Effective Maintenance Management

THE BOOK
Rushton International programs work. They deal with real people in real environments.
The most difficult task in installing a successful planned maintenance system is the creation
of an environment where the system can survive. A good maintenance program is a delicate
balance between production and maintenance. The key to maintaining this balance is good
people. If you do what is necessary to get the right people, your program has a good chance
of working. This book is not meant to be a general textbook of industrial engineering. It is a
complete maintenance program for your people in your environment, and can be your key to
a first class operation.
THE AUTHOR
John Rushton has been directing maintenance
projects for the past 30 years. He has functioned
as a foreman, planner, superintendent and
manager, and has written articles published in
E&MJ and Mining Engineering.
Mr. Rushton has worked with Fortune 100

companies worldwide, saving them 15-50%
through increased productivity and decreased
John W. Rushton maintenance costs. Clients in the United States,
BS Mechanical Engineering Chile, Canada, the Philippines, Africa, the
MS Engineering Management Russian Federation of States and the Far East
Founder of Rushton International have utilized Mr. Rushton’s expertise.
Mr. Rushton’s experiences at every level of maintenance management have resulted in his
“no nonsense” approach toward maintenance, and his unparalleled knowledge. He knows
how to cultivate cooperation between operations and maintenance to achieve both
production and maintenance goals. He knows how to improve employee morale and
increase daily production while reducing accidents. He knows how to keep paperwork to a
minimum. He is an expert at making real-world maintenance efficient and cost-effective.
INTRODUCTION
During the period I spent working a real job, I attended at least ten seminars. I cannot
recall going back to work and changing anything based on what I learned at a seminar.
This book is about change and avoiding mediocrity. You should accept this and gear
yourself to make some real changes that will justify the time and money that you are
spending. Those who are not interested in change or who think they know more about
maintenance management than I do are largely wasting their time.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Change is difficult, and the most difficult part is deciding what you want to change and
why. Goals and objectives will get you thinking about change. You can only make a
finite number of changes at one time. Three to six major changes is a logical number to
be working on at one time. Try to come up with six goals or objectives.
Some thoughts to keep in mind:

• Your only job is to attempt to make money for the company you work for.
• You have a responsibility to yourself to develop personally and professionally.
• Goals should be tangible and easy to measure.
• Goals should have a time schedule
Making good and realistic goals is very difficult, and it will likely take several days to
refine your goals and objectives.
Rate yourself on performance and make new goals every 90 days forever.
THE TRUTHS
1. Low morale is a time-honored excuse for laziness and inefficiency.
2. Seniority is a time honored excuse for the ineffective supervisor to avoid

the real need of disciplining the unmotivated subordinate.
3. Ethics is mandatory (Maintenance, Production and Life in General).
4. The union is not necessarily the enemy. Mediocrity is always an enemy.
5. The supervisor that says he is disciplining regularly, but it is all verbal, is

lying.
6. The statement that maintenance workers will work better if no one is

looking over their shoulder is a lie.
7. An effective planner is not a clerk, was never meant to be a clerk, should

never be paid as a clerk, and should never be assigned routine clerical
duties.
8. To install an effective planned maintenance program you must have a

planner.
9. A slow decision maker should get out of maintenance immediately.
10. Most checklists are so bad that they are a detriment to an effective PM
program.
J.W. Rushton 1978

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 …………………………………………Productivity & The System
Chapter 2 …………………………………………Organization
Chapter 3 …………………………………………The Planned Maintenance System
Chapter 4 …………………………………………The PM Program
Chapter 5 …………………………………………The Critical Project
Chapter 6 …………………………………………Computers & Information
Chapter 7 …………………………………………Materials Control
Chapter 8 …………………………………………Clean Up & Paint
Chapter 9 …………………………………………The Electrical Effort
Chapter 10 ………………………………………..The Choice is Yours

Chapter 1
PRODUCTIVITY & THE SYSTEM

The number one reason why mines get into trouble is that their people just do not work
hard enough or smart enough. The average maintenance worker does less than 2 hours
of meaningful work each 8 hour shift. He has no real control over a large percentage of
the delays and would be healthier, happier, and live longer if management would allow
him to put in a fair day’s work.
WORK DAY DISTRIBUTION

Beginning of Other Delays Other Delays Productive Work
Shift 3% 16% 25% 28%
Lunch
9%
Coffee Break
9%
End of Shift Productive Work Beginning of Lunch Coffee Break End of Shift
3% 63% Shift 13% 13% 13% 13%
What most people think Closer to reality?

Take any group of managers and ask them to estimate how many hours the average
maintenance person works at their property. The estimate is virtually always five hours.
Take the same group and ask them the following:
• what time their maintenance people actually start working in the morning?
• what time they break and return from morning and afternoon coffee and lunch?
• what time they actually lay down their tools and quit at the end of the shift?
After taking out the normal break periods, there is rarely more than 5 hours on the job.
The last question:

• what percentage of maintenance people will actually be working at any one time
during the portion of the workday not affected by normal break periods?
Managers typically estimate the odds of finding a mechanic working at any given time,
not affected by normal breaks, to be 50%. The real answer is almost always closer to
30%.
When people are forced to look at productivity one factor at a time like this, their
estimate of hours worked will almost always be about 50% of the initial estimate (or 2.5
hours out of an 8-hour shift). This is still high. Actual work samples have consistently
Chapter 1: Productivity & The System
shown that maintenance people work less than 2 hours out of 8. Planned maintenance
can change that. With the real work day being more or less 2 hours, it stands to reason
that a good planned maintenance program that adds one hour a day of actual work will
increase productivity by 33%. Any complete planned maintenance program will increase
the average time by one hour. A program such as Assembly Line Preventive
Maintenance will frequently add two to three hours of productive work. A good program
will not only increase the amount of time spent working, but will also substantially
increase the amount of work accomplished for every hour worked.
With this type of improvement, a maintenance manager can easily upgrade a fleet or
plant. He can eliminate contractors and begin to think about trimming manpower.
To get maximum results from your program, you need to think about what is happening
during the six hours that the employee is not working. A normal distribution is listed
below:
¼ to 1 ½ hours Lost between start of shift and beginning of work

¾ to 2 hours Coffee breaks. Whether it's official or unofficial, crews will
take coffee breaks. Plants that accept this and rigidly control
it do better than plants that take the policy "you can get a cup
of coffee if it's convenient"
¾ to 1 ½ hours For a ½ hour lunch break
½ to 1 hour Lost between ceasing work and end of shift
The remaining idle time can be put in three categories:
1 - Goofing off
2 - Travel to and from work-stations, tool room or warehouse.
3 - Waiting for instructions, tools, equipment or parts.
The foreman must control the first category, while the other two are the joint
responsibility of the planning team. The planning team is usually the foreman, planner,
and general foreman.
WORK SAMPLING
The only reliable way to measure productivity is by work sampling. The general method
is to take a mental snapshot as you enter a work area. In that instant, an employee is
either working at his scheduled task or not. If he is scheduled to be there and he is not, it
is considered non-productive time.
There will be cases where an employee is working hard and has just stepped back to look
at his work. Those cases will be balanced out by the cases where an employee has been
goofing off, and either sees the work sampler, or for some other reason decides to do
some work at the moment when he is observed. The important thing is that the
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observation is repeatable, and that the same work sampler will get consistent results
unless something has changed in the area. These samples are taken at random times, but
normal break times are avoided. After observing work habits, samples are taken to
determine the average start, quit and break times. Breaks, starts and quits are the
responsibility of upper management. The top level (whether supervisor, superintendent
or manager) cannot dodge this responsibility. Even the worst foremen will control these
times if they have a clear policy to work with, and all crews are expected to consistently
follow the policy. This is the easiest way to start a productivity program.
SUPERVISION
We believe in strong, active supervision. A strong supervisor sitting in the office is no
good, and neither is a weak supervisor in the field. The old wives tale that men will work
better if left alone is an excuse used by poor supervisors, and has cost the industry dearly.
A crew should be checked frequently, disciplined when appropriate, and praised when
appropriate. There should be no praise for poor or mediocre results no matter what the
reason. Both union and non-union crews have no respect for weakness.
Productivity of a supervisor is a different topic than productivity of the hourly employee

for several reasons:
• Different skills are required. A good craftsman will not necessarily make a good
foreman.
• It is a fact that supervisors do not have the job security provisions of the hourly
employee. Good supervisors that are frustrated will quit and move on. Desperately
unhappy, but poor supervisors will hang on through thick or thin. Groups of
supervisors do not follow the same motivation pattern as hourly employees, and it is
common to find plants with over 50% of the supervisors (from manager to foreman)
in the “not motivated and never will be motivated” category. Super Hawk
managers constantly upgrade supervision.
A busy supervisor is not necessarily effective. YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE.

You must allocate time as you believe it can be used effectively. Subordinates, peers and
as much as possible, superiors should be told politely and firmly what you can and cannot
do. There doesn't seem to be a recipe for a good supervisor. Some are effective and
some aren't, but physical appearance, personality, or personal habits have very little, if
any correlation. If you've picked and hired supervisors over a period of years and are
doing better than 50%, count your blessings. BE PREPARED TO ADMIT YOU'RE
WRONG AND RECTIFY POOR CHOICES QUICKLY. If a foreman is not good in
ninety days, he most likely never will be. People have gone under trying to give a guy
one more chance once too often. I've seen good foremen get better, but I have yet to see
a poor foreman become anything but a liability.
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Foremen need and appreciate the same type of supervision as the hourly employees.
They should be checked frequently, disciplined when appropriate and they must get a
pat on the back once in a while.
DECISIONS
Maintenance supervision is fun. Tough decisions are satisfying. The lack of

maintenance is hell. Not making tough decisions causes nervous breakdowns and ulcers.
It takes special people to adapt to maintenance. They must generally be more intelligent
and have more motivation than people in many other positions. They cannot be clock-
watchers. Maintenance is not an 8-hour a day, 5-day a week type job. Good
maintenance supervisors will work whatever time is necessary, do whatever has to be
done and enjoy every minute of it.
Maintenance supervision must work with people—the quality of people will be the most
important factor in the success or failure of your maintenance program.
The Rushton International system recognizes the Productivity Spread. We would never
assign a job that requires a Hawk and two Turkeys to a Chicken and two Slugs. Before
you get started, you need to objectively rate how productive your people are in today’s
conditions. This productivity spread is true for male, female, union and non-union,
mechanics, electricians, foremen and vice presidents. Putting your people into a
productivity spread is tough. It requires a conscious effort to avoid rationalizing and
accepting substandard performance on a continuing basis without really recognizing the
root of the problem. As with any really tough decision, this decision must be approached
systematically.
• Recognize the need to make a decision

• Gather the facts
• Evaluate the possible alternatives
• Decide
• Act
You have a moral and sometimes legal obligation to take each one of these steps, and
document each step when making decisions that affect people’s lives.
FORCED RANKING
Before reading further in this book, you’d do well to rank people using two different
methods. Do the ranking exercises very carefully. Use YOUR people, rated in YOUR
environment, doing the job that you are using to justify spending the money on their
salary. The samples in the book should be easy to follow.
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Method 1
Step 1 - Make a list of your subordinates.
Step 2 - Define the rating categories.
Categories
Ability The skills to do the job they are paid to do.
Effectiveness The ability to effectively use these skills to do the job they are paid to
do.
Flexibility Are they willing to use your methods to help you effectively do the
job you are paid to do?
Dependability Can they be trusted? Will they consistently do the job they are paid to
do?
Uniqueness Can someone replace them who will do a better job than they are
doing on the same job?
Step 3 - Assign points to ratings and evaluate each subordinate.
Ranking Scores
Excellent or difficult to replace 4
Very Good 3
Average 2
Below Average 1
Poor or no need to replace 0
Step 4 Total each column
Step 5 Make a comparison ranking based upon the totals in Step 4.

Gonzales M.M.
Martinez, D.A.
Brown, W.D.
Smith J.M
Wong H.
Abilility 2 4 1 2 4
Effectivity 2 3 1 1 4
Flexibility 3 4 1 2 4
Dependibility 3 3 0 2 4
Uniqueness 2 3 0 0 4
Total 12 17 3 7 20
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Method 2
Step 1 - Make a list of your subordinates.
Step 2 - List all subordinates in the same order across the top and on the left side of a
matrix.
Step 3 - Compare each subordinate with all other subordinates. If he is better, he gets a
score of 1. If he is not better, he gets a score of 0. Ties are not allowed.
Sample Ranking
Gonzales M.M.
Martinez, D.A.
Brown, W.D.
Smith J.M
Wong H.
Total
Martinez, D.A. X 0 1 1 0 2
Smith J.M 1 X 1 1 0 3
Wong H. 0 0 X 0 0 0
Brown, W.D. 0 0 1 X 0 1
Gonzales M.M. 1 1 1 1 X 4
Step 4 - Total each row and rank employees with the highest score as the best, and the
ones with the lowest score on the bottom.
Final Ranking
After working through both methods, list subordinates again showing rankings as
indicated. Put each subordinate in a category. DO NOT rationalize any subordinates out
of the slug and turkey categories.
Sample Final Ranking

Method 1 Method 2 Category
Martinez D.A. 3 3
Smith J.M. 2 2
Wong H. 5 5
Brown W.D. 4 4
Gonzales M.M. 1 1
Page 1-6
A big decision has been broken down into many small decisions. The result is about as
objective as you can get. Your course of action is clear. Do it now! The key to a good
Planned Maintenance Program is people. The program is just a tool. Good people in the
right jobs will cover up a lot of mistakes. Poor people will doom a program, no matter
how good it is.
Page 1-7
Chapter 2
ORGANIZATION
With an effective Planned Maintenance Program you

can have larger crews and fewer levels of supervision.
A good organization is necessary to implement an effective area Planned Maintenance Program.

The key word is accountability. Every position must have a significant and UNIQUE area of
responsibility. One-on-one positions never work and should be avoided at all costs. Overlapping
authority destroys accountability and is an invitation to inefficiency. Creating effective
organizations takes a lot of practice and training. It is not as easy as it looks. It takes research,
common sense and a lot of hard work. One bad position has shattered careers, bankrupted
businesses, made lifetime enemies and created numerous cases of ulcers. Organization must be
right!
The “Utopia” of organization would be absolutely flat. The worker would show up at the work
place and receive detailed instructions on what his/her jobs were for that day. These instructions
would come from another worker who had the job of planning work for everybody else. The
worker, now assigned, would go to the work area and all parts, tools and support activities would
be there. When he finished the jobs, he would be paid a sum that would motivate him to show up
the next day and do his assigned work while optimizing the profit of the organization. If it was
deemed possible to further optimize profits by using another individual to do this work, the worker
would be immediately notified not to show up and the work would be given to the worker that
could work faster, better or more dependably.
In the real world, this just does not work. We can strive to get as close as possible by using a
system and a common sense organization that works in your environment.
The average worker does not need a supervisor to complete his or her job. The average
worker does needs someone to provide:
• Security of job performance
• Clear and concise instructions
• Parts and tools
• A decent work environment
Chapter 2: Organization
A good organization will have the absolute, lowest number of levels required to provide these
factors to each worker.
The very worst organizations are those that evolve. People normally try to correct an
organizational mistake with more people. This is a huge mistake, which usually compounds the
original mistake, so they create another level to strengthen the organization. This weakens the
organization. They take the obvious solution and add more people. This mess is usually created by
a combination of consultants, general managers and vice presidents. This leads to another
"obvious conclusion”: that the facility has maintenance problems and the maintenance department
is a group of incompetents, led by an incompetent. This may or may not be true. Organization
problems often greatly affect maintenance performance. A series of meetings are called. A
motion is brought forth to fire the Maintenance Superintendent. He has a wife and five kids. The
motion is squashed. A position is created to keep him on the payroll. The Chief Engineer is
appointed to be the Maintenance Superintendent. They give him a young and very competent
assistant.
The results:
• The facility is still in trouble.
• Maintenance is in more trouble than ever.
• More and more meetings are required to keep everyone abreast of the problems.
• The facility is refinanced.
• The maintenance superintendent tells everyone, including himself, what a loyal
assistant he has. He is frustrated but doesn't know why. People begin to compare his
performance with his assistant's.
• The assistant is the temporary winner. He accepts responsibility for all high exposure
and successful jobs. He begins each conversation with superiors and consultants, "He's
the best man I've ever worked for, but-----". He is satisfying a basic human need of
destroying another individual.
Names, dates and places could be added to every statement in this paragraph. Look at your
organization. Could you add names, dates and places? Have you got an assistant? Develop the
habit of examining the responsibility of each of your subordinates. What person was responsible
for your last job that went sour? Can you answer that question? What is more important, can he
or she answer that question? Think about it!
There are some rules on maintenance organization that will help:
• NOBODY NEEDS AN ASSISTANT.
• A foreman cannot effectively supervise LESS than five people.
• A manager should not direct more than one layer of supervision.
• From an organizational point of view, your facility is NOT special.
• Never consider people and organization at the same time. If possible, never create an
organization for familiar people.
Page 2-2
• Do not think you have anyone in your maintenance department who is good at
organization.
• Do not combine staff and supervisory functions.
Organizations must be built from the bottom up. Make sure that you target the lowest possible
manning levels. Count machines, estimate work and justify each position carefully. Do not
compare yourself to the industry. Your manning levels are special. THE INDUSTRY IS
OVERMANNED. Payroll should be treated as if it came from your own pocket. If you are
reasonably sure your manning levels are realistic, you can begin to organize.
The first task is to provide each worker, a front-line supervisor. The worker should see this
supervisor several times each shift. Workers need both supervision and a little space. The
effective organization gives the supervisor a broad area of responsibility. This forces him or her
to keep busy and give the right amount of supervision. The supervisor must have other things to
do! The worker will be more effective if he and the rest of the crew are working toward a
common goal. The worker must know what this goal is. This knowledge should come from his or
her supervisor.
A supervisor can handle five to thirty employees depending on the proximity and type of work.
Do not underestimate a foreman. Give the supervisor a significant chunk of responsibility. If he
or she does not respond, do not even think about changing the organization. Address the problem!
Demand a response! If this does not work, change people. The organization at this point should
look like Fig. 2-1.
In this chapter we refer to first or front-line supervision as foremen or supervisors. Second-line
supervisors are general foreman, and third-line supervisors are superintendents. Titles are
frequently modified to attract good people, but a supervisor that has craftsmen reporting to him or
her is a front-line supervisor.
TWO-LEVEL ORGANIZATION
Maintenance Organization
General
Foreman
Planner
Foreman 1 Foreman 2 Foreman 3 Foreman 4 Foreman 5
Figure 2-1 Typical Two Level Organizations
Page 2-3
All good organization charts look like a pyramid. If the chart does not, you have probably made a
mistake. Read the first part of this chapter and then give it another try. Depending on the type of
work, a two-level maintenance organization usually works for thirty to eighty employees. It
should be noted that a general foreman accountable for more people or territory than he can cover
equates to giving him no accountability at all. This is very common.
THREE-LEVEL ORGANIZATION
The second level, or general foreman, is a key position. For every two to six foremen, there should
be a general foreman. This is, again, dependent on factors such as type of work and proximity.
Assuming the facility requires two general foremen, your chart would look like Fig. 2-2.
Maintenance Organization
Superintendent
General General
Foreman Foreman
Planner Planner
Foreman 1 Foreman 2 Foreman 5 Foreman 6
Foreman 3 Foreman 4 Foreman 7 Foreman 8
Figure 2-2 Typical Three Level Centralized Organization
CENTRALIZED VS DECENTRALIZED MAINTENANCE
Page 2-4
People have spent years arguing the merits of the approach that they believe is superior. In a
decentralized approach, the superintendent has both production and maintenance. We believe that
a production superintendent that does not understand maintenance is a turkey at best and more
likely a chicken or slug. If the corporate philosophy demands maintenance skills in its third-level
production positions, then a decentralized approach will work well and is more cost-effective. If
your facility is already staffed with managers that have no maintenance skills or no desire to get
involved and learn, then you have no choice but to change people or go to a centralized approach.
We also believe a maintenance superintendent that does not know what production goals are, and
cannot tell you what production was yesterday, is likely a turkey, chicken or slug. He or she must
be involved and understand production. In centralized maintenance, the maintenance
superintendent is in a very strong position and will likely impact production either negatively or
positively as much, or more than, his production counterpart. We have recommended both
centralized and decentralized maintenance depending on the facility and the corporate philosophy.
If you have properly organized the first two levels of supervision, then you have one or two teams.
Each team has distinct areas of responsibility. Each team consists of a general foreman, a planner
and a foreman from maintenance. Production needs to have a general foreman or superintendent
with enough authority to make decisions as a part of the team. With larger facilities we
recommend a production planner be included on the team. The role of the team members is
covered in the next two chapters.
There are going to be overlaps in areas such as the electrical maintenance function. This will
create inefficiencies. Keep it to a minimum. Do not make the mistake of thinking that a
mechanical general foreman cannot supervise an electrical foreman. A general foreman is the first
step in middle management. He or she must use people more than technical knowledge to get
results. The success or failure of your organization depends on the second level or general
foreman. Any Organization that removes accountability and control away from the general
foreman will fail.
These organizations are simple and do not violate any of the rules of organization. There are
usually compromises for items such as shift work. Make as few adjustments as possible. It has
worked out well in some operations to have the off-shift maintenance personnel report to an
operations supervisor. Hourly people will bond to one supervisor, and it is a mistake to have a
craftsman work for two or more foreman during his normal rotation. Maintenance craftsmen on-
shift will make good decisions if they are given the opportunity.
Most people have little or no control over organization. You should still understand where the
problems are coming from. Good people are frequently made to look very bad by a poor
organization. Understand their problems. Support them the best you can. If you decide to change
jobs, take a long look before accepting a position with built-in organizational traps.
YOU MUST HAVE PLANNERS! The planner must report to the general foreman! The planner
should be paid a least the same and preferably more than a supervisor. You can often strengthen
your team by moving a top foreman into a planning position. This move needs to be looked at as a
promotion. Future general foremen need to spend time as a planner. The general foreman is
responsible for and must control the planning effort. The practice of having planners report to a
Page 2-5
chief planner is usually a mistake, and often has the same results as creating an assistant
superintendent.
With these organizations, the key teams are complete. The worker does not need any more
organization. All other positions must be justified by the support they can give this management
team. The ratio of people working to supervision and staff should not be less than six. It is
not unusual to see this ratio at three or less. Low ratios are a strong anomaly of problems in
organization.
Page 2-6
Chapter 3
THE PLANNED MAINTENANCE SYSTEM
You cannot maximize production or reduce costs without the

use of an effective planned maintenance system.
Planned maintenance is a maintenance concept developed over a span of time, and is

made up of numerous functions, all designed to compliment each other. All portions of
a planned maintenance program interrelate and are necessary for total system
effectiveness. Planned maintenance, then, is a maintenance program designed to
improve the effectiveness of maintenance through the use of systematic methods and
plans. The primary objective of the maintenance effort is to keep equipment functioning
in a safe and efficient manner. This allows production to meet production targets with
minimum operating cost.
Planned maintenance is not just a planning and scheduling function stuck on the side of a
general "firefighting" type maintenance organization. It must be complete to be
effective, and leaving one feature out will seriously hamper the program. Leaving two or
three features out will leave you without a planned maintenance program. Companies
that buy a computer software program and keep repair history files do not have a system.
The most critical components of planned maintenance are the following:
Work Orders
Daily Work Schedules (DWS)
Daily Planning Meetings
PM Task Lists
Equipment History Files
Backlog Control Boards
These tools can be done manually or partially on a computer.
The system is more important than what tool you use to control it or monitor
progress. The best software in the world is not a system. Software will not necessarily
Chapter 3: The Planned Maintenance System
reduce costs. Complex and labor intensive software will frequently increase costs.
You can install a good system with any software, but good software can be a valuable
tool and can be used as part of a system.
Production involvement is extremely important. Without this, any maintenance program
will be jeopardized. Commitment to the success of a maintenance program must extend
from top production management through the front-line supervisors. If production
management is not committed to a maintenance program, then unrealistically high or low
requirements may be made of the maintenance forces. Either situation can cause poor
performance and low morale.
The system will go in easily at facilities where the production and maintenance managers
work as a team in an effort to achieve common goals. In these cases, the production
manager will want to see what he will receive in service from the maintenance
department if such a program is started. A basic outline of the systems must be
developed prior to selling the concept to upper management. An overall maintenance
philosophy will be developed by the production and maintenance team leaders. A
system to fit this philosophy will then be developed by the maintenance group.
MAINTENANCE
Basic to the philosophy of planned maintenance is the concept that maintenance will
continually attempt to increase on-line-time and decrease internal costs.
1. Maintenance will be actively involved in optimizing production on a daily, weekly
and monthly basis.
2. Maintenance will actively upgrade supervision by training and, if necessary,
replacement.
3. Maintenance will actively upgrade hourly employees by training and, if necessary,
discipline and replacement.
4. Lowest manning levels will be sought.
5. Maintenance will use a daily work schedule.
6. Major shutdowns or overhauls will be totally planned.
PRODUCTION
Basic to the philosophy of planned maintenance is the concept that production is an equal
partner with maintenance in the achievement of established goals. Production has certain
obligations to maintenance:
1. Production must accept maintenance as an equal partner.
2. Production must continually attempt to optimize production.
3. Production equipment must not be abused. Higher than designed output is not
Page 3-2
necessarily abuse.
4. Lines of communication between production and maintenance must remain open.
WHY PLANNED MAINTENANCE?

There is only one reason to support a planned maintenance program. Planned
maintenance increases profits! The primary objective for any business is to produce
profits for the owner or owners. Profit oriented goals apply to an elderly couple
operating a corner grocery store, as well as to large corporations. Even small
maintenance consulting firms have to operate at a profit.
Maintenance control can increase profits in two ways:
1. Increased Production: Reduction of wasteful or unnecessary downtime increases
production, thereby increasing profits.
2. Reduced Costs: Higher productivity, method improvements or material changes can
reduce maintenance costs, thereby increasing profits.
It is the responsibility of maintenance management to continually seek ways to increase
production or reduce costs. It is usually easier to achieve higher profits by increasing
production. Maintenance can help production achieve higher production by increasing
"on-line time" or "up-time". In most cases maintenance, not production, has the greatest
opportunity to increase production. A machine that is not operating due to a mechanical
problem is producing nothing. However, even a poorly attended machine that is
operating may still be producing a product.
"Too much maintenance downtime" is a common reason for low production given by
fleet and plant operators throughout the world. In many cases it is a valid reason, but the
cause for the equipment failure is usually not thoroughly investigated. It could be
operator abuse, or too much scheduled downtime, or that the equipment and plant are
operated on a breakdown basis. Whatever the cause, the equipment must be repaired, and
the down-time will be charged to maintenance. Some operator abuse is just a fact of
life that you must learn to live with. Abusive operators are part of the reason that
planned maintenance is absolutely necessary and maintenance people remain employed.
It is a fact that clean, painted and properly maintained equipment receives
less abuse.
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WORK ORDER SYSTEM

Work orders are the primary communications tool in the system. They are also used as a
cost collector, and are the main document in most maintenance accounting programs.
They can serve both functions if they are structured correctly. If the structure is not
correct, they are almost useless for communication. We use different types of work
orders for different purposes. This may seem complicated but it is much easier than
trying to make one form fit all occasions. The forms are:
1. Work Request
2. Work Order
3. Job Master/Repetitive Tasks
WORK REQUEST
A work request is strictly a communication tool. It is a very simple form that a
production supervisor gives the maintenance planner.
WORK ORDER
The work order is the basic planning tool that a planner uses to plan jobs, collect costs
and store information for the equipment history files.
JOB MASTER AND REPETITIVE TASKS

A job master is a pre-filled out work order for jobs that are repetitive but happen at
irregular intervals. A repetitive task is a pre-filled out work order for a task that is
scheduled at specific intervals. Repetitive tasks are tracked in much the same way as PM
jobs, but they usually require a work order and are repeated over a long interval.
The specific work order form is not that important as long as it is simple and easy to use.
There is usually plenty to do when trying to install a planned maintenance program
without worrying about the work order form.
DAILY WORK SCHEDULES

This is a key form for accountability purposes. All other parts of the system are
designed to speed up the preparation or improve the quality of the daily work
schedule. While this form can be filled out by hand, Rushton International has a very
effective computerized form that can be filled out by dragging work orders from the
backlog list to a bar chart. Workers are dragged from a crew list to finish the schedule.
The advantages of the computerized form is that the information entered can go directly
into a time sheet, and labor costing can be collected without additional data entry. The
computerized form also looks better and is much quicker to create.
Page 3-4
Figure 3-1 Manual Daily Work Schedule
Figure 3-2 Computerized Daily Work Schedule
Page 3-5
The basic parts of a daily work schedule:

Crew List The crew list is normally pre-printed on the DWS form.
The planner will add people that are not normally on his
crew.
Equipment Number Identifies equipment needing the work.
Work Order Number This identifies the work order, and is normally used in
some fashion to collect labor costs.
Job Description This is normally the short description from the work
order, and should be complete enough so that someone
not familiar with the job can quickly identify the job.
Crew Size and Duration This is a quick reference for someone that is reviewing
the DWS.
Bar Chart Section This is a standard bar chart, with time being the length
of the shift being scheduled. We strongly recommend
that the names of the workers be written on the bar
chart. An arrow is used to indicate a job is finished, and
a circle is used to indicate that the planner does not
expect the job to be finished.
Percent Completion This is an estimate by the foreman to assist the planner
in planning the completion of a job.
Comments This is normally filled out by the foreman, and is his
shift report. This is important.
With a manual system, we recommend that the DWS form be filed for about six months.
With the one line history file or logbook, you can find out when a job was completed.
Then you can pull the DWS to look at the foreman’s comments and see what craftsman
actually did the job. They will likely remember what you need to know.
To be effective the DWS form must be
used, and a lot of feedback is needed from
the foreman. The completed form in Figure
3-3 is a good example of a planner and a
foreman that are planning and documenting
their work carefully.
Figure 3-3 DWS from Trucking

Company
Page 3-6
MAINTENANCE PLANNER
The recommended planning and scheduling system requires a full time area maintenance
planner. It is the job of the maintenance planner to collect all information relative to
equipment repairs, plan and schedule equipment maintenance, coordinate necessary
manpower, coordinate downtime with production, record maintenance history, review
and update the preventive maintenance (PM) program as necessary and provide
management with maintenance performance data. The maintenance planner is NOT a
glorified clerk. The position requires an individual with maintenance experience in the
maintenance functions that are performed in his area of responsibility. This position
should be rated above that of front-line foreman and below that of a general
foreman.
The importance of this position to the overall maintenance program cannot be
overemphasized. The selection of individuals for the position of planner should be done
with care. It should be noted here that the position also carries a high frustration level.
The planner is liaison between two plant management groups: production and
maintenance. Each may have different short-term goals.
DUTIES OF A PLANNER
A planner will do most of the following tasks. This listing is not a job description; rather,
it serves as a discussion and conceptual outline.
1. Primary duty is to prepare realistic daily work schedule that 100% workloads
every hourly employee in his area of responsibility.
2. Plans maintenance activities that are to be scheduled. This includes most jobs
received on work orders, multi-craft jobs, and equipment modifications or
installations.
3. Orders parts and supplies for planned jobs. Jobs lacking necessary parts or
material will not be scheduled until the necessary items are on hand.
4. Monitors backlogged jobs. May request additional manpower if backlog is
growing and becomes excessive.
5. Coordinates maintenance activities with production requirements. Keeps the
production department informed of changing job status or priority.
6. Schedules planned jobs. Coordinates equipment or plant system downtime with
labor and materials sufficient to accomplish requested job.
7. Monitors progress of continuing jobs or projects. Updates DWS as new
information becomes available. Assists maintenance line supervision in critical
job control.
8. Prepares forecasts of future planned maintenance on a weekly, monthly, and
annual basis.
9. Measures maintenance performance. Compares scheduled jobs with completed
Page 3-7
jobs each week. Compares scheduled man-hours with actual man-hours on

important projects.
10. Reviews preventive maintenance (PM) program for compliance with scheduled
inspection and lubrication duties. Reviews maintenance history to update
periodic component change-out needs.
The maintenance planner is a staff position. His major activities are to prepare job details,
to coordinate maintenance activities in the time span allocated by production, and to see
that jobs are completed as efficiently as possible.
PLANNING MEETINGS
The planner is usually required to attend and to participate in two daily meetings. The
first is a schedule review meeting which takes place each morning prior to the start of day
shift. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss any manpower or schedule changes that
may be necessary because of emergencies that occurred on evening or night shift. The
maintenance general foreman then informs his foremen of any schedule changes.
(Reasons for schedule changes will be discussed under schedule compliance). The
meeting should be started no later than 25 minutes prior to shift start, and should last no
longer than 15 minutes. Attendees are the production general foreman, maintenance
general foreman, maintenance planners, and maintenance foremen.
The second meeting is the daily scheduling meeting, which should be held just after
lunch. Attendees are the area production and maintenance general foremen, the
maintenance planner, and the area maintenance foreman. In most cases, 30 minutes is
long enough to develop a schedule. Jobs should be scheduled at this time, not planned.
The planner has a daily schedule prepared for the next day prior to this meeting, and the
schedule is a discussion draft for the meeting. The purposes of the meeting are listed
below:
1. Assign manpower to previously planned jobs. Some of the jobs will be from the backlog of
work orders. The maintenance foreman assists the planner in assigning manpower to each job.
2. Coordinate needed plant or equipment downtime with the production department. The
production department representative approves the schedule for scheduled shift.
SCHEDULE COMPLIANCE
The daily work schedule is a form of contract between maintenance and production.
Maintenance is to provide labor and materials, and production is to make planned
downtime available. DWS compliance is a measure of both maintenance and production
effectiveness. Low schedule compliance is not necessarily the result of poor maintenance
planning. Erratic operations or continual shifting of manpower to less important pseudo-
emergencies can also make a very good planned maintenance look bad.
Page 3-8
PRIORITIES
Production is primarily responsible for setting priorities. It is not unusual or undesirable
for a job to have two or three different priorities. The originator of the work request may
assign a priority that will be carried over to the work order. When the work order is
approved, the senior supervisor, who has a better view of the big picture, may change the
priority. When the job is scheduled, it will be assigned a priority compared to the other
jobs on the same schedule. What you use as priorities is not important as long as you can
make a comparison and are consistent. Examples of priorities are listed below:
1. Emergency
2. Regular
3. Low
4. Fill in Work
5. Safety
EMERGENCY JOBS
Normal planning and scheduling procedures are bypassed to accomplish emergency
repairs. Emergency maintenance is non-routine maintenance performed when vital
production equipment fails during a scheduled production period, or when failure is
determined to be imminent. Valid emergencies have priority over scheduled work, and
automatically have production approval to allow maintenance crews to work overtime
until the piece of equipment is returned to service. Emergency work should not be
more than 10 -15% of the maintenance workload.
REGULAR JOBS
Regular jobs are normal planned maintenance work. The planner should schedule these
jobs on the date requested if possible.
LOW PRIORITY JOBS

Low priority jobs are normal planned maintenance work with more flexibility on when
they are scheduled.
FILL-IN WORK
Fill-in work is work that is listed, but scheduled only if there are no other jobs available.
Fill-in work is frequently used by the supervisor to keep people busy when production
requirements change and there is not time to prepare for normally scheduled jobs.
Page 3-9
SAFETY
Safety jobs are usually kept separate because they involve other people, and can be
higher priority than an emergency.
BACKLOG, PARTS CONTROL, SCHEDULING BOARDS

All Super Hawks use backlog boards.
A good, but not great, planned maintenance program can be developed without using
magnetic boards. However, any good program can become significantly better by
installing and using these boards. We doubt that any group can become a first class
maintenance organization without boards. If you question the quality of your program,
installing boards is the single quickest way to find out just how good your program really
is. The use of a computer cannot currently duplicate the function of this board.
Using software has no real bearing on the value of the board.
The boards are easy to maintain and require very few minutes each day. If the planner
does not keep them up, it is a big job to get the boards up to date and, even worse,
everyone that has any connection with the program knows that the planner is not doing
his job. This differs from the computer where a planner can be behind for weeks or
months before anyone realizes that the information in the maintenance computer is of
little, if any, use in planning maintenance work. Most foremen like the lack of
accountability that a poor system creates, and will gladly assign their people as they feel
the need and allow the planner to keep score after the fact. Magnetic boards cannot
replace the computer, but in the real world, we have never seen the computer
replace magnetic boards.
The magnetic board is primarily a communications tool,
and makes it much easier for more people to get involved
in the planning effort. Magnetic boards make it easy for a
vice president or a plant manager to walk into a planning
office and immediately know the health of the planned
maintenance program. They make it easy for a production
supervisor that perceives a need for maintenance work to
quickly check and find out if there is a work order written.
He can then initiate a job request, adjust priority and
suggest a schedule in a matter of a few seconds. A good
magnetic board system will get used many times every
day.
Figure 3-4 Magnetic Board
Page 3-10
Magnetic boards can be purchased from almost any school or office supply company.
We prefer a slick, white surface, and you should check to make sure the board is
magnetic. Size and number of boards is determined by the size of the active backlog and
the number of areas that need to be scheduled.
Figure 3-5 Backlog Control Strips
WORK ORDER BACKLOG CONTROL STRIPS

Fig. 3-5 shows an example of the backlog strips used on a backlog board. (The multi-
colored, magnetic strip holders can be purchased from Rushton International). These
strips can be a tear-off strip on the bottom of the work order, or they can be printed on
separate sheets of backlog strip paper. They can also be filled out manually. Your work
and the capability of your computer and software will determine which option is best for
you.
Fig. 3-6 shows the suggested format for the strips. The main requirement is that the short
description of the work be clearly legible from a few feet away. If the user wants
additional information, he will either remove the strip to read it or move closer to the
board.
WO # 239821 Pri: 1 2 Org. Date: 12/1/95 P. Crew: Mech
EQ # CR-321
Rplc Inboard Counter Shaft Bearing 3 S Req Date: 12/14/95 Down? Y Dur: 4
P
Figure 3-6 Backlog Control Strip
Even the most active of planning offices adds a very limited number of work orders each
day, and it is not difficult to keep strips up to date.
Page 3-11
Figure 3-7 Typical Backlog Board
BACKLOG AND PARTS CONTROL BOARDS

When the availability of a part determines when a job can be scheduled, a parts control
strip should be placed directly below the work order, creating a backlog and parts control
board.
Backlog and parts control boards have a space for each piece of equipment or group of
equipment. In this space there is one magnetic strip for each open work order related to
the equipment that is not currently scheduled. In addition, there is a strip for each part or
group of parts that are on order to accomplish this work. Normally there will be one strip
for each requisition. The parts strips should be identified by color and should stay with
the work order until the parts are received. When the part arrives and is staged in the
warehouse, the parts, indicating that the work can be scheduled when the equipment and
manpower are available.
WO # 239821 Roller Bearing, 8” Tapered Heavy Duty Pri: 1 2 Ord. Date: 12/1/95 PR # 678321
PT # 12543CR-321 Promised 10 days delivery by UPS 3 S Del. Dt:: 12/14/95 Supplier: Stanley Equip
Figure 3-8 Parts Control Strip
Backlog and parts control boards can be laid out in a number of different ways, and
colors can be used to indicate crafts or priorities. Some boards are laid out by equipment
and craft, and the backlog control strips are arranged by priority. The main purpose is to
get the backlog and parts where they can be easily seen, and the strips where they are
readily available for the scheduling board.
Page 3-12
Primary Crushing SAG Mill Rougher Flotation
#1 Secondary Crusher Regrind Mill Column Flotation
Figure 3-9 Backlog-Parts Control Board
SCHEDULING BOARD
A scheduling board is a rotating weekly schedule that has a space for each day in a two-
week period. One week is labeled this week and the other week is labeled next week. On
the first day of each week the labels are rotated. With a good board, the planner should
begin the week with a good picture of what he is going to do for the next seven days, and
have a section to start planning for the following week.
The planner starts by putting all scheduled PM activity on the appropriate days and
building the schedule for additional work around equipment that is already scheduled to
be down. Both the general foreman and front line foreman are encouraged to look at the
board and make suggestions. Production is ultimately responsible, and can make
suggestions or directives (depending on their authority). If this board is used properly, it
is much easier for the planner to prepare daily and weekly schedules. These schedules
should require little, if any, change—production has looked at them in advance, and
approvals or disapprovals can be done informally and not take up time in the weekly or
daily planning meetings. The better the schedules, the less time these meetings take.
Page 3-13
This Week Next Week Completed
Monday Thursday Monday Thursday
Tuesday Friday Tuesday Friday
Wednesday Weekend Wednesday Weekend
Figure 3-10 Scheduling Board
The scheduling board is the quickest visual clue as to how much planning is really going
on. There should be three or four days with a full schedule planned, and a significant but
decreasing number of jobs planned for the later days of the schedule. With a good current
board, it is an absolute certainty that someone is thinking ahead and there is effort being
made to plan maintenance activities. A board with little or no work scheduled for the next
two or three days is just as strong an indication that maintenance is becoming reactive
and planning is being done after the fact.
Every facility uses boards for some things. They are, and will continue to be, the best
method of communicating across a large cross section of people. Good boards are one of
the keys in establishing and tracking the acceptance of accountability. They can
encourage employees from mechanics to senior management to get involved. The larger
and more complex a facility is, the more it needs the boards. They are a bit of work to get
setup properly, but they are worth the effort and will make life easier in the long run.
A total system will work every time! A partial system is an invitation to
poor performance.
Page 3-14
Chapter 4
THE PM PROGRAM
A PM program for a plant or factory has exactly the same requirement as a PM program
for a mobile fleet: a good PM Program will reduce direct maintenance costs by at least
15% every time. The pride developed from this program has changed the culture of
entire properties. The key is to set up a system that is repeated at specific intervals.
These intervals are usually measured in days, hours, kilometers or production units.
Most PM programs fail because:
• Companies do not follow the intervals that they have set for themselves.
• Companies take equipment down for PM but end up assigning manpower to more
critical emergency jobs, meaning a minimal PM is completed.
• Inadequate PM work sheets will doom a PM Program every time.
MOBILE PM PROGRAM
(Assembly Line Preventive Maintenance)
Assembly Line Preventive Maintenance (ALPM) works equally well for large mine
trucks, fleets of taxi cabs or small service trucks. This chapter section addresses
procedures, methods, purposes and results. The program takes dedication, discipline and
hard work, but it gets fantastic results with virtually any fleet of equipment. The program
will work every time, but the amount of success depends on you!
Chapter 4: The PM Program
Figure 4-1 A Fleet in Trouble Figure 4-2 A Profitable Fleet

R85 Euclid Trucks with approximately 5000 R85 Euclid Trucks with approximately 25000
operating hours operating hours
The fleet in Fig. 4-1 was purchased the same year and month that the truck in Fig. 4-2
was purchased. The picture on the left was taken more or less one year later. The truck
on the right is about five years old. The difference is Assembly Line Preventive
Maintenance. The truck on the right was unloaded from a ship, assembled and went to
work under an ALPM program immediately. The fleet on the left was working in the
United States in much more favorable terrain and climate, but the PM program was poor
to non-existent. ALPM can prevent or save the fleet in trouble.
Standard PM programs that are designed by equipment manufacturers are not practical
and have historically failed people for years. They are an invitation to mediocrity and
are likely to make more money for the vendor than they are for the user. Industry needs
an effective mobile PM program!
ALPM DETAILS
Preventive Maintenance (PM) is any maintenance performed to prevent costly or
untimely repairs. Most people at least give “lip service” to some type of PM program,
but most systems are ineffective, poorly designed and under-utilized. The failure of a
PM program is extremely expensive, and has caused some potentially profitable
operations to close long before their projected life. It is not uncommon to increase the
expected and reasonable service life of components and equipment by 40 to 60% as a
result of an effective ALPM program.
Recognizing the need for an effective mobile PM program, Rushton International created
Assembly Line Preventative Maintenance (ALPM). This maintenance concept has been
tremendously effective. It has never failed. It is currently being used internationally on
over 100 major fleets in open-pit and underground mines and with on-road transportation
fleets. Due to its flexibility, it has been successfully used on fleets of equipment ranging
in size from 5 to 1200 pieces. In our opinion, it is the only sensible approach to take.
Page 4-2
This program will increase profits and indirectly increase wages and benefits. It is not
only the best program available, but second best isn’t even close.
Well “PMed” fleets are safer fleets. Safety items get the same care and attention that
production related items get. The unexpected failure of equipment causes production
losses and a significant number of accidents. ALPM keeps this to an absolute minimum.
Beyond all the sounding definitions and reasons, people use ALPM because their fleet is
in trouble, and Rushton International has the cheapest, fastest and most effective solution.
Virtually any mechanic will be productive if:
• Proper tools are available
• Parts are available
• Equipment is clean and scheduled effectively
• A clean, safe shop is available
A properly installed ALPM program will insure that the mechanics involved in the PM
effort have these basic requirements.
The ALPM system gets its name from the assembly line in a manufacturing plant. Men
are assigned to an area, and are provided with instructions, tools and parts. The
equipment moves by the men in these stations. The unit is only in the station for a
specific amount of time (1 or 2 Hours) and then all units move forward. The system
allows you to maximize the work completed in the downtime taken for servicing. One of
the many reasons that Production managers are reluctant to deliver equipment for
servicing is that many shops can’t control how long services take, and the downtime
often becomes excessive. With the ALPM system, this downtime is specified and
controlled.
The ALPM system has equipment moving through distinct stations where specific tasks
of the PM are performed:
Station #1 Station #2 Station #3 Station #4

Wash Service Mechanical Cosmetics
Figure 4-3 An ALPM Layout
These stations are not utilized for any repairs taking longer than the specified intervals
(usually two hours per station, per unit). All support equipment, tools and parts are in (or
close to) each respective station. A precise pattern for the movement of the equipment
and materials through the PM bay is established and adhered to. “Fine Tuning” this part
of the system is required once the initial program has been started.
Page 4-3
Station #1: Wash/Utility
Figure 4-4 Cold Wash in the Mountains of Indonesia
Where there is a will there is a way. Equipment that has not been washed carefully cannot
be given a satisfactory PM service. Find a way—wash your equipment quickly and
carefully.
Volume of water is critical. For the first step, the cold water wash, you should start with
a water monitor and approximately 150 gallons per minute at 150 psi. This is almost a
must for very large equipment and should take more or less 10 minutes.
The second step is a cold water hose wash.
We recommend that about 100 gpm and 100
psi be available at an adjustable nozzle. A
strong person can handle this much water
but the average is more like 80 psi and 80
gpm. If the monitor wash is done properly,
this should only take about 5 minutes on
each side for a large haul truck.
Figure 4-5 Hose Wash in Wyoming
Page 4-4
The third step at this station is a hot water

wash. We prefer to see a unit with 5 to 8
gpm and 2000 to 3000 psi. Steam cleaners
tend to be accident hazards, and units with
really low volumes don’t have enough water
to remove the dirt and grease from the area
being washed.
The hot water system cleans small areas
such as engines, transmissions and hydraulic
tank fittings. If equipment is washed
regularly, detergents are not usually
necessary and cannot be economically
justified.
Buy a good quality hot water washer. We
have successfully used Hydro Blasters,
Hotsy and Sioux. We will furnish additional
information on request. Figure 4-6 Hot Wash in the Philippines
This washing plan is for very large mine equipment. Smaller equipment can use many
different combinations of cold and hot wash equipment and still get good results.
Once the equipment is washed, the cab and operator’s area should be vacuumed and
cleaned. Glass should be cleaned carefully. The pride of the PM line starts at this
station. Use good people in this station because it sets the tone for all other activities on
the PM Line.
After washing, the equipment is moved to Station #2, or the Lubrication & Service
Station, where routine lube services are performed in accordance with the service sheets.
Page 4-5
Station #2: Lubrication & Service

Figure 4-7 Service The work here includes fluid changes, filter changes, fluid
samples, and greasing. It is the responsibility of this crew to make
sure that all grease systems are operating properly, filled with the
proper lube, and that all grease lines are in place and secure.
At one mine, they rotate service mechanics from the wash bay to
the service station. Two mechanics pick up a unit and wash it,
while the other two mechanics are servicing the previous unit.
The first two mechanics then service the same unit they washed
while the second group picks up a third unit for wash and service.
This has the advantage of spreading the hard physical work of
washing over more people, and allowing the mechanics involved
in wash to train in the service bay.
I have been thinking about the concept of having a lead mechanic
pick up the unit and stay with the unit at every station to assist and
monitor quality control.
It is very important that you have highly motivated mechanics or
servicemen in the services bay. More than any other station, they
control the momentum of the PM line. If they finish on time, they
will push the mechanics in the next station to make room for the
equipment and will also contact the wash bay and ask for the next
unit if one is not waiting.
Partially because of training, but mostly because of accountability, the servicemen will
make all repairs to the lubrication and service related equipment. The PM foreman will
need to monitor this, and if necessary pull a mechanic from another station or shop to
assist when either time or skills are not available.
Page 4-6
Station #3: Mechanical, Electrical & Welding

Upon completion of the lube service, the unit will be
moved to the station for mechanical, electrical and
welding PM servicing and minor repairs. The more
technical aspects of PM will be performed here, such
as adjustments, measurements, calibrations and
testing of components. As time dictates, backlog
repairs can be completed.
Depending on the company policy on auto electrical
type work, the mechanic may need the support of a
journeyman electrician. On equipment such as
underground scoops and trucks, an electrician or a
mechanic specializing in electrical is a necessity.
A welder is assigned to this station. He has a
Figure 4-8 Mechanic at Work
separate service sheet which includes diagrams of
each unit.
The primary responsibility of the welder is to make a thorough structural inspection,
make sure all safety related items are in good order (handrails, hand holds, grab irons,
etc.) and to perform minor welding repairs and fabrication as time allows. Some welders
in the ALPM line will work on an area over several weeks to complete what would
normally be a major repair. Time permitting, the welder may put hard facing on high
wear areas.
From the above paragraph you can see that the welder must be a self-starter and capable
of both finding repairs and welding them during the same service. The ALPM Foreman
is unlikely to be an experienced welder, so this welder must be a very good journeyman.
Station #4: Cosmetics & Painting
Figure 4-9 Paint in Small Sections Figure 4-10 Over the Road Truck
In the Rushton program, painting must be a part of the ALPM program. It is good if a
section is painted every time a unit goes through the line. Paint is generally a hazardous
Page 4-7
material and this must be addressed. Like the wash, if you want your equipment painted
badly enough there is a way. The plan is to paint quickly and get the unit ready to go
back into service. A quick paint job is not necessarily a low quality paint job. With the
right equipment and a plan, you can have a quality job and live with the normal time
constraints. Many factors affect exactly how you go about painting:
• Safety and Legally Required Safety Procedures
• Climate
• Budget
• Equipment Down Time
• Types of Paint & Painting Equipment
Safety
Even if you have no legal restrictions, we do not recommend painting in an open shop
with other employees in the immediate vicinity. For a large fleet, we recommend a
paint building or a portion of a building that can be isolated during the paint period.
Climate
In a mild climate, painting outside is not a problem. In a harsh climate or an
underground mine, you have to spend some money and be a bit more creative. A paint
bay is usually controlled by local regulations, which specify how often you have to
change the air in the area. A four-minute air change is enough exhaust air to change
the total volume of the paint bay. In either case, painters must wear masks and other
proper safety equipment. Radiation type heaters will keep the equipment warm,
allowing the paint to dry faster and giving a higher quality paint job.
Budget
In the real world, you have to contend with budgets. The preference in painting a unit
would be to sand blast the area first to remove all previous paint. The area would then
be sanded and prepared for the primer coat. The painter would then apply a good
quality primer and follow this with one or two coats of a good, quality automotive
enamel. This can be done but you will likely have to consider budgets of time and
money. If you are running an over the road fleet, you should spend whatever time and
money it takes to make your fleet look really sharp.
My opinion is that money spent on painting goes immediately to the bottom line.
Painting increases profits quickly just as sure as day follows night. The more money
you spend on painting, the more you will increase profits. In spite of this, you will
likely have to battle with your superiors, subordinates and accountants for every penny
you put in your paint budget.
Page 4-8
Time
If you paint on two units per day, you have approximately four hours to work on each
unit. With experience you will know how much you can mask, sand blast, prime and
paint in four hours. Design your service sheets accordingly.
Types of Paint & Painting Equipment

We recommend careful preparation and very high quality paint. High quality paint
looks better, lasts longer and makes the washing station go much quicker. To some
degree, the application will dictate what paint is best for you. Experiment with good
quality primers and enamels until you find a combination that is right for you.
A good quality airless spray gun will put out a lot of paint with a minimum of over-
spray. Buy at least one spare! These should be backed up with good brushes and other
equipment for finer details.
Concluding the ALPM

It is a good idea for the planner and PM foreman to make a final inspection before the
unit is released. We also promote the idea of using random compliance checks to make
sure that the ALPM services stay intact. This is no more than a quality control program.
The hourly force will actually appreciate that someone is checking their work. “Pencil
PM’s” get started because supervisors appear not to care. Compliance checks do take a
few minutes, and require the PM foreman or planner to review each item on the service
sheet and check the unit to make sure it was done properly. The compliance checks may
point out where specific individuals need more training. For example, we have often
found that certain grease points are neglected simply because the servicemen didn’t know
they were there.
Before turning the unit back to operation, we recommend a road test and filling the fuel
tank. The operator picking up the unit should be required to fill out a “Post PM Check
Sheet”. The operator should check the unit and note any problems or items that were not
completed. This sheet needs to be given to the operations foreman and then returned to
the planner.
Page 4-9
THE ALPM TEAM

Figure 4-11 The ALPM Team
The ALPM team must be composed of 100% motivated people. Since the work is
specialized, it is a good place to give some highly motivated but short on experience
people a chance to learn. A good guideline is to have one experienced and motivated
person at each station.
Manning
This program requires specific manpower assignments for each station. An example is
shown in Fig. 4-12.
Station #1 Station #2 Station #3 Station #4

Wash Service Mechanical Cosmetics
1 Wash Person 2 Service Mechanics 2 Mechanics 1 Painter

1 Welder
1 Electrician
Figure 4-12 A Typical Manning Plan
Page 4-10
SERVICE SCHEDULE
To avoid lost time starting and stopping a PM line, it is usually necessary to work
staggered shifts. For example, Station #1 might start at 5:00 a.m., Station #2 might start
at 7:00 a.m., Station #3 might start at 9:00 a.m. and Station #4 might start at 11:00 a.m.
This assures that a unit will be available as each station begins their shift.
The needed tools for implementing an ALPM program are not hard to obtain. The
system is not hard to understand and it works. It requires discipline, but it will provide
the cure for any fleet. How this is done will depend upon you. A systematic approach to
preventive maintenance is the only cure for a fleet in trouble, but the program alone will
not solve all the problems. How it is designed, installed, and administered, is the real
key.
It will become evident that no one person or small group is totally responsible for the
outcome of the installed program. Everyone from the top to the bottom must be
involved.
DESIGN YOUR ALPM PROGRAM

Assembly Line Preventive Maintenance (ALPM) is a system of performing preventive
maintenance tasks in progressive, well-defined stations using pre-determined procedures.
This insures that all required elements necessary to execute an effective PM will be
completed.
The basic difference between ALPM and the standard PM program is that there is only
one PM duration (all the PM services take the same amount of time to complete), and
only one PM interval (the PM service interval starts over after each service and is the
same for each progression in the service sequence).
It is important to note that none of the necessary items from the old and inadequate PM
work sheets are missed. The ALPM System is designed so that these items are
accomplished at the proper frequency. This takes hard work, time and patience, but is
possible and well worth the effort.
Before starting the design, you must have a master list of equipment and at least an
approximation of the equipment operating hours on a monthly and yearly basis. For this
example, we will use hours as measure of PM interval. If you average “X” hours per
month, on “Y” type of equipment and you have determined it should be serviced every
“Z” hours, you can estimate how many days there are between services. If you have
applied this to each piece of equipment, you can calculate the number of service slots
required per month, and from this you can determine how many units need to be serviced
per day and how many shifts are needed per day to operate the ALPM line. For example,
if you have 15 trucks and they run a total of 1,912 hours in a given week, they would
average 128 hours per truck per week. For an off-road application, a common service
Page 4-11
interval is 125 hours, which indicates that the truck fleet would require 15 slots per week.
Most lines are designed to complete the service of four units per shift (8 hour).
In this case, the line would probably be designed to run one shift per day, five days per
week. Three slots per day would be scheduled with trucks, and the extra slot could be
used for auxiliary equipment.
In the design of the ALPM, five major areas must be addressed:
1. The Planner
2. Scheduling
3. Facilities
4. PM Actions
5. Service Sheets
THE PLANNER
You must have a planner. He is the most vital aspect of the ALPM program, secondary
only to the actual work. He will see that equipment is scheduled and available for PM,
and that complete and accurate records of the PM services are kept. The planner will
coordinate with the PM foreman to make sure the necessary parts, filters and tools are
available. He will also schedule and arrange proper manpower.
SCHEDULING
This is vital. Many PM programs fail because service intervals are not controlled closely
enough. Every effort to maintain this interval must be made by both maintenance and
production. Obviously, a mechanic cannot perform a PM service on a piece of
equipment that has not been delivered to the shop. In the ALPM system, even a unit
arriving late will have a drastic effect, since the lost time will have an affect on every unit
serviced that day.
The PM schedule is prepared by the planner based on information from a number of
sources, such as a PM Trigger Report from the computer. The planner must have the
cooperation and active participation of production in order to produce a realistic and
efficient schedule.
Although schedule compliance is important, flexibility has to be built into this system to
take care of the “unexpected”. Changes to the schedule should be kept to a minimum,
and the highest levels of mine management should become involved if this is abused.
Page 4-12
FACILITIES
You can usually make your existing shops work with some
compromises and some modest expenses. However, you must
have adequate wash facilities.
With a large fleet and progressive upper management, you can
build a wash bay, PM shop and cosmetic bay especially for your
PM program. The PM building shown in Figure 4-13 is roomy
and well lit. It has rails in the floor to accommodate track
equipment and a flush trench in the center to make the floor easy
to wash down. It will pay for itself very quickly and continue
paying for a long time.
Virtually all of the major engineering companies are weak on
work shop design. They have built so many bad shops that they
honestly think they are good. Know exactly what you want
before you even think about letting them design your shops.
Productive shops start at the design stage. Once it is on paper, it
is difficult to change and once you start pouring concrete you are
just going to have to live with what you get.
Get some good help early!
PM ACTIONS & SERVICE SHEETS

The actual work performed during a PM should be detailed in
the individual service sheet created for each unit of equipment.
Separate service sheets are written for each station. Some times
one activity in a station, such as welding or electrical, needs a
separate PM sheet. The sheet should be comprehensive and
Figure 4-13 Great PM Building allow feedback from the craftsman to the planner and foreman.
Many work orders are generated from the PM sheets.
If a needed repair is found, the repair will be completed if possible. If the duration of the
repair is longer than the time available, the repair will be noted on the PM sheet and the
planner will create a work order.
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PLANT OR FACTORY PM PROGRAMS

A good PM program for a plant is more difficult to set-up and maintain than a program
for a mobile fleet for the following reasons:
• Plants normally have a much larger variety of equipment and require more PM
work sheets.
• Machinery tends to be more interdependent, and it is difficult to schedule down
time without significant production losses.
• Machinery is stationary, and men, tools and parts need to be delivered to the
machine.
On the positive side, plants are more predictable and respond very positively to an
aggressive PM program.
A large percentage of PM Work can be performed while the machinery is operating. To
make sure that you take advantage of this, you need to create two sets of work sheets for
each type of equipment. The first set is for a “Running PM”, while the second is a more
normal “Down PM”. We frequently schedule PM activities by the calendar and perform
a running PM a day or two ahead of the down PM so that needed repairs can be noted and
prepared for.
There is no real difference in the needs of plant equipment and types of PM required.
Organization of manpower is much different and needs to be addressed. We usually
create routes that consist of a series of PM procedures that are performed by a
craftsman or craftsmen. These Procedures are grouped so that the PM work can be
accomplished in a set period, say 4 hours. An example might be a “Pump Route”. Here
a craftsman may inspect and make running repairs on several pumps on his route. He can
perform some lubrication and do repairs such as tightening packing glands. He looks for
heat or unusual noises and reports any problems found on his PM Work Sheet. This
route may be completed as often as every day, and some plants use operators to do route
work.
Most equipment needs to go down at specific interval, such as once a week. If you do not
take it down it will go down anyway—and it usually goes down in the middle of the
night. If you calculate the average time required for an emergency repair and compare
this to the time needed to perform a PM, you can calculate the optimum day to perform a
PM. The critical day is when the probability of an emergency repair times the average
repair duration is greater than the operating time lost in performing a PM. On this day
you should have performed the PM yesterday. This is an over simplification, and cost of
an emergency repair verses the PM cost is not taken into consideration.
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PM WORK SHEETS
Since work sheets are a vital part of ALPM, they must be functional. All items on the
PM sheets must be completed every time. Work sheets should have space for the planner
or foreman to enter minor repairs, and space for the craftsman to list needed repairs for
backlog.
If the PM line people consistently fail to complete every item on the sheets, it is likely
that the sheets need modification. The sheets must be dynamic, and changes should be
made as necessary to encourage strict compliance.
Rushton International usually labels each sheet with a letter (A, B, C, etc.). This is
strictly for convenience, and titles like 250 hours, 7 day or 5000 miles will work. Using
alpha names, the series can go as high as H on a PM line that is tracking service activities
at 125 operating hours over a six-month period. We do all services recommended by the
manufacturer when they come due, or earlier. Normally, a good PM line will service the
unit twice as often, but the equipment will spend less than half the time in the shop for
service. This is doable and will work every time.
PM SERVICE SHEET PREPARATION

PM service sheets are comprised of ITEMS (jobs) and SYSTEMS (closely related
groups of jobs).
Item Criteria
1- Must eliminate a significant source of downtime or expense.
2- Can be reasonably completed during the normal PM time frame.
3- Is highly desirable if a portion of each item can be checked for compliance.
System Criteria
1- Must eliminate a significant source of downtime or expense.
2- Responsibility for the entire system can easily be assigned to a craftsman or
group of craftsmen.
When grouping items from a system on a PM service sheet, each item should be listed in
a logical order of completion. When designing system PM activities, you need to take
into account the other PM or operating activities that may be taking place at the same
time.
Before starting the preparation of the PM service sheets, you need to become as familiar
as possible with the equipment and its systems. Each system should be estimated as to
the percentage of emergency or expensive repairs that the system is responsible for. If
the percentage is low, give that system a low priority. In the real world, you have a level
of manpower—don’t create a level of listing systems and items that exceeds this level.
This can destroy your whole PM program. An example is that most new plants have the
construction company furnish the initial PM service sheets. They either hire a group or
an individual that sells PM service sheets by the pound. This group spends anywhere
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from six months to two years writing PM service sheets for every piece of equipment and
every system in the plant. We have seen rooms totally full of boxes of PM service sheets.
They are totally useless. It takes more time to sort through these sheets and decide what
makes sense and what does not than it takes to start from scratch and write a totally new
set of PM service sheets.
EXAMPLE
The easiest way to illustrate the preparation of a PM service sheet is to systematically go
through a system and prepare a real PM service sheet. The fuel system for a heavy duty
diesel truck is a good example:
Fuel System Emergency Downtime Distribution
Out of Fuel 40%
Fuel Pump 20%
Clogged Filter or Strainers 15%
Leaking Fuel Lines 10%
Accelerator Linkage 10%
Miscellaneous 5%
Since the fuel tank is on one end of the system and is a large source of downtime, the first
item might be as follows:
1. Fill the fuel tank with_________ gallons. Inspect and clean the connections of the
supply and return lines.
Note that this item asks the mechanic to write down the amount of fuel and to clean the
connections to the fuel lines. If the gallons are not filled out, the foreman is alerted that
the unit may be going out without a full tank. If he looks at the truck and the connections
are not clean, he can be reasonably sure that this item was missed. No tracking system in
the world can replace good PM service sheets and an alert foreman.
The next logical item is the drain off the bottom of the fuel line, which is the first line of
defense against clogged filters or strainers. When you think about it, you should allow as
much time to settle as possible before draining the sediment. This indicates that it may
be a good idea to drain the sediment before adding fuel. The sheet should read as follows:
1. Drain the sediment basin into a clear glass and inspect for water or sediment.
Continue until a clean sample is obtained.
2. Fill the fuel tank with_________ gallons. Inspect and clean the connections of the
supply and return lines.
The next area is the strainer or filter area.
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3. Remove and clean sediment bowl on the strainer and filter. Clean or replace filter
elements. (Fram 122)
Notice that the part is listed to assist the mechanic in getting the right element.
The next item is the fuel pump, and there is nothing you can do that makes any sense so
you ignore it.
The only remaining source of down time is the linkage, so the last item is as follows:
4. Clean accelerator linkage with a solvent rag and lubricate with light machine oil.
Check for freedom of movement and spring action.
Again, this item is easy to check by noting the presence of the light machine oil. While
this example is not necessarily complete or accurate for your trucks, all items meet the
criteria for a good item, and the items are listed in the logical order of completion.
After the service sheets are prepared they should be reviewed with the foreman and the
craftsman. Make sure the language is clear and understood by all concerned.
Failures and emergency repairs should be continually monitored, and the PM service
sheets should also be modified continually.
THE PM WORK SHEET WRITER

The job of writing PM work sheets can be greatly reduced with a PM Work Sheet Writer
on a computer. Time required will be reduced at least 80%. Rushton International has
developed a writer in our Sabre32 Maintenance Software that uses systems and items as a
base, and makes writing a PM work sheet a mostly drag-and-drop exercise. The resulting
PM work sheet is attractive, easy to use and easy to reproduce (See Fig. 4-14). The sheet
can easily be edited and fine-tuned which should be a continual process.
Most of the maintenance software packages that force the user to imbed the PM work
sheets in a work order make the process of writing good PM work sheets so difficult that
it rarely gets done. If you are forced to use this type software, it is better to manually
write your sheets with a word processor. File the PM work sheets, and use a copying
machine when the PM procedure is triggered.
Page 4-17
Figure 4-14 Sample Computer Generated PM Work Sheet
Page 4-18
Chapter 5: The Critical Project
Chapter 5
THE CRITICAL PROJECT

A critical project can take a significant amount of material and human resources. Resources may
be insignificant, but may interrupt production. Improperly planned repetitive jobs tend to get
less, rather than more, efficient with time. When you think about it, almost all maintenance
work should at some time be classed as a critical project and be put through the scrutiny of a
carefully prepared work plan.
A Critical Path Network (CPN) has been fantastically successful in improving job efficiency.
Weeks have been cut from major plant turn arounds, days from major equipment overhauls,
hours from routine wear-part replacements and minutes from daily PM procedures. These
improvements were all the result of aggressive and innovative management using a work plan
with CPN as the basic tool.
Once the information is assembled, the preparation of a CPN is purely mechanical. People can
be, and frequently are, replaced by a computer. The quality of the plan is purely a function of
how good and accurate the information is. Bad information often becomes obvious when looked
at logically in the preparation of a CPN. Critical project planning requires dedicated effort and is
time consuming. Success is directly proportional to the time and effort spent.
INITIAL PLANNING STEPS
1. The Definition
2. The Task Statement
3. The CPN
4. The Bar Chart
5. The Parts List
6. The Cost Estimate
THE DEFINITION
The definition should include what you are going to do and what you are not going to do. The
biggest single reason for failure in the execution of a critical project is adding work after the
project is started. This destroys momentum, which is absolutely essential for success. Every
job
Page 5-1
added requires a completely new work plan. If the job is absolutely necessary, do it, but think
about it.
THE TASK STATEMENT

The task statement is a list of jobs or activities, which can be as detailed or as broad as you want
to make them. Practice is the only way I know to develop skill in this area.
THE CRITICAL PATH NETWORK (CPN)

The initial CPN is designed to show the inner relationship between jobs, and prepare the planner
to make a realistic bar chart.
THE BAR CHART

The bar chart is primarily a scheduling and man-power leveling tool. This chart, along with the
CPN, will ultimately be the tools used to control the job.
THE PARTS LIST

There is very little maintenance work where expected parts usage cannot be reasonably
estimated before a machine is shut down. The parts business is particularly difficult, but the
effort must be made. The parts list is usually started after the CPN because you need to know
exactly what you are going to do before you can make an accurate estimate of the parts required.
THE COST ESTIMATE

It is unusual for a company to spend more on a repair than the cost of a new or rebuilt machine.
All levels of maintenance management should develop a feel for costs. You now have enough
information to schedule the work and give management a reasonable estimate as to how much
time and money it is going to take. After the decision to go is given, this information can be
used as a tool to properly finish the planning and execute a successful project.
Page 5-2
FINAL PLANNING STEPS
1. Finalize parts list and obtain parts.

2. Stage parts as they become available.
3. Plan, schedule and execute all preliminary jobs.
4. Schedule manpower and tools.
5. Communicate with all involved as to their role.
PARTS
This is usually the most time consuming part of the final preparation. Normally, you should
physically see each part before you start the job. They should be tagged and staged out of the
warehouse system to prevent usage after they have been listed as available. The last step is to
move the parts as near to the job site as possible.
PRELIMINARY JOBS
Make a list, assign responsibility and follow up. Some preliminary jobs can be of considerable
length, and might require a CPN.
MANPOWER
Make some daily schedules. Do you have the right people on the right activity? Know before
you start.
TOOLS
Are tools available? Do they work? Do the users know where they are? This must be addressed.
COMMUNICATE
The most successful critical jobs have been reviewed with people doing the work. Do not
underestimate your people's ability to understand a CPN prepared for familiar equipment. They
will frequently come up with time and cost saving ideas. Momentum can start well ahead of the
time a piece of equipment is shut down. Momentum created during a well-planned and
executed critical job has changed the attitude of an entire facility.
Page 5-3
EXECUTION
The last and probably easiest step is the execution. A good plan must be continually monitored
and modified during the project. If the planning was done properly, the adjustments will be
obvious. Nurture Momentum. Be prepared to go into a flurry of activity to keep a job on
schedule. Momentum, once lost, is very rarely regained.
Make sure that during the execution of the job, that the planner or supervisor documents the
actual job progression in detail. This will be kept in the history files, and will improve the
performance of the next repair.
SUCCESS
Congratulations on a job well done should be immediate and sincere. Your people will be on a
high and need guidance to get back to the normal day-to-day routine maintenance. In most
operations, there is a real possibility that some critical PM will be missed during a shutdown or
overhaul. Address this as quickly as possible. Use some of your excess momentum to get back
on schedule.
PREPARATION OF A CPN
Preparation of a CPN is not difficult, but few people grasp the significance of what they are
doing. There are several different styles, but they all involve the use of circles and arrows in
some form of network to analyze a project. We use a method that is common and is compatible
with most computer programs.
DEFINITIONS
Page 5-4
Event or Node: A circle, representing the beginning or end of an activity.
Activity: An arrow, usually representing one item from the task statement. It will occasionally
be a passive activity, such as curing time.
Dummy Activity: A dotted arrow representing slack or extra time on any given path. It denotes
the beginning and end, but has zero time value.
Earliest Possible Start Time (EPS): The earliest an activity can start assuming all previous
activities were completed on schedule.
Latest Possible Start Time (LPS): The latest an activity can start and not affect the total job
duration.
The Critical Path: The path that satisfies the condition that the duration of the project will
change if the duration of the individual activity is changed. This path will determine total project
duration, and all nodes on this path will satisfy the condition EPS equals LPS.
SAMPLE PROJECT
Assuming the following task statement with restrictions shown, you can construct a CPN.
TASK DURATION MANPOWER RESTRICTION

A 2 10 NONE
B 6 2 NONE
C 4 4 A MUST BE COMPLETE
D 10 6 C MUST BE COM-PLETE
E 3 4 B MUST BE COMPLETE
F 3 2 E MUST BE COMPLETE
G 2 8 F & D MUST BE COMPLETE
Start with a node. Since tasks A and B have no restriction, they can be started simultaneously.
Page 5-5
Starting C at the completion of node A indicates the restriction that C cannot start until A is
completed.
Using similar reasoning, D must start at the ending node of C, E must start on the ending node of
B, etc. The completed network with the durations shown contains all the information on the task
statement.
The first step in determining the critical path is to calculate the EPS. Starting from the first node,
the duration of activity equals 2 time units, making the EPS of activity C equal to 2. By similar
reasoning, the EPS of E equals 6.
Page 5-6
Since activity D cannot start until both activities A and C are complete, the EPS of D must equal
2 plus 4 or 6.
By adding the duration along the path, the EPS for each activity can be determined. Add an
extra node and a dummy activity at the end of all paths joining another path with a greater EPS.
To calculate the slack time for this dummy activity, you need to calculate the LPS. Start at the
end of the network using the sum of the longest path as a base number. In order to finish the
activity with a duration 16, activity G must start at 18 minus 2 or 16.
By similar reasoning, activity D must start at 18 minus 2 minus 10 or 6.
Since the dummy activity carries no duration, the ending node of activity F would have a LPS of
18 minus 2 minus 0 or 16. For the first time the EPS does not equal the LPS. Slack time is
denoted by a dummy activity and is equal to LPS minus EPS.
Page 5-7
Complete the computation by subtracting the duration.
It should be noted that the slack time of 4 units can be taken during activities B, E, or F without
effecting total job duration. By definition, all nodes where EPS equals LPS are on the critical
path. A bold or double line for clarity usually denotes the critical path.
THE BAR OR GANT CHART

In general, a CPN is a plan and a bar chart is a schedule. It is very difficult to construct a quality
bar chart without first constructing a CPN. From the CPN, job duration is going to be 18 units
which determines the basic format of the bar chart.
Prepare the initial bar chart scheduling each job as it becomes possible, and considering the
restrictions imposed by the CPN. Total the manpower at the bottom of each column. From this
bar chart, it appears that a crew of 12 is needed to complete the job on schedule.
Page 5-8
MANPOWER LEVELING
Manpower leveling is the process of using slack time to try and keep the crew size as uniform as
possible and still minimize the total job duration. In our example, jobs B, E, and F are not
critical, and can be delayed as much as 4 units without affecting total job duration. By delaying
each of these jobs 2 units as shown in the following chart, it becomes obvious that a crew of 10
can finish the job on schedule.
Page 5-9
THE COMPUTER
There are some real advantages, and a few disadvantages, in using a computer for CPN work.
ADVANTAGES
1. You can effectively control a more complex project.
2. You can quickly evaluate possible changes, such as reducing crew size or adding work.
3. On a large project, there are significant savings.
4. Computers are less prone to errors.
DISADVANTAGES
1. You need to construct a manual CPN before you can effectively tell the computer what to
do.
2. Computer programs we have used have given good results on the bar charts and manpower
leveling, but they are rather awkward at creating a visual network.
3. It takes considerable training to get people to use the program.
A turnaround for a hot plant or refinery may involve several hundred people for several weeks.
You cannot control a job of this magnitude effectively with a manual CPN. There are several
computer programs that can give you a good, up-to-the-minute bar chart and manpower leveling
information.
CONCLUSION
Planning large projects is hard work. Success is directly proportional to the hours that you
spend. The CPN, bar charts and computer are all tools to supplement, but not replace, the human
effort, which is the real key.
Page 5-10
Chapter 6
COMPUTERS AND INFORMATION

In today’s world, you cannot compete without good software and the
ability to use it effectively.
Many times in the past Rushton International has made the statement that software is just
a tool and we can create a productive environment with anybody’s product. We can, but
it is many times more difficult with poor software. The poor software will always be a
threat that can drag the company back into the world of red ink and mediocrity. Good
software and effective data processing administration can add significantly to the
profitability of any facility. To be totally productive, no detail can be left to chance. A
productive company must have aggressive and productive software.
I have recently coined the term “Enforced Mediocrity”. This term was created out of
frustration when poor software and misguided company policy had created an
environment where the status quo was sacred, good productivity was very difficult and
needed changes were next to impossible.
To use the computer effectively, the data processing department must be a service to the
users and the users must be allowed to accept accountability for their own risks. I have
seen advertisements in trade magazines that state, “20% more wrench time” with a
picture of a mechanic, indicating that this particular software helped the mechanic spend
20% more time pulling wrenches. That particular software is a basic maintenance
accounting package that, if anything, will have a negative impact on productivity. There
is no software that is going to improve wrench time by itself. Software must be part of an
aggressive approach to PM and a planned maintenance program.
Being competitive in today’s market place has forced us, like all others, to take a leaner
approach in doing business. Today we are expected to do more with less. That is, less
manpower, less capital and less time to do it in. Computers, when used properly, can
help us to do this. On the downside, some computer programs take more resources than
they save, making a good manual program much more efficient. This chapter is meant to
outline what you can do profitably on a computer. We have used Sabre32 Maintenance
Software by Rushton International as an example because we are familiar with the
program and believe it has the proper balance of productivity and accounting features.
Virtually every system has adequate accounting features. Some work at the productivity
features, but few are really good at it. Prices for software vary from millions of dollars to
a few thousand dollars with no real difference in features or reliability. Pricing of
software is a function of sales capabilities more than any other single factor.
Chapter 6: Computers and Information
The way the information is reported is just as important as the ease of data entry. So, of
course, is the way that information is processed. A computer program is a tool to aid the
user in getting a desired outcome. It controls the manner in which the data is entered,
stored, processed, and presented. The computer can either be a helpful tool or a hindrance
to the user.
SABRE32 MAINTENANCE
Maintenance Software encompasses a broad range of maintenance activities. They
include resource controls, such as scheduling of manpower, parts, components, and
equipment. The analysis of historical data is a must in order to have the ability to
effectively forecast future events. Ad Hoc Reporting is also a must for the manager that
wants the best scenario for his operation. When used properly, this software package is a
valuable tool that will increase the effectiveness of any maintenance operation and reduce
costs. It has been designed by maintenance personnel to be used by maintenance
personnel. The software was tailor made for both the mobile and the plant environments.
It is equally flexible in surface and underground operations.
The computer as a maintenance tool can organize and store large amounts of maintenance
information. This information can be rapidly sorted, calculated, displayed and recalled to
assist with management decisions.
Figure 6-1 Sabre32’s Main Menu Screen
Page 6-2
Sabre32 Maintenance Software was created with the end user in mind. It allows the user
to perform difficult tasks with a drag of the mouse button. Electronic help files are
available to answer questions that may arise while working within the system.
MAINTENANCE, INVENTORY & PURCHASING

Sabre32 contains modules for tracking maintenance, inventory and purchasing. The
modules can be used as a complete package, or purchased individually to enhance other
software packages. Sabre32 can be interfaced to virtually any outside software package
(accounting, human resources, etc.). These interfaces are accomplished through OBDC
drivers. By using these OBDC drivers, we speak directly to the third party software,
making an overall product that runs as a real-time package.
REPORTING
Reports are handled using Crystal Reports. This gives our clients greater power and
control over their information. Exporting to other third party programs is also easily
supported.
NETWORKING & PLATFORMS

Sabre32 is a multi-user program, and may be used on a stand-alone system or on a
network system. Sabre32 has been tested and run under Novel and Windows NT
Networks.
LANGUAGE
Sabre32 can easily be translated into virtually any language, including English, Russian,
French, Spanish and Indonesian. The Rushton language interface also allows users to
modify field and menu names if so desired. For example, if the field name “Equipment
ID” was not acceptable for a particular site, it could easily be changed to “Equip. Name’.
SYSTEM SECURITY
Sabre32 allows administrators to assign system security on a user-by-user and module-
by-module basis. Users are required to log-on with a username and password. Each
program module/area checks the security of the person who logs on, and then allows
them access based on their assigned rights. Also, within the system queries are created
allowing the user to only see his areas of use. For example, the night supervisor would
have a query to view only the men on his shift, and not crewmembers of another shift.
Page 6-3
GETTING AROUND IN SABRE32
Figure 6-2 Menu Bar
MENUS
The drop-down main menu is always displayed across the top of the screen, and allows
easy access to Sabre32 modules (Fig. 6-2). The menu and its sub-menus are user-defined.
This means that the user can decide which modules, features and reports can be accessed
from his main menu. These options are controlled by the system administrator using the
same security mentioned in the security section of this chapter.
SCREENS AND COMMENT FIELDS

Sabre32 screens make entering data simple using drop-down fields and quick reference
lists. Comment fields accompany most general screens to allow the user to write notes or
other important reminders associated with the record.
Fig. 6-3 shows the Equipment Screen, which allows the user to add and view information
pertinent to a specific piece of equipment/machinery.
Figure 6-3 Sabre32 Equipment Screen
Page 6-4
TABS
Each module in Sabre32 opens to a General Screen, where new records can be created, or
existing records can be viewed. Additional screens related to the module can be accessed
by clicking a tab.
Fig. 6-3 demonstrates Equipment Module tabs (circled in red). Fig. 6-4 shows the Life to
Date Screen that appears when the user clicks the “Life to Date” tab.
Figure 6-4 Sabre32’s Equipment Life to Date Screen
TOOLBAR
Sabre32’s toolbar controls the actions that may be taken on the displayed record.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Buttons 1 - 4 allow quick movement to different records

Buttons 5 - 9 affect the current record
Page 6-5
1. Causes the first record in the file to be displayed

2. Shows the preceding record
3. Advances one record
4. Causes the last record in the file to be displayed
5. Adds a record to the file (record fields turn aqua)
6. Deletes the current record from the file
7. Allows changes to the current file (record fields turn yellow)
8. Posts/saves the current record
9. Cancels the changes made to the current record
COLORS
Windows is a visual operating system. At a glance you can see where you are and what
area you are about to go into. With this in mind, the Sabre32 Maintenance Software for
Windows uses colors to inform the user of the different program modes he is currently
working in. When viewing a record, the screen field color is white. Editing a record
causes the record fields to turn yellow. When adding a new record, the record fields are
aqua in color. If a wrong entry is made, the field color turns red.
FIELDS
Fields are areas on the screen where information is entered. Fields are always named
according to the data that is placed in the field. If the field name is blue in color, the field
is a required field that must be populated in order for the program to run effectively.
Fields with black field names represent optional fields that are not required, but do enrich
reporting capabilities.
Sometimes an arrow button is located to the right of a field. This indicates that the field
must be populated using the drop-down options available. Drop-down options maintain
consistency in data entry throughout Sabre32.
DRAG & DROP CAPABILITIES

Sabre32’s drag-and-drop capabilities allow the user to quickly perform tasks throughout
the system using the mouse. For example, Fig. 6-5 shows the screen used when
installing/removing tires. Each box on the picture represents a tire’s position (left front,
right inner rear, right front, etc.). To install a tire to one of those positions, the user
simply drags and drops the correct tire from the “Tires” list to the corresponding box on
the picture.
Page 6-6
Figure 6-5 Sabre32’s Install/Remove Tires Screen
SABRE32 MAINTENANCE
The following information provides a basic summary of some of Sabre32’s modules and
features. For a complete listing, please visit www.rushtonintl.com.
EQUIPMENT SNAPSHOT
The Equipment Snapshot Module provides the user with a summary of all costs
associated with a selected piece of equipment. A summary of operating hours and
production units is also included (Fig. 6-6).
Page 6-7
Figure 6-6 Sabre32’s Equipment Snapshot Screen
PERFORMANCE
Sabre32’s Performance Module tracks the daily operation and production data of each
piece of equipment, allowing the user to run reports about production, down time, delay
time and overall performance.
TIRES
Tires are very difficult to track without a specialized tire program. Sabre32’s Tire
Module helps the user track tire performance and cost by brand, manufacturer and a
number of other variables. It also monitors the quality of rebuilds, and the life cycle of
each tire, allowing management to plan for and schedule repairs/replacements in advance.
FUEL/LUBE
Sabre32’s Fuel and Lube Module collects information about the cost and consumption of
fuel/lubes for each piece of equipment. This information is retrieved and analyzed using
Sabre32’s fuel/lube reports (i.e. Daily Consumption Report, Total Consumption Report,
etc.).
Page 6-8
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Sabre32’s Preventive Maintenance Module contains all the tools needed to set up a
systematic PM program, complete with PM sheets and schedules. It works equally well
for fleets and plants, large or small.
COMPONENTS
Sabre32 treats each component as a component, and not just as another piece of
equipment or part that cannot be tracked. This enables Sabre32 to track component
warranties no matter what unit they are calculated in (hours, miles, days, months, years,
tonnage, etc.). In addition, components are tracked in positions so historical reports can
show when, where and by whom they were installed. Component Projection Reports
allow for accurate forecasting of future component needs.
WORK ORDERS
The Work Order Module is the primary tool used to gather frontline cost information and
repair history data. It provides the user with backlog reports, estimated and actual cost
information and warranty claims assistance. In addition, the Work Orders Module allows
the user to efficiently create, dispatch, print and track quality work orders.
WORK SCHEDULES
The Work Schedules Module is used to create detailed work schedules, which increase
employee and maintenance productivity. Both daily schedules and range schedules can
be created (Fig. 6-7).
Page 6-9
Figure 6-7 This schedule was created using Sabre32’s Work Order Scheduling Module.
Work orders and employees were added to the schedule using the module’s simple drag-
and-drop capabilities.
JOB MASTERS
Sabre32’s Job Master Module allows the user to create a work order template, or job
master, for repetitive jobs. The template can include estimated costs for parts, labor and
vendors, as well as detailed job instructions if desired. After a job master is created, it can
be quickly transformed into a new work order at any time.
EMPLOYEES
Sabre32’s Employee Module allows administrators to enter and store basic information
about each employee, and track employee hours, vacation time, sick time and leave time.
It also quickly creates employee ID badges, complete with photograph and barcode.
SABRE32 INVENTORY & PURCHASING
Sabre32’s Inventory and Purchasing Modules are used in conjunction with the
Maintenance Module for a complete management system. They can also be used
separately to provide a complete inventory and purchasing system.
Sabre32’s Inventory and Purchasing Modules contain all the features that are essential in
running an effective inventory system.
Page 6-10
INVENTORY
Figure 6-8 Inventory Entry Screen
Figure 6-9 Inventory List/Search Screen
Page 6-11
Figure 6-10 Inventory Order Screen
Sabre32’s Inventory Module provides the following beneficial features:
• Issues and receives parts

• Adjust stock levels
• Returns unneeded items to stock
• Allows the user to find any part in seconds, using criteria of his choice (stock
number, manufacturer name, location, description, etc.) (Fig. 6-9)
• Allows requisitioned parts to be charged directly to the corresponding work order
• Runs in Average Cost of FIFO mode
• Allows multiple manufacturer numbers per unique stock number (Fig. 6-8)
• Allows multiple locations per stock number (Fig. 6-8)
• Provides complete inventory history
• Shows exact location of parts (building, aisle, bin) (Fig. 6-8)
• Prints barcodes
• Monitors inventory levels by tracking maximum, minimum and reorder quantities
(Fig. 6-10)
• Alerts the user when a part needs to be reordered (through a report)
• Monitors physical count intervals and prints count sheets
• Generates countless inventory reports
Page 6-12
PURCHASING
Figure 6-11 Purchase Order Creation Screens
Page 6-13
Sabre32’s Purchasing Module provides the following beneficial features:
• Creates simple and effective purchase orders from scratch, or from a previously
created requisition
• Creates requisitions
• Creates blanket purchase orders
• Faxes or emails orders directly to vendors
• Allows managers to assign purchase order authorization limits
• Converts currencies using exchange rates
• Tracks back orders and purchasing history
GLOSSARY OF COMPUTER TERMS
Alphanumeric: Consisting of alphabetic and numerical symbols and punctuation

marks, mathematical symbols, and other conventional symbols 1
Artificial Intelligence: The ability of a machine to perform those activities that are
normally thought to require intelligence.
ASCII: A standard for defining codes for information exchange between equipment
produced by different manufacturers.
Baud: A unit of speed in data transmission usually is equal to one bit per second.
Booting the System: Initial loading of programs the computer needs to operate. Occurs
automatically when power is turned on.
Character: One of a set of symbols, such as letters or numbers that are arranged to
express information.
Code: A system of symbols and rules used to represent instructions to a computer.
Command: A signal that initiates an operation defined by an instruction.
Compatibility: A device, such as a computer or computer software that can be
integrated into or used with another device or system of its type.
Computer: A device that computes, especially a programmable electronic machine that
performs high-speed mathematical or logical operations or that assembles, stores,
correlates, or otherwise processes information.
1The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition

copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from
InfoSoft International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Page 6-14
Computer Graphics: The pictorial representation and manipulation of data, as used in

computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture, in typesetting and the
graphic arts, and in educational and recreational programs.
Cursor: A bright, usually blinking, movable indicator on a display, marking the
position at which a character can be entered, corrected, or deleted.
Data: Numerical or other information represented in a form suitable for processing by
computer.
Database: A collection of data arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval.
Disk: A device that reads data stored on a magnetic or optical disk and writes data onto
the disk for storage.
Field: An element of a database record in which one piece of information is stored.
File: A collection of related data or program records.
Hard Copy: A printed copy of the output of a computer or word processor.
Hardware: A computer and the associated physical equipment directly involved in the
performance of data-processing or communications functions.
Interface: The point of interaction or communication between a computer and any other
entity, such as a printer or human operator.
Load: To transfer (data) from a storage device into a computer's memory.
Modem: A device that converts data from one form into another, as from one form
usable in data processing to another form usable in telephonic transmission.
Output: The information produced by a computer from a specific input.

Program: A procedure for solving a problem that involves collection of data,
processing, and presentation of results.
RAM: Random-Access-Memory: A memory device in which information can be
accessed in any order.
Record: A collection of related, often adjacent items of data, treated as a unit.
Software: The programs, routines, and symbolic languages that control the functioning
of the hardware and direct its operation.
Page 6-15
Chapter 7
MATERIALS CONTROL
The primary function of materials management is to provide operations and maintenance with
the parts and materials required, in a timely manner, at the lowest possible total cost. It costs big
money to carry excess inventory. It costs even more money to lose production because key
repair parts are not available—but excess inventory will not guarantee that key parts will be
there. Every effort should be made to avoid excess inventory.
The inventory control group should understand the planned maintenance program. There are two
inventory control systems widely used in the industry: Maximum-Minimum and Historical.
MAXIMUM - MINIMUM SYSTEM

The maximum-minimum system is the most widely used in the industry. It combines order
points and order quantities. Two levels of stock are selected with the cooperation of
maintenance and operations. The inventory is controlled within these levels, and changes are
made at the request of the using department. An example:
• Maximum stock level: three months supply

• Minimum stock level: one months supply
• Supplier lead-time: one-half month.
To maintain stock above one-month minimum, you must reorder before the stock level drops
before one and one-half months. The order is expected to arrive when the stock level is at about
one month’s supply. The inventory controller will not order quantities in excess of two months
supply, because this order plus minimum stock must not exceed three months supply. This
system has some advantages and serious disadvantages.
ADVANTAGES
• It prevents excessive build up of stock on any given item.
• It provides a level of protection against unusual demands on the stock.
• The system is simple.
DISADVANTAGES
• It is not usually the most economical system, considering the costs of processing orders and
carrying inventory.
• The minimum stock may give either too much or too little protection for specific stock items.
• Review of maximum/minimum levels is not usually performed.
Chapter 7: Materials Control
HISTORICAL USAGE SYSTEM (DYNAMIC)
The historical usage system is nothing more than a maximum-minimum system designed to react
to usage rather than waiting for manual input. The system has been made feasible by the low
cost and wide-spread acceptance of today's computers. Software for all sizes of inventories is
readily available for use with virtually all computers. Companies with an existing EDP
(Electronic Data Processing) program are foolish not to take advantage of the dynamic system.
ADVANTAGES
• It takes fewer people to maintain a dynamic system.
• Inventory costs should be lower because levels are more in tune with current usage.
• It can provide a means to control seasonal demands and exceptional usage by doing a limited
amount of automatic review and updating.
DISADVANTAGES
• The Dynamic System has a tendency to be considered routine and self-operative. It must be
audited manually.
• The system is only as good as the input data.
Both systems must be actively reviewed and updated to give satisfactory service to the user.
THE MAINTENANCE ROLE
Any planned job requires a good parts list. A materials review meeting should be part of the
planning for every major job. This should occur far enough ahead to compensate for the
expected lead times. Attendees should include both users and people responsible for obtaining
the materials.
A material master file is a parts list that is kept on file for use in planning future jobs of a similar
nature. It is usually prepared by the materials coordinator or planner, and is reviewed by
management. The material master file should contain all information needed to order the
material: manufacturer's part number, inventory stock number, quantity on hand, vendors part
numbers, etc. On a computerized system, the file can contain existing inventory status.
The responsibility of getting this material is up to the material coordinator or planner. The files
must be continually updated to be effective. Complete computer systems have utilities built into
the materials control system and the maintenance system to track this information. For example,
the Rushton International’s software, Sabre32, has provisions in the Job Master Module to track
all parts in a separate file, and tie directly to the inventory master file.
Page 7-2
STAGING AREA
Prior to a major job or shutdown, all needed materials should be put in a controlled staging area.
Before starting the job, the materials should be moved as close as possible to the job location.
This is necessary to prevent parts from being used between the time the job is planned and when
the work is actually completed.
When setting up a planned maintenance program, the staging area should also be designed so
that all direct order parts for backlog repairs, no matter how small, are controlled. Requests for
parts that are direct ordered should include the work order number of the job they are to be used
on. Parts should not be ordered and received by a supervisor's name. The staging area should be
divided up into two areas: large parts (usually on pallets) and small parts (usually placed in bins).
Each pallet location and bin should be labeled, just as the stock area is divided and labeled. As
the parts are received, they should be put into the staging area and the warehouse attendant
should fill out a staging notification slip. The staging notification slip should contain the
following information: date, location, work order number, equipment number and purchase order
number (optional). These slips are forwarded to the planner, who modifies the backlog board to
indicate the job is ready for scheduling, and files the staging slip in the open work order pending
file.
As the jobs are scheduled, the staging slips are attached to the daily work schedule and given to
the foremen. The foremen use the staging slip to get the parts out of the staging area. Unused
parts should be returned to the warehouse immediately. The staging slips can be used to retrieve
the information needed to return the parts to the vendor and make credits to the proper accounts.
The key to an effective staging area is flow, or the timely scheduling of backlog work. To
control staging areas, there must be time limits placed on the parts that are held in the staging
area. Usually three weeks is more than enough time to schedule a job once parts are received.
Parts that are not used in three weeks should be returned. A weekly meeting between the
warehouse supervisor and the planner or materials coordinator should be held to review all parts
in the staging area. If this area is controlled manually, you should set up a small file with three
sections: week 1, week 2, and week 3. At each meeting, the contents of each section are moved
back one week. All slips pulled from the week 3 area are reviewed in detail. If there is a
legitimate reason for the job not having been scheduled, it can be given an extension. In this
case, the slip would be returned to the week 1 area, and the planner would then have three more
weeks to schedule the job. Second extensions are only allowed with the general foreman's
approval. The parts that are not extended are returned to the vendor for credit. As in all the
systems we have discussed, effective staging of direct ordered parts requires discipline.
Page 7-3
MATERIALS COORDINATOR FUNCTION
With a large or complex facility, materials coordinator may represent a position on the
organization chart; smaller facilities may assign a planner or clerk. A good materials control
coordinator can either make or break a scheduled major job. Many major jobs, even though
thoroughly planned, have failed because equipment and supplies were not ready when needed.
The major function of the material coordinator is to obtain necessary material for scheduled jobs,
and to expedite material on an emergency basis.
WAREHOUSE ISSUE
The materials coordinator or planner will normally make out issue slips for scheduled jobs. In
cases of emergencies or unplanned maintenance, the foreman has this responsibility. Most
effective computer information systems today allow for the look-up and request of parts to be
done electronically, with little, if any, paper required. Issue slips should capture the unit number
and the work order number.
SELF-SERVICE OPEN STOCK
Over the past few years, Rushton International has developed and implemented a very effective
self-service, open stock system on many different projects. From a traditional, locked doors
warehouse perspective, the self-serve aspect is controversial. However, with adequate planning
and cooperation from all users, the self-service stock approach has worked well.
Traditional warehousing emphasizes control of issues to reduce theft and misuse of company
property items. In these systems, security precautions require additional warehouse employees
and cause customer queues, both of which add costs that exceed any possible loss due to theft or
misuse. The self-service open stock system makes a reduction in warehouse personnel possible.
It also makes parts available to the user in a more effective way. These economies lie in
decontrolling a considerable amount of inventory items.
BIN RESERVE SYSTEM

The responsible area foreman selects the inventory items that are put into this self-service
system. There are a variety of considerations when selecting these self-service issue items. Items
such as the following should be included:
• Low cost and high usage, such as nuts, bolts and filters.
• Consumables, such as wiping rags.
• High volume replacement items.
Page 7-4
In general terms, these are items that probably will be used in your preventive maintenance
program. Experience has found that these items take between 60-80 percent of the warehouse
issue time. Just as important, these are the items that cause your craftsmen to be standing in line
for parts rather than making repairs. These self-service open bins should be kept stocked by
warehouse people, and should be located in work areas that will minimize craftsman travel time.
As examples, open bins may be located in mobile equipment PM bays, shops, and general plant
work areas. The housekeeping of the open stock is the responsibility of the area foreman.
ACCOUNTING CONSIDERATIONS
There are at least two accounting procedures that may be used with the self-service open stock
system:
• The self-service open stock items are expensed when they leave the warehouse, and are then
apportioned by percentage to the fleets or pieces of like equipment. For example, if you
charge out five Donaldson PII-7931 air filters from the bins, you charge a percentage of that
cost over your fleet of trucks that use this filter. If there are 5 trucks, each are charged 20%
of the cost of the example filters. If there are 10 trucks, each are charged 10%.
• Another method is to charge the self-service open stock items as they are used. An
inventory is taken on a weekly basis, and the parts are charged out once a week based upon
this inventory. The user can also keep a clipboard record of the equipment where the parts
are installed. Using the inventory record and the equipment repair list, the parts can be
charged out.
SUMMARY
Materials control, in some form or another, takes about 30% of most supervisors’ time. This
time load can be reduced with a good system. From a materials point of view, a mine or plant is
not handling a very large volume or variety of parts. The smallest of the current crop of
microcomputers can easily do the job if both the materials and maintenance people communicate
and use whatever system is available.
Page 7-5
Chapter 8
CLEAN UP AND PAINT

A supervisor with a dirty, poorly organized work
area is a slug.
Clean up is basic! The purest form of discipline. A supervisor at any level that cannot or will
not keep his area clean should be terminated. The discipline to enforce clean up can easily be
used to increase productivity. Lots of supervisors know what should be done, but very few are
able to convert that knowledge into results. Once a system of cleanliness is established, it is easy
to maintain, but it must be addressed every working day of the year.
Until you feel good about the cleanliness of your work area, cleanup should be your number one
priority. Time spent cleaning up is never lost. Immediate and substantial improvement in
productivity will get this time back in minutes.
SHOP CLEAN UP
Some basic concepts to consider:
1. To a janitor or laborer, filth is job security.
2. It is good economics to make a top grade tradesman clean his own area.
3. A tradesman should NEVER start his day’s work in a dirty area or on a dirty machine.
4. Clean up at the end of the shift should not be necessary and should be AVOIDED at all
costs.
5. Productivity for the first 15 minutes of the shift is essentially zero.
If you accept these five statements, and you should because they are true, then the steps are
obvious.
Chapter 8: Clean Up and Paint
Suppose you are a machine shop foreman whose

boss has just attended a Rushton seminar. You do
not want to be one of the “terminated,” so you
initiate the following steps:
1. Reassign all people permanently assigned
to cleanup.
2. Divide your shop into more or less equal
clean up areas.
3. Assign each of your machinists to an area
with instructions to
• Not start machine work until their
assigned area is clean.
• Start cleaning at exactly 8:00 a.m.
(starting time) EVERY DAY.
• Use brooms and shovels which are
located in the rack outside the
change room door.
• Expect to be disciplined if they are
not cleaning up by 5 minutes after
starting time.
4. Discipline, if necessary, until the system is
established.
5. Compliment each machinist as his area
comes up to standard.
6. Raise the standard, and repeat steps 4 and 5
Figure 8-1 Plant with Pride until an acceptable standard is reached.
This system will work in any maintenance work area. Time lost will be more than made up by
improved quality and quantity of work after the shift has started. Work on getting tradesmen to
clean their area periodically during the day, but this is not nearly as important as the morning
routine. Generally, dirty shops take days, weeks, months and in some cases years to create.
Savers are a menace to a clean, efficient operation. If a part does not have an immediate need, it
has no place in the work area. Avoid providing areas to save parts. Individual tool lockers or
boxes should be large enough for the essential tools only.
All shelving and racks in a work area should be clearly labeled as to what should be stored there.
They should be treated like a miniature warehouse, with periodic inventories and purging of
excess parts. Avoid extra shelving or racks.
Page 8-2
Figure 8-2 Well Organized Shelves Figure 8-3 Poorly Organized Shelves
Design is a key factor in the ability to clean a work area effectively. Once the facility is built,
your options are limited, but conditions can generally be improved with minimal expense and a
lot of initiative. Some factors to consider:
1. Drainage: Most engineers understand that water runs downhill. They usually do not
relate this fact to shop design. A busy shop creates dirt and waste at a rate that is
difficult to comprehend. The easiest way to dispose of this product is to wash down
with water and let it run to some type of settling pond. Most employees hate to
sweep or shovel but enjoy working with water. A shop with four to six feet of
elevation advantage over the surrounding terrain is not unreasonable. Wide aprons
are highly desirable.
2. Access to floor: Most facilities are built with reasonable access to the floors. This
access is quickly diminished by installation of shelves, benches, welding equipment,
etc. There should be a 12 to 18 inch space above the floor where storage is restricted.
Welding machines and bottle racks should be mounted above the floor. Shelving
should have minimum support from the floor. Nothing should be stored on the floor.
3. Flow of materials: All material and parts brought into the area should flow in a
predetermined pattern. If they break the pattern, they should be ejected from the
system. It is not unusual to find a part that has been in a work area for 25 years.
Work areas are not for storage. Purge your system periodically of all material that
hasn’t moved in the last few days. Most shop designers do not have any idea what
workflow is about. You have to make it work anyway. Poor design work can be
compensated for by painting lines on floors and posting signs to direct material flow.
4. Lighting: Lighting should be very good. Well-lit areas will stay cleaner. With the
high-pressure sodium or mercury vapor lights, there is no excuse for inadequate
lighting.
Page 8-3
PAINT
Superhawks always paint.
Painting equipment is the most difficult part of a first

class maintenance program. If you succeed, you are
probably going to be lonely. You will have the only
good paint program in the world. It doesn’t look that
hard, but we have never succeeded in installing a
program that did not leave a bit to be desired.
The key is accountability. You must paint EVERY day.

What is painted must be defined. No excuses can be
accepted. Painters tend to get lazy and must have
constant motivation. Painting will do more to insure an
effective clean up and maintenance program than any
Figure 8-4 Painting a Haul Truck other factor.
One problem is people do not think about painting equipment in small sections. The natural
tendency is to wait until you have the equipment long enough to paint it entirely. This is self
defeating in that equipment has to look pretty ratty before an operator is going to shut it down to
paint.
The alternative is to paint EVERY TIME the equipment is down for PM. If you only have an
hour, paint for an hour, but paint something on a regular basis.
CONCLUSION
I have never seen a clean, well-painted facility that was not productive. I have hired people on
the basis of clean, well-kept work areas and have rarely been disappointed. Your work area
reflects your work personality. Think about it!
A supervisor that has a clean and well-painted work area is a
Super Hawk
Page 8-4
Chapter 9
THE ELECTRICAL EFFORT
Electricians can be super hawks.
Electrical maintenance is not understood and is usually neglected. It is common for a

maintenance department to effectively exclude the electrical function from the planning system
and its associated accountability. From the electrician's point of view, he is ignored until
something blows up and then he gets all kinds of negative attention.
Figure 9-1 Motor Driving a Critical Pump Figure 9-2 Transformers for an office Building
You must take an aggressive, POSITIVE approach. Some ideas:

• Take the time to learn basic electrical equipment. Make sure you physically look at the
equipment and understand what you are looking at. Most electrical people will be
delighted to help you become familiar. Make sure the electrical planner has the same
accountability as you expect from your mechanical people.
• Learn to evaluate all electrical requests with PROFITABILITY in mind. It is not unusual
to find a company with several million dollars worth of electrical work that absolutely has
to be done, and very little down time attributed to electrical problems.
Chapter 9: The Electrical Effort
Most electrical equipment falls into three basic categories:
• Substations
• Motor control centers and starters
• Motors, generators and alternators
SUBSTATIONS
The first necessity is to match the power

company's voltage with the internal
distribution requirements. An example is a
series of substations where voltage is stepped
down in a primary substation from 69KV to
13.8KV, and then further stepped down in two
secondary substations to 4160V and 480V.
Both the primary and secondary substations

serve the same purpose and consist of some
combination of three basic components:
switches, transformers and circuit
Figure 9-3 Pole Transformer breakers/fuses.
This equipment is not complicated. It requires very little, but absolutely necessary, maintenance.
You should consider contracting out major PM work for substations. Some advantages of
contracting out the PMs are as follows:
• Most plants have neither properly trained personnel nor the specialized testing equipment
necessary.
• PM's are infrequent and of short duration, making it uneconomical to train people and
purchase needed testing equipment.
• Contract electricians and engineers get more practice, and subsequently should do a better
job.
• A contractor can usually minimize facility down time, which, in most cases, is much more
significant than the cost of the PM.
Major PM's are normally required annually. Between these PMs, an electrician should check oil
levels and temperatures, look for leaks, bird’s nests, or any other obvious problems; but beyond
this there is nothing additional that you can do that makes any sense. This equipment is
essentially static—it does not normally wear out. Do not be impressed by an electrical
supervisor that says he has six substations to maintain. This is not a significant chunk of
responsibility. One afternoon a week of a good foreman's time is all that is necessary.
Page 9-2
MOTOR CONTROL CENTERS AND STARTERS

After the substations, the electrical workload begins to increase. A motor control center is
essentially a combination of a switch and some protective devices, such as circuit breakers or
fuses. They are normally tied very closely to some mechanical function, and are not nearly as
static as a substation. They are often located in a hostile environment and require much more
PM to ensure satisfactory operation. In most applications, they should be cleaned and inspected
every six months. Again, they are not complicated. Failures can be costly, but are relatively easy
to prevent. Set up a program and make sure it is followed. Use your backlog board or computer
to monitor execution. An extra electrical foreman and five more electricians will not help. Make
one man responsible and follow up.
MOTORS
Equipment that combines mechanical and electrical functions such as motors, generators and
alternators, along with their related control equipment, make up approximately 85% of the
workload in a typical facility.
Motors are located in a wide variety of environments, and PM frequencies must be tailored to the
individual application. Three to six months is a normal range. Major PM work usually requires
disassembly, and is done at much longer intervals (such as every two to five years). Factors such
as humidity, temperature, loading and insulation type will affect this interval. The correct major
PM frequency usually has to be developed by using work histories to establish a pattern. Some
companies test insulation (meager or high potential) annually on critical applications. This is a
good idea where failure can result in a serious problem.
In some applications, such as traction motors, the mechanical gears and bearings determine the
life of the motor. Secondary damage caused by a gear or bearing failure is usually severe and
much shorter PM intervals are indicated. In a 24-hour per day off-road application, weekly
inspections can be economically justified.
Controls can be simple or complex, but usually consist of air or hydraulic switches. They must
have some PM, but like motors, frequency range has to be determined individually.
Electrical and mechanical maintenance are essentially the same. Facilities having problems are
usually plagued with the fact that the electricians just don't do enough work. Some basic
thoughts:
• PM work must be performed when it is due.
• Have a realistic PM program. Don’t over PM.
• Analyze PM data and attempt to do electrical PM during normally scheduled downtime.
• Plan all electrical jobs so that parts and tools are available before the machine is shut down.
Page 9-3
There will be periods when your electricians will not have enough pure electrical work to keep
them busy. Encourage them to do mechanical work, cleanup, paint or other productive activities.
Electricians are the most highly skilled of any of your crafts. They need to be given some special
attention and must be part of your planned maintenance team.
Page 9-4
Chapter 10
THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

By the time you read this chapter, you should have figured out that this book is about systems
and management with an emphasis on the field of maintenance. Management is a team activity
and everybody cannot be the manager. The team usually consists of managers, planners,
administrative people and craftsman. Every position is critical and necessary. Good team
members come in all colors, sizes and genders. They have all different types of personalities.
You may be your only real limitation. Some naturally shy people have become effective and
aggressive maintenance managers. The ability to dedicate yourself to your objectives is the most
important asset in being a successful member of your maintenance team. We do not take failure
gracefully, and everybody needs to play their role to the best of their ability. Decide what role
you want to play and be proactive in attaining that goal.
The big difference between a sports team and a business team is that in business everybody wins
or nobody wins. The foreman that successfully avoids working with the system does not really
win. He may still have a job, but the company has a weak system. He not only loses, but also
frequently takes everybody with him. Every year we learn of companies that cease doing
business because they have lost too much money. This is always blamed on product prices,
labor unions, obsolete equipment, environmental laws, etc. This is almost never true. Failure is
caused by a system that creates a flawed business plan or no real business plan at all. A
maintenance system is a system that creates a business plan everyday, and every team member is
briefed on what the plan is. A good system evaluates that business plan and the performance of
the team every day. Does your team know what its business plan is for the next 24 hours? If
not, you may be the catalyst that can create change. We have seen corporate changes that started
with a foreman or planner coming to a seminar, going back and successfully selling the concept
of planned maintenance to his or her superiors. We have seen strong planned maintenance
programs that changed the corporate personality of some very large corporations. You can have
an impact. Try something, and stay focused on your objectives.
With this in mind, it is time to rethink your goals and objectives. Is there anything you have
learned in this book that can improve the quality of your goals and objectives? Are your goals
consistent with the system? If not, why? Do you really believe the system is worthwhile? If
you can’t relate by now, you are wasting your time reading the rest of this chapter. Give this
book to a friend or enemy. If you do relate, it is time to act. My first edition of this manual
stated that you needed to act in the next thirty days or there was no hope. My thinking now is
that if you don’t do something to get started in the next 24 hours, there are serious doubts as to
whether you have the dedication and focus that it takes to be successful in maintenance.
Chapter 10: The Choice is Yours
By now you have recognized the problem, gathered some facts, considered
some alternatives and are ready to act. There are some very positive steps
that can be taken. Positive decisions must be made now. Action must start
soon! Twenty-four hours is not unreasonable.
If the magic thirty-day time limit expires and you have not initiated action,
You are in the wrong business. If you can't make the time schedule, get
another job. Leave maintenance to the doers.
The exact action you should take depends largely on your position of responsibility and what
your long-term career goals are. The following are some recommended actions for some of the
positions in the maintenance organization. The team is complex, and production, warehousing
and purchasing are all very valuable members of the team. These recommended actions can all
be adapted to these groups.
CRAFTSMEN
You are the only people in the organization that can really impact what happens directly. Pride
is the only real motivator, and to some degree it has be generated from within you. Rate yourself!
Are you a super hawk or hawk? Do you look forward to going to work most mornings? Can
you improve? Are you welcomed on your team? Consistent superior performance is
admired and respected! Consistent performers always enjoy their work. Consistent performers
will find a niche where they can become hawks or super hawks. In my career, I have forgotten
most of the people I worked with except for the super hawks and hawks that actually did the
work. I did not need to fake it. I was interested in them as people, and I can picture them in my
mind and visualize them while they worked. This is a select group of people, and there is no real
limit on how far you can go without leaving this group.
Do you enjoy your work? I have a real pity for someone who hates to go to work every morning.
Two-thirds of the work force would probably be happier some place else. You will likely spend
25% or more of your life at work. Become a valuable member of your team, help someone else
and learn to enjoy work. It can be done. The choice is yours!
FOREMAN
As a foreman, you are responsible for your crew. Could they work for anybody? If not, why?
As individuals, are they improving? If not, why? Are they better than any other crew? If not,
why? You don’t have to be a college graduate or even a high school graduate to use a critical
path. Try one! Do one job FASTER than your crew has ever done it before. Start with "faster"
because "better" is an opinion. Create competition! Advertise! Fight the urge to be humble!
Treat your crew individually. Reward the motivated. Ask them about their wife, husband, dog or
whatever is the most important to them. Listen. Make them part of your life. Make life miserable
for your unmotivated. Don't allow them to become part of your life. If you have some
unmotivated subordinates, try some discipline. Follow up on it. If your unmotivated subordinates
Page 10-2
like you as a person, you are not doing your job. You are paid to be a good boss, not a good
buddy. Don't make a home for losers. Change something. The inability to change is the most
frequent fault at this level. This fault is terminal. The foreman position is demanding, rewarding
(not necessarily financially), and requires a special type of individual. It's the type of position
that if a person doesn't have fun doing it, there is no salary that can make it worthwhile. The
choice is yours!
PLANNER
The planner must know the system. Ask for permission to change something. Try it. Make a
critical path and monitor it carefully. Watch the job. Evaluate your work. Spend more time in
the field. Organize your work. Do it faster. Where do you want to be two years from now?
This is a growth position. Ask to fill in on some line positions. Look for gaps in authority.
Practice making decisions. Try to become an informal leader without making everybody
unhappy (tough job). Stay overtime and watch a job. Make another critical path, complete with
bar charts. Get good on a computer. Learn to use your software the best it can be used.
Negotiate the times to improve job performance. Advertise the results. Get promoted. The
choice is yours!
GENERAL FOREMAN
Second level management is the strongest position in the organization. Look at your foremen.
How, do they stack up? Initiate a daily work schedule. Examine responsibilities. Assist a
foreman in making a critical path network. Initiate some changes. If you don't have a planner,
ask for one. Plan one major job and do it faster than it has ever been done before. Get to know
your motivated foremen. Are there several projects on your desk waiting for your decision? If
so, why? Encourage activity by making quick decisions. You are the first level of upper
management, and must protect your motivated foremen from themselves and other members of
upper management. Take a motivated foreman and his wife to dinner. Put an unmotivated
foreman out on the street. Resist the urge to jump in and take the place of an unmotivated
foreman. Demand results. Accept no excuses. If you accept the challenge, the job is more
rewarding than any in the organization. The choice is yours!
SUPERINTENDENTS
This level must work with paper, policy and people. Do your people get timely decisions? Do
they believe they are part of the group? Salary is not an effective motivator. Rate your people.
Upgrade your staff. Superintendents lose respect quickly if they tolerate the unmotivated. Good
line management will refuse to become part of a weak group. Send one of your subordinates to a
seminar. Make him report back what he learned and how he is going to use it. Follow up. Keep
up with your profession. Change something. Demand results. Stay over and watch a critical job.
Spend more time in the field. Delegate a routine job. Trust someone to do it. You are the last
level of supervision that has any real impact on productivity. Make the most of it. The choice is
yours!
Page 10-3
UPPER MANAGEMENT
Don’t be the only turkeys on the team. Look at the maintenance backlog boards. Learn to
quickly judge the health of your system by looking at the boards. If they look weak or are not
current, know it and ask why.
Figure 10-1 A VP checking his backlog boards
If you do not have backlog boards, implement them. Do not settle for mediocrity. Look at a
daily work schedule. Does it make the foreman accountable and show a complete days work?
Are jobs assigned by the craftsman’s name? Go into the field and check. Are the scheduled jobs
being worked on? If you do not have a daily work schedule, implement. Work sample an area.
Believe what you see. Mediocrity is not a worthy goal. Rank your people. Address the people
on the bottom. Have you hired and kept your share of super hawks? If not, why? Long-term
improvements must be initiated and nurtured by upper management. This level is too far from
the work to have any real daily or hourly impact. They must concentrate on people and
environment. Does the facility look successful? If not, why? Can your subordinates get quick
decisions on policy matters? Can they reward for good performance? Can they manage? If not,
why? The course is clear and the choice is yours!
If you read this book and don't take some action, you've wasted your time. The key for all levels
is to do it faster, change something, eliminate the unmotivated and reward your motivated. The
results will be impressive.
Good Luck!
Page 10-4
THE PRODUCTIVITY SPREAD
SUPER HAWKS
10% of your people are highly motivated - They
are loyal to the company and can do almost any job
efficiently and correctly with little or no supervision.
HAWKS
20% of your people are motivated - They are not
quite as loyal to the company, but can still do almost
any job efficiently and correctly with some
supervision.
TURKEYS
40% of your people are average - They are the largest
group. You must plan and schedule carefully to get
satisfactory performance from this group. Your success or
failure as a supervisor will depend on how well this group
performs.
CHICKENS
20% of your people are not motivated - They will
accomplish little. They need constant supervision.
Encourage them to work for someone else.
SLUGS
10% of your people are not motivated and have
few if any skills - They will accomplish nothing and
make it more difficult for the rest of your crew to
perform. Encourage and, if necessary, force them
to work for someone else.

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THE BOOK

Mr. Rushton has worked with Fortune 100

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Some thoughts to keep in mind:

2. Seniority is a time honored excuse for the ineffective supervisor to avoid

3. Ethics is mandatory (Maintenance, Production and Life in General).

4. The union is not necessarily the enemy. Mediocrity is always an enemy.

5. The supervisor that says he is disciplining regularly, but it is all verbal, is

6. The statement that maintenance workers will work better if no one is

7. An effective planner is not a clerk, was never meant to be a clerk, should

8. To install an effective planned maintenance program you must have a

9. A slow decision maker should get out of maintenance immediately.

J.W. Rushton 1978

Chapter 1 …………………………………………Productivity & The System

Chapter 3 …………………………………………The Planned Maintenance System

Chapter 4 …………………………………………The PM Program

Chapter 5 …………………………………………The Critical Project

Chapter 6 …………………………………………Computers & Information

Chapter 7 …………………………………………Materials Control

Chapter 8 …………………………………………Clean Up & Paint

Chapter 9 …………………………………………The Electrical Effort

Chapter 10 ………………………………………..The Choice is Yours

PRODUCTIVITY & THE SYSTEM

WORK DAY DISTRIBUTION

What most people think Closer to reality?

The last question:

¼ to 1 ½ hours Lost between start of shift and beginning of work

The remaining idle time can be put in three categories:

Productivity of a supervisor is a different topic than productivity of the hourly employee

A busy supervisor is not necessarily effective. YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE.

Maintenance supervision is fun. Tough decisions are satisfying. The lack of

• Recognize the need to make a decision

Step 2 - Define the rating categories.

Step 3 - Assign points to ratings and evaluate each subordinate.

Step 4 Total each column

Step 5 Make a comparison ranking based upon the totals in Step 4.

Sample Final Ranking

With an effective Planned Maintenance Program you

A good organization is necessary to implement an effective area Planned Maintenance Program.

Foreman 1 Foreman 2 Foreman 3 Foreman 4 Foreman 5

Figure 2-1 Typical Two Level Organizations

Foreman 1 Foreman 2 Foreman 5 Foreman 6

Foreman 3 Foreman 4 Foreman 7 Foreman 8

Figure 2-2 Typical Three Level Centralized Organization

CENTRALIZED VS DECENTRALIZED MAINTENANCE

THE PLANNED MAINTENANCE SYSTEM

You cannot maximize production or reduce costs without the

Planned maintenance is a maintenance concept developed over a span of time, and is

WHY PLANNED MAINTENANCE?

WORK ORDER SYSTEM

JOB MASTER AND REPETITIVE TASKS

DAILY WORK SCHEDULES

Figure 3-1 Manual Daily Work Schedule

Figure 3-2 Computerized Daily Work Schedule

The basic parts of a daily work schedule:

Figure 3-3 DWS from Trucking

jobs each week. Compares scheduled man-hours with actual man-hours on

LOW PRIORITY JOBS

BACKLOG, PARTS CONTROL, SCHEDULING BOARDS

Figure 3-4 Magnetic Board

Figure 3-5 Backlog Control Strips

WORK ORDER BACKLOG CONTROL STRIPS

WO # 239821 Pri: 1 2 Org. Date: 12/1/95 P. Crew: Mech

Figure 3-7 Typical Backlog Board