedule overruns. A study was done to investigate the management of risks in outage projects at South African power plants. The main objective was to determine whether project risk management is understood and recognised as a success factor for outage projects. A conceptual framework developed from the literature was used to design a survey questionnaire that was emailed to potential respondents who are involved in the management of outage projects. The results of the survey indicated that ineffective or weak outage risk management often results in large cost and schedule overruns. Effective planning and risk management were identified as the most important success factors for outage projects. The study identified training in risk management, an enabling culture, and management support as areas for improvement in outage project risk management.http://sajie.journals.ac.zaam2019Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM

The development of a performance measurement system for maintenance

Business enterprises are under increasing pressure to become internationally competitive due to globalisation. World-class companies from abroad can now easily compete with local companies, introducing high quality products and services to the local community and industry. The pace of technological change is also forcing companies to increase productivity and to become more cost effective. Performance management is part of the strategic management process in the business enterprise and the maintenance department therefore has to address this as part of the strategy formulation for the maintenance function. This paper outlines the strategic management process that is required in the maintenance department and defines a systematic process to develop a performance measurement system for maintenance.Besigheidsondernemings is onder toenemende druk om internasionaal kompeterend te word weens globalisering. Wêreldklas maatskappye kan nou maklik met plaaslike maatskappye meeding deur hoë kwaliteit produkte en dienste aan die plaaslike gemeenskap en nywerheid te lewer. Die tempo van tegnologiese verandering dwing maatskappye ook om produktiwiteit te verhoog en meer koste-effektief te word. Prestasiebestuur is deel van strategiese bestuur in 'n onderneming en die instandhoudingsafdeling moet derhalwe prestasiebestuur aanspreek as deel van die ontwikkeling van strategie vir die instandhoudingsfunksie. Hierdie artikel bespreek die strategiese bestuursproses soos benodig in die instandhoudingsafdeling en stel 'n sistematiese proses voor vir die ontwikkeling van 'n prestasiemetingstelsel vir instandhouding.http://sajie.journals.ac.z