Practical Slurry Pump Maintenance Improvement

Your business exists to produce and deliver the end product & service on time; within the quality requirements; and the lowest possible costs to your company. It is essential that uptime is provided by maintenance for the entire production process. Slurry pumps are critical elements in the overall equipment effectiveness of the plant. The maintenance of the equipment must also include investigations on the slurry pump capacities and sizes; providing the required speed and output. Slurry pump uptime has a direct impact on the overall health and welfare of any manufacturing or production type of industry.

This course provides delegates with an understanding of the following:

·       Introduction to the principles of gravity; centrifuge; piping and pressures.

·       Revision on mechanicals and important issues on reasons why slurry pumps are used.

·       12 Types of Maintenance and the impact on the maintenance department.

·       How to match slurry pumps to the type of maintenance required (check the plant conditions).

·       The role of Preventive maintenance decision-making – what actions must be taken?

·       Maintenance risk reduction using basic RCM and FMEA tactics specific on slurry pumps.

·       Incident Investigations and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) with regards to slurry pump downtimes.       

·       The importance of the job cards on slurry pump maintenance.

·       Simplified Key Performance Indicators on slurry pumps; what must happen every day?

·       The importance of the quality of maintenance spares and the work being done on the pumps.

·       The impact that slurry pump downtime has on the rest of the production process.

·       An analysis as a team on what can be changed for improvement (man; method; machine & materials).

·       Check environmental factors like heat; pressures; type of abrasives; type of liquids and their viscosity.

Delegates should represent a wide range of personnel in the organisation who are involved in, or dependent on, effective maintenance planning, scheduling and work control. These would include:

·       Semi-Skilled and apprentice artisans (mechanical or electrical); they need the basics and practical’s.

·       Artisans who work directly and indirectly (upstream and downstream) on slurry pumps.

·       Maintenance Supervisors; they must record; analyse and provide solutions and manage downtimes.

·       Maintenance Planners; they need to understand the critical role and challenges regarding slurry pumps.

·       Maintenance Foreman; they are responsible for performance and uptime.

·       Engineers that need specific exposure to slurry pumps. Understand design and environmental factors.

·       Production; Quality and Logistics Supervisors (they need to see the impact and challenges for uptime).

·       Production and Project Managers (understand the importance of flow when expanding the plant).

This course is specific to the customer needs and must be done on site where the slurry pumps are working. The facilitator will work with the delegates as an analytical and objective team. All emotions and frustrations are put aside and a fresh look and revision of the plant condition is done. The environmental and working conditions are revisited and analysed with a fresh pair of eyes; a neutral and non-judgemental method using brainstorming tools like; but not limited to; the fishbone and the 5 WHY analysis. The problems are brought to light with open and honest communication and the focus is on the process; not on the person. This is a serious strive to continuous improvement.

The maintenance manager or engineer sends the type of pumps information to the facilitator with a short description of conditions and technical specifications. The facilitator has a standard question list to aid in this process, the reason is to add value to the course, coming prepared. This course is100% practical including a short manual and Power Point slides can be used if required. This is a team orientated course with interaction and problem solving. The facilitator can adapt the course as he goes along with the team during the 3 days. The objective is serious innovation and creativity in a relaxed and team orientated style. The facilitator will provide advice using his experience based on the conditions of the plant. He can recommend new equipment and techniques according to the situation.

Course Outline

Day 1

Introduction to Slurry Pumps

• Introduction and revision on slurry pumps.
• The 12 types of maintenance; what else can you use?
• Get away from “run to failure” maintenance as fast as possible.    
• What is slurry pump maintenance uptime and the benefits if achieved?         
• Revise your preventative maintenance current practices. Are they good enough?      
• Analyse and record your current conditions in which your pumps are working.
• Analyse; record and brainstorm in a team your current downtimes on slurry pumps.
• Do a basic root cause analysis as a team on what; why; who; where and how on pump breakdowns.

Day 2

Practical slurry pump analysis

• Open up a slurry pump in the workshop. This is a team practical.
• Revise the current pressure; strain and output in the production process.
• Check if you have the correct type of piping; valves and gauges that suit the process.
• As a team; revise and brainstorm all the critical parts and spares inside the pump.
• Analyse the parts and components that fail the most – everybody has a turn to speak.
• Do an 80:20 (Paretto Analysis) on all the factors and conditions on the pump.
• Revise the Preventive Maintenance Schedule again according to the 80:20 principle.
• Workload and capacity of the parts and components. Overload or underload?
• Analyse the 12 wastes regarding slurry pumps; especially time; material and money.
• Create a good work planning method.
• Proper job cards; how to record; analyse and improve the communication and understanding.
• Maintenance Control on slurry pumps brainstorming by the team.

Day 3

Practical process analysis using logic (Kaizen & Lean Maintenance)

• What is process control? Process improvement discussion by the team.
• The repair vs. replace decision. Should we change the pumps or improve their use?
• The process function, failure consequences & failure modes (what happens in the process)?
• Process maintenance; increasing more value adding steps (OEE).
• Condition-based maintenance where possible.
• Opportunity maintenance where possible.
• Establishing the best maintenance policy.
• Machine Lubrication principles and specifics on slurry pumps.
• Total Preventive Maintenance opportunities investigation.