Improve Availability of Critical Machines Using Predictive Maintenance Technique

Abstract

Modern machine tools systems have become highly sophisticated and increasingly complex operating at much higher power and speeds with greater accuracy. As the company introduces more stringent statutory regulation, operational availability of machine tools systems are in demand. To enhance the availability of machine tools system, Reliability term Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) play vital role. In order to enhance the operating availability and maintainability, the maintenance personnel have to take various measures. Availability can be improved through increase MTBF and reduction in MTTR. The objective of this project work is to reduce the breakdown and optimize the availability of critical machines using failure analysis and implementing predictive maintenance techniques. Predictive maintenance technique can detect the failure well in advanced and appropriate action can be taken in a planned manner. This work has been carried out for L&T Heavy Engineering Division which is engaged with manufacturing of original heavy equipments. Company has decided twelve machine as critical machine as per processing time and operational availability. In order to meet required availability of critical machines, first of all breakdown data has been analyzed and find major occurrence problem categories. As per findings from the failure analysis, major occurrence of pump failure has been observed in coolant system. The solution has been given for coolant system to improve the availability of machine. Electrical system failure problem was a major impediment. For the same thermography, the effective predictive maintenance technique has been implemented. Bearing is most important part of any rotating machinery. If any defect is detected in bearing, which occurs during production time results in machine down time. Therefore it is essential to carry out failure prediction of bearings. Vibration analysis of rotating parts gives very important information about abnormality formed in bearings. Defect in spindle bearing has been rectified by vibration analysis and procedure for cleaning and run-in of bearing was suggested.