Improving your OEE with Maintainx and TeepTrak: A practical guide

In the manufacturing industry, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a key performance indicator measuring the availability, performance and quality of production machinery. However, many plants find it difficult to optimize their OEE, due to the complexity of data tracking and real-time analysis. Ignoring this problem can lead to significant productivity losses and increased operating costs, making it critical to understand and continuously improve this metric.

Common causes of low OEE include unplanned downtime, sub-optimal production speeds and unsatisfactory product quality. These factors have a direct impact on productivity and inflate operating costs. Low OEE also affects managers’ ability to schedule maintenance and optimize production flows, creating bottlenecks that limit production capacity. Accurately defining and calculating OEE is essential to understanding these impacts.

To increase OEE, several levers can be activated. Firstly, the adoption of continuous improvement methods, such as Lean manufacturing and TPM, helps to structure optimization efforts. Digitizing the shop floor, with solutions like those offered by TeepTrak, provides real-time monitoring of equipment and downtime, facilitating analysis and rapid resolution of operational issues. The use of OEE tracking tools such as Maintainx, combined with TeepTrak, provides increased visibility across multiple production lines, essential for effective, continuous monitoring.

A case study reveals how an electronic components plant was able to raise its OEE from 65% to 85% thanks to the implementation of TeepTrak. Thanks to PaceTrak, they were able to identify unplanned downtime and optimize maintenance interventions. Detailed data analysis enabled them to implement more efficient planned breaks, and to accelerate the pace of production without affecting the quality of finished products. These adjustments transformed their profitability and enabled better use of existing resources.

For industrial decision-makers, the first step towards improving OEE is to familiarize themselves with the monitoring tools available, and gradually integrate them into existing processes. The initiative can start with an audit of current equipment and processes, followed by the implementation of a real-time measurement system such as TeepTrak. Ultimately, the goal is to embrace a culture of continuous improvement where every team member participates in the effort to increase overall efficiency. This generates not only financial gains, but also more agile and resilient production.

FAQ

Question 1: How can OEE influence my plant’s profitability?

OEE has a direct impact on productivity and operating costs. Low OEE leads to production losses, increasing costs while reducing profitability. By optimizing OEE, you maximize resource utilization and improve profit margins.

Question 2: Where do we start to improve our OEE?

Start with an audit of your production line to identify bottlenecks and sources of loss. Then implement digitalization solutions like TeepTrak to monitor the efficiency of your equipment in real time.

Question 3: What digital solutions exist for monitoring OEE?

Tools such as TeepTrak and Maintainx provide detailed, real-time monitoring of your performance. These solutions help you to quickly identify problems and make informed decisions to improve OEE.