Improving maintenance management
Published: 25 October, 2021
PWE takes a look at how Prinovis UK improved its Maintenance Management
Michael Gillespie, first line engineering manager at Prinovis UK was keen to realise the key benefits of a computerised maintenance management system. This reflects the company being a strong proponent of lean production processes and harnessing the power of technology to improve both its product and its business.
Prinovis UK is a provider of print services based in Liverpool. With around 350 employees, the company provides magazine, brochure and catalogue printing and finishing services to the UK and beyond using Gravure printing - a long-run, high-speed, high-quality printing method that produces detailed, photorealistic images.
Key deliverables from for the new computerised maintenance management system included:
Maximising asset performance by reducing downtime
Enhanced information sharing and communication
Achieving a balanced schedule of preventative and corrective maintenance
Gillespie researched many suppliers to find a simple, straightforward solution that would allow him to create specific data capture forms for different types of work including request, breakdowns and inspections. One system was trialed and rejected by the maintenance team as they were forced to spend vital time inputting data that had no value or use for them. “We wanted to define what information was important to us” explained Michael, ”rather than being dictated to, by an inflexible product”.
Gillespie and his team were impressed by Idhammar MMS, a browser-based software application designed to help maintenance teams enhance their maintenance practices and minimise downtime. Idhammar’s modular system meant Gillespie could work together with the Idhammar team to create something he describes as “almost a bespoke system”.
Maintenance on the move
Responding to equipment downtime events and operational requests for immediate technical assistance is a top priority for the maintenance team. The site-wide use of hand-held tablets ensures that the engineering team is immediately alerted to any request for help and that they have access to all supporting documentation and digital images.
Collaborative implementation
Once Gillespie had worked together with Idhammar to develop the maintenance system solution that met the Prinovis UK team’s needs and requirements, the focus shifted too the crucial implementation stage. To ensure a fast and smooth process, Idhammar assigned an experienced system implementation team to the project. Upholding the Idhammar dedication to world-class customer service, consultants traveled to Liverpool and worked with Michael Gillespie while he undertook the system implementation and system configuration. Technical and operational support was also provided via remote web sessions.
This collaboration was invaluable to Gillespie, who commented: “I got a real insider’s view of how to do things right and how to get the best value out of the system” he said. After only three weeks, Idhammar MMS was running, and Michael was fully trained and a confident system user; a rapid success.
Idhammar MMS flexing to fit Prinovis UK’s workflow
Prinovis UK’s maintenance team of 30 engineers and eight managers were primarily interested in a “quick and easy” CMMS, and Idhammar certainly delivered. An engineer can quickly open and close a work order in less than a minute, and screen defaults are set up for ease and quick access. This matching of system features to the team’s workflow drove staff engagement and enthusiasm. Gillespie remarked “Idhammar MMS doesn’t make work, it lets people get their work done quicker.”
Printing the map ahead
The Prinovis UK engineering team are now exploiting the benefits of Idhammar OFFLINE, which provides mobile functionality for iOS or Android devices, synchronising engineers’ Work Orders with the central CMMS. The team can now update Work Orders, record completed jobs, and create new Work Orders in real time.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/prinovis-uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/idhammar-systems-ltd/
