Up Time Magazine- February/March 2008

maintenance mgmt upload The Power of Standardization The Predictive Maintenance Process at Dell by Mark Burgett T oday, maintenance at Dell combines low tech and high tech procedures to form a complete maintenance solution. By including the human senses, multiple predictive technologies and plenty of discipline, Dell has fostered a thriving culture based on finding issues before they become problems. Compared to other US companies, Dell, which was founded in 1984, is a relatively new manufacturing company. impact of equipment downtime became a major factor, Dell implemented a strong Preventative Maintenance (PM) program. The PM program was structured around establishing a time based maintenance schedule combined with break/fix response to immediate issues. As the size of Dell manufacturing and distribution operations grew, so did the size of the PM program. PM’s, although necessary, had significant costs and staffing requirements. Dell began to look for new alternatives to our maintenance program. After years of a PM based program, Dell began to adopt the tools, procedures and philosophy of CbM. While CbM gave us positive localized results, it was not feasible to implement across entire facilities. That’s when we began to customize a Dell specific implementation of PdM. In addition to manufacturing computers, we also operate product distribution centers across the US. Our portfolio of equipment is similar to what would be found in many light assembly or distribution operations, including: • Incline / Decline Belt Conveyor • Line Shaft Conveyors • Diverters • Sorters • Vertical Lifts • Robots • Case Erector / Sealers • Labelers • Vacuum-Hoist Our current equipment maintenance philosophy includes a strong component of both Predictive Maintenance (PdM) and Condition based Maintenance (CbM). However, it has taken several iterations of our maintenance program to reach this point. Predictive Maintenance at Dell Our current PdM program consists of scheduled, standardized inspection routes using a variety of tools and techniques. The routes are combined with the best of Maintenance Program Journey Our original factories were full of new equipment and predominately required engineering design support. Consequently, there was only a small organized equipment maintenance program. When the equipment started to age and break, the maintenance program was transformed into strictly break/fix maintenance process. As the Figure 1 - Dell’s 300,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Round Rock, Texas. 36 february/march 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Up Time Magazine- February/March 2008

Up Time Magazine- February/March 2008 Contents Upfront Upclose: Lessons Learned from the Walter Reed Story Information Technology: Parenting and Asset Performance Infrared: It's Alive! Lubrication: A Sense of Change Maintenance Management: PdM, Standardized Motor Testing: Being Well Connected Precision Maintenance: How to be Marketable Reliability: The Voyage of Wells Dairy Ultrasound: Two is Better Than One Vibration: Diagnosing a Cracked Shaft Upgrade: A Different Kind of Journey

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