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Equipment Engineering6 min read

Implementing Autonomous Maintenance (AM): 7 Steps for Operator Maintenance

This article highlights the critical role of Autonomous Maintenance (AM) on production lines, using a real-world example of PM delays impacting production. It emphasizes empowering frontline operators to perform basic maintenance tasks, thereby preventing minor issues from escalating and significantly boosting overall efficiency and productivity.

That Day PM Was Delayed Again, I Saw the Team Leader's Face Turn Green

That afternoon, the production line team leader suddenly rushed into the office, his face pale with fury. In his hand was a PM (Preventive Maintenance) schedule with a large red "DELAY" stamped on it. The PM for a critical machine was postponed again due to material shortages, causing a direct 10% drop in production capacity. He slammed the table in anger: "Must these basic maintenance tasks really wait for equipment engineers? What are the OPs (operators) usually looking at?" To be honest, this wasn't the first time; it always felt like the end of the world, and everyone was under immense pressure.

Where's the Problem? Why Always Wait?

In fact, many of these "basic maintenance" tasks are things operators can routinely perform. The goal of what we often call "Autonomous Maintenance" (AM) is to empower operators to "take care of their own machines." This doesn't mean they should repair machines, but rather that they should be able to identify abnormalities, perform simple inspections, cleaning, lubrication, and even tighten screws. Think about it, if a small screw comes loose and you have to wait for an equipment engineer to handle it, how much production capacity is lost? A drop in Cpk from 1.08 to 0.95 is no laughing matter. In other words, AM delegates part of the equipment maintenance responsibility from professional engineers to the operators who are closest to the machines, making them the "first-line doctors" for the equipment.

How to Actually Do It? Seven Steps for Operator Maintenance

Implementing Autonomous Maintenance isn't just about shouting slogans; it requires concrete steps. When our factory rolled it out back then, we started with these seven steps:

  1. Initial Cleaning and Inspection: Operators thoroughly clean the machine and simultaneously mark all abnormal points, such as oil leaks, looseness, or unusual noises. The goal at this stage is to restore the machine to its "initial state."
  2. Root Cause Countermeasures and Improvement: For the abnormalities identified in Step 1, engineers will assist in developing improvement plans. For example, if a certain area easily accumulates dust, then consider installing a dust cover.
  3. Establish Provisional Standards: After cleaning is complete and issues are improved, we begin to establish "provisional standards" for daily cleaning and inspection. For instance, before starting the machine each day, check the pressure gauge; the reading must be within 2.0±0.2 MPa.
  4. General Inspection: Operators begin to learn how to perform a "general inspection," which includes basic knowledge and inspection methods for eight systems such as hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical, and transmission. At this point, we provide visual SOPs to make it easy for them to understand.
  5. Standardization of Autonomous Inspection: Once operators are familiar with inspections, we discuss with them to revise the "provisional standards" into more comprehensive and operable "autonomous inspection standards." The goal is to reduce DPMO (Defects Per Million Opportunities) from 6210 to below 1000.
  6. Quality Assurance: This step directly links autonomous maintenance with quality. For example, if a certain inspection item is not performed correctly, it will directly affect product quality, which we explicitly highlight.
  7. Thoroughness and Consolidation: The final step is to make the preceding steps habitual and continuously improve. Regular meetings are held for review, ensuring autonomous maintenance becomes an integral part of daily operations.

The Most Common Pitfall: People Move, But Hearts Don't

The most common pitfall in implementing AM is when "people move, but their hearts don't." Many operators view this as "extra work," assuming engineers will handle issues anyway. Back then, we encountered situations where OPs filled out inspection sheets perfectly, yet the machine still broke down. We later discovered that it was due to insufficient training; they simply didn't understand the significance of the inspections. In essence, they hadn't developed a "sense of ownership." Another issue was "overly complex standards," with SOPs that were excessively long, making no one want to read them. Therefore, the key is that SOPs must be visualized and simplified, so they can immediately understand what needs to be done and why.

One Thing You Can Do Today

Go back and check your machine's cleaning SOP. Is there anything that OPs can directly get started with?

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