Improve

Generate potential solutions – What are all the different possible solutions?

Negative brainstorming – We completed a negative brainstorming session to identify possible failures and then identify the control measures in place.

 

 

 

Assess the risks – What are the risks of implementing the solutions ?
Following on we expanded the negative brainstorming session with a FMEA

 

Select the best solution – which solutions are most likely to work?

Using the information compiled and analysed throughout the previous stages, we are steadily coming to the conclusion that the truck method is the preferred method of oil change. The planning scope for the scheduled oil changes needs to include dates, consumables, manpower, tools  and machinery. Up to now the importance was placed on achieving target dates by whatever method was readily available. From now on the focus is on planning the resources to achieve the dates

Solution screening

Assessment Criteria - KPIs

 

Pilot and implement – When, where and how will the solution be implemented

There will be times when manual oil changes will need to be carried out through necessity, specifically due to failures within gearboxes that require oil exchange after repair.

5S – Identify which method (truck/Manual) to be used in different situations

 

Visual Management – create task specific visual aids. These aids will encourage the service team to stay safe while achieving planned target dates with efficient oil changes.

Conclusion for improve.

We have identified the  truck method as preferred, based on a number of KPIs.

We have identified that the preferred method may not always be possible due to lack of tool and machinery resources. In this case the manual option will be used.

 

 

 

Analyse stage

Analyse

Analyse the process

How does the process actually work -

Time value map for the oil change only. Time is mapped on the assumption that the oil truck is parked at the base of the turbine ready to go, and the service van is parked at the base of the turbine with an oil change worth of 20 litre container and ready to go. VA is only added to tasks directly changing oil at the gearbox.  This excludes time/costs incurred for the manual method with regards storage and transportation of the oil as far as the base of the turbine.

We created a matrix to show the Value and Non Value Added tasks.

Using the time taken for the manual method as a baseline:

 

We generated a pie chart to compare VA and NVA time during the oil changes. We decided to used the greater time taken for the manual oil change as the reference time. This allowed the time saved in the truck oil change method to be presented as value added time.

Cost:  Comparison and cost : VA, Unavoidable NVA, Avoidable NVA and potential  NVA

We broke the tasks into value and non-value added . We compared the costs in carrying out once off oil changes, which may need to be carried out in an unscheduled manner, possibly due to a breakdown. We also compared carrying out 3 oil changes in one day. 3 oil changes in one day would be representative of normal scheduled service oil changes.

 

Seven Wastes : Identify wastes

Taking the seven wastes and a few of the new wastes a comparison table was created.

Develop theories and ideas

What does the existing process knowledge say -


5 Why’s – Oil truck Method

Why use the oil truck? Use the oil truck because it is faster

Why is it faster? There is less manual handling involved

Why is there less manual handling involved? The truck pump and drains the oil directly at the gearbox.

Why pump and drain the oil directly at the gearbox? It reduces opportunity for falling items and manual handling incidents.

Why is reducing opportunity for falling items and manual handling incidents an advantage? This reduces the chances of personnel getting hit by falling objects, reduces the chances of oil spills due to dropped containers and lost time due to manual handling/back injury.

 

5 Why’s – Manual method

Why use the manual method? The truck is not available

Why is the truck not available? The oil change wasn’t scheduled

Why wasn’t the oil change scheduled?  It was a once off oil change due to a mechanical fault

Why not wait for an oil truck? The cost of the downtime outweighs waiting for the truck.

Why is the cost of downtime so important? The turbine generates an income when it’s running. The performance of the wind turbine is measured by its annual running time.

Analyse the data:

We created a matrix outline the costs, safety and environmental elements of the oil changes.

Conclusion for Analyse

Elements of analyse were painstaking, but the clear impact picture that was created of the  elements of the oil changes will provide the valuable information required to drive the improvements.