Time is money in any manufacturing operation. Unexpected conveyor belt failures can halt production, erode margins, and ripple across the supply chain. By equipping maintenance teams with the latest tools and adhering to proven safety protocols, you can cut downtime, preserve belt integrity, and pro

SMRP is inviting the maintenance and reliability community to review the Body of Knowledge that underpins the Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP) exam. Participants can rate and comment on the job tasks that define competence in this field by completing the online survey at www

Leveraging proven methodologies, specialist firms now enable process‑industry clients to optimise asset management—cutting repair time, cost and manpower while safeguarding reliability, safety and the environment. Many plants face the challenge of reducing maintenance burdens without compromising eq

Lean and Lean Six Sigma emerged in the U.S. manufacturing sector in the early 1990s, driven by seminal works such as The Machine That Changed the World by James Womack and, more recently, The Toyota Way by Jeff Liker. After more than 15 years of striving to emulate Toyota’s Production System (TPS),

APQC, formerly the American Productivity & Quality Center, is conducting a comprehensive benchmark survey on production equipment maintenance.By participating, you’ll gain a custom metrics report that compares your maintenance costs and performance against industry peers, while all data remains anon

When selecting a distributor that can safeguard equipment reliability and minimize total operating costs, depth of partnership should guide your decision. Assess the distributor’s engineering depth, product breadth, and the reliability of their delivery under normal and emergency conditions. A true

In today’s competitive landscape, manufacturers face a paradox: the demand for rapid, customized production versus the need for dependable, high‑yield processes. This article explores how the two goals can coexist—and why they must. Process reliability—often measured by Overall Equipment Effectivene

In manufacturing, a reliable maintenance department is the silent partner that keeps production flowing smoothly—much like a seasoned football referee who manages the game without drawing attention. “If we do our jobs right, nobody knows that we even exist,” says George Doll, the maintenance manager

Reconsidering the Relationship Between Operations and Maintenance Many organizations still treat operations as the customer and maintenance as a mere supplier. This customer‑supplier dynamic can actually erode equipment reliability improvements. In my experience, viewing maintenance purely as a cost

Reliable Plant has introduced the six principles of planning and the first five of scheduling. The fifth principle—making the crew supervisor responsible for the daily schedule—marks a pivotal shift in maintenance operations.Unlike planners, who generate long‑term plans, crew supervisors are on the

In his landmark book Good to Great, Jim Collins examines how companies that outperform the market evolve into true giants. While many factors drive that transformation, Collins singles out leadership—specifically, what he calls Level 5 leadership—as the linchpin. Level 5 leaders differ from executiv

Over the past decade, improving maintenance and reliability has become a top driver of profitability for industrial plants. The surge in consulting firms, training providers, and technology vendors has created a crowded marketplace – ripe with both value‑adding partners and opportunistic vendors. To

The core mission of any materials‑management team is to deliver the right parts in the right quantities at the right time. That mission relies on a single, often overlooked foundation: the equipment bill of materials (EBOM). Without a complete and accurate EBOM, material‑planning decisions are made

In this installment of the Reliability Forum, Jim Fitch, Chairman of Noria, shares expert insights on maintaining machinery lubrication. Lubrication is a continuous commitment. When tasks feel routine, they’re easy to overlook—especially if they lack the excitement of more rewarding work. This inten

Baldors 174,000‑square‑foot facility in Marion, North Carolina—home to more than 100 dedicated employees—has been honored with the 2007 North American Maintenance Excellence (NAME) Award, presented by the Foundation for Industrial Maintenance Excellence. The plant specializes in manufacturing Dodge‑

\I have a solid work‑control process and Im ready for the next step. I know predictive maintenance is more cost‑effective than my old preventive program, but how do I get a program started?\\nWhen an organization wants to truly embrace predictive maintenance, it typically has three foundational ques

As a plant manager for seven years, I led lean initiatives at two very similar facilities. Both produced building‑product components, operated continuous processes, employed roughly 300 hourly staff, and were owned by the same Fortune 500 corporation. The only major difference was that one plant had

Would a workplace that values respect and employee involvement make work more fulfilling? The answer lies in targeted training. By crafting a personal training plan, you unlock the path to excellence. Knowing what you want to achieve removes doubt and gives you a clear direction. Ask yourself: Why d

Dad waited in the parking lot as usual. When his 10‑year‑old son slams the car door and mutters, “I hate my coach,” the father could have launched into a tirade of criticism, defense, and guilt. Instead, he said, Tell me more. That simple request opened the door to the real story: the son was distra

Drew Troyer, President & CEO of Noria Corporation and Chief Technical Editor of Reliable Plant magazine, explains how aligning business processes with reliability drives lasting performance.This session serves as a gateway to lean plant reliability—a methodology that combines continuous improvement