Maintenance, Repair & Operations

Does Your Maintenance Prioritization Support Product Flow?

Feb. 5, 2019

Think of each production line and its product flow, not just individual pieces of equipment that comprise that line.

Suppose all your equipment is prioritized for PM and PdM purposes based on replacement cost and failure rate. Now suppose you have six production lines and each of them has several Priority 5 items. Let’s say that among these low priority items are several small drive motors on each line.

Now the problem here is when just one drive motor fails, the whole line shuts down. This means the dozen or so pieces of equipment in that line that are Priority 1 and Priority 2 also shut down. You may as well have them identified as Priority 5.

You need to think of each production line and its product flow, not just individual pieces of equipment that comprise that line. Get the data from production so you can rank each line by its revenue or profit. Then prioritize maintenance for each entire line, as a system, based on where it ranks. Also, consider the support equipment outside the line itself, such as lighting, plant air, and ventilation.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.