How to Get the Most from Your Manufacturing Equipment

Your manufacturing operation is only as productive as the machinery you use. And that machinery requires ongoing attention to ensure it is operating consistently at the peak of its potential.

Consider these three tips for optimising your equipment and see which areas of your business might require action.

1. Invest in Your Maintenance Strategy

Effective maintenance should be the foundation of your operation. Downtime can be disastrous for both deadlines and finances, so limiting it is vital. But with so many moving parts in play, it can be challenging to stay on top of your entire equipment portfolio. A holistic maintenance strategy – that takes an end-to-end approach to operations – can help to tie together thinking throughout your business. Selecting the right lubricant for the applications at hand is a key first step. But this must be followed by ongoing maintenance practices, such as oil condition monitoring (OCM), in order to identify and prevent potential issues before they become business critical.

2. Review Your Technology

Once your strategy is in place, it’s time to consider how it might be improved by the introduction of maintenance technologies. If digital processes are already in play, it can be worth checking that you are getting the most possible out of your data collection or that systems are set up to optimise your equipment rather than hinder it. Alternatively, there may be an opportunity to make a new investment. The onset of Industry 4.0 has put a whole host of capabilities at our fingertips; from connected equipment to remote sensors, digital integration can go a long way to making your equipment more productive, more energy-efficient and more profitable. For more on how Shell could help, explore our services portfolio.

3. Prioritise Skills Development

Even the best plans can fall down if your people are not equipped with maintenance or technology best practices. Whether you’re upskilling current staff or onboarding new members, a workforce needs consistent training in order to maximise your operation’s productivity. To help answer this need, Shell LubeCoach is an expert oil training programme that has been designed to provide your staff with high-quality training materials. With a modular format that can be delivered online or in-person, you can tailor the content to the needs of your staff. The courses and workshops will set your team up for success when it comes to optimising the application of lubrication and maximising productivity.