The research topic is: Tools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives
manufacturing plant, using asset management principles. This research has specific reference
to the SASOL Prillan plant based in SASOL, Sasolburg. The purpose of this research is to
identify tools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant,
using asset management principles. These tools must be aimed to increase the proactive work
capacity index, Figure 3, and to identify and/or develop tools that can be used by the
engineering team of this explosives manufacturing plant to increase equipment reliability and
performance. In this research assets include people. The meaning and application of asset
management principles were researched and the tools needed to combine existing efforts and
future needs are discussed. The human element to ensure the successful implementation of an
asset management culture was researched and attributes of leaders and a change model is
presented. This research was done into the wider engineering management discipline and not
only maintenance.
The method used to gather data was by means of interviews of a sample group within this
organization. As this manufacturing unit makes use of subject matter experts, these support
functions and plant personnel that were not interviewed, were issued with questionnaires to
ensure that the sample group is a fair representation of the total manufacturing facility. To obtain
a holistic view of potential shortcomings within the current maintenance strategy, all disciplines
and levels within this operation were interviewed and commonalities of various asset
management models were determined and used to define existing problem areas. This data
was used to determine statistical correlations. The case study presented in Chapter 1 indicates
that there is a case for change that can improve the proactive work capacity index of the
engineering team. The results of this research confirm that there is in fact a real requirement to
increase spares accuracy, improve on technical training as well as a need to establish visual
performance indicators (dashboard) to measure overall equipment efficiency with the goal toTools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using
asset management principles
increase equipment reliability and performance. The technical training referred to in this
research reflects on training of people on equipment after investment in new technology. The
current spares holding strategy is lacking equipment description accuracy.
Furthermore, it is recommended that the implementation of career paths and development plans
for individuals must be developed to create an environment of learning. The use of user status
information captured on the computerized maintenance management system (SAP R/3) can
add to the management of works orders and indicate where the focus must be to complete
overdue work orders. Open work orders should be used to manage expenditure, to measure
planning efficiency and to manage the cash flow of the business. The use of overall equipment
efficiency and engineering efficiency measures is recommended and must be visually displayed
on a “dashboard”. It was recommended that the engineering and operations personnel of this
manufacturing plant be trained in asset management principles and that balanced scorecards
are developed to ensure that the strategies of the various departments are aligned with the
business strategy.
Diagram 1 best illustrates the thinking and process flow of this research. The flow diagram
shows five distinct stages and the appropriate objectives and/ or elements that were considered.
The dissertation is also structured in this manner.
All abbreviations, acronyms and definitions used in this document were listed in APPENDIX B / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/3835 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Louw, Andries Barnabas |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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