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Overcoming common maintenance obstacles through better planning and scheduling
Planning and Scheduling

Overcoming common maintenance obstacles through better planning and scheduling

Jeff Shiver says the first place to start is often to clarify roles and responsibilities, and ease any adversarial tension.
5 ways effective planning and scheduling can boost your competitive advantage
Planning and Scheduling

5 ways effective planning and scheduling can boost your competitive advantage

Doc Palmer says you can complete more proactive maintenance work as long as you embrace and work with these five ground truths.
Podcast: How to operate smarter and leaner, thanks to Little’s Law
Lean Six Sigma

Podcast: How to operate smarter and leaner, thanks to Little’s Law

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Anna Townshend remembers John D. C. Little, MIT professor and the creator of a formula for operational excellence.
How to earn plant manager buy-in: The importance of credibility and effective resource allocation
Leadership Skills

How to earn plant manager buy-in: The importance of credibility and effective resource allocation

Joe Kuhn says build reliability credibility as an organization by observing and eliminating waste.
Time estimates in work orders: To show or not to show? Examining the impact on productivity and quality
Planning and Scheduling

Time estimates in work orders: To show or not to show? Examining the impact on productivity and quality

Doc Palmer says don’t compromise your craftspersons by withholding trust regarding time estimates.
Podcast: 3 tips for a successful maintenance turnaround
STO

Podcast: 3 tips for a successful maintenance turnaround

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Mike Aughenbaugh from Swagelok reveals best practices to improve turnaround management.
Podcast: How to identify and eliminate production bottlenecks
Preventive Maintenance

Podcast: How to identify and eliminate production bottlenecks

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Jerry Nation and Hunter Price discuss the value of preventive maintenance.
6 can’t-miss checkpoints on the roadmap to reliability at your facility
Planned Maintenance

6 can’t-miss checkpoints on the roadmap to reliability at your facility

Jeff Shiver says use these six checkpoints to take your program to the next level, whether you're starting from scratch or have mastered some maintenance best practices.
6 steps to build a strong reliability culture at your plant
Leadership Skills

6 steps to build a strong reliability culture at your plant

Joe Kuhn says best-in-class reliability tools are second to the relentless focus on eliminating waste.
What is the right ratio of planners to craftspersons for my manufacturing plant?
Planning and Scheduling

What is the right ratio of planners to craftspersons for my manufacturing plant?

Doc Palmer says the answer depends on factors such as additional duties, multiple crafts, geography, and planner personalities.
Root cause analysis success stories from the field
Planned Maintenance

Root cause analysis success stories from the field

"We saved $7,000 buying 70 bearings that we shouldn’t have had to buy over two years, and lost over a million dollars doing it."
Podcast RCA 101 – When, how, and how often you should conduct root cause analysis
Planned Maintenance

Podcast: RCA 101 – When, how, and how often you should conduct root cause analysis

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Shon Isenhour and Brian Hronchek from Eruditio explore the importance and function of root cause analysis.
Podcast: Why everyone on the plant floor is drawn to a dumpster fire
Leadership Skills

Podcast: Why everyone on the plant floor is drawn to a dumpster fire

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, author and YouTuber Joe Kuhn explores how to build a culture that celebrates reliability champions.
What do robots and precision maintenance have in common? The skills gap
Workforce Development

What do robots and precision maintenance have in common? The skills gap

Chief editor Thomas Wilk says bridging the skills gap was a hot topics at two conferences in May.
How defining moments can make or break your maintenance program
Leadership Skills

How defining moments can make or break your maintenance program

Jeff Shiver explains how these moments force you to confront the weaknesses in your current practices.
How to avoid an emergency maintenance culture
Leadership Skills

How to avoid an emergency maintenance culture

Joe Kuhn outlines a step-by-step guide to move from a reactive to planned maintenance culture.
How to plan and schedule reactive work at your plant
Planning and Scheduling

How to plan and schedule reactive work at your plant

Doc Palmer argues that even emergency work can benefit from the support of planners and schedulers.