Maintenance Management

By JAY HEDGES, Director
Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs

All municipalities, whether large or small, have invested a considerable amount of money in police cars, fire apparatus, public works vehicles and equipment. These assets have a limited useful life. However, with a strong systematic maintenance program, the useful life of such assets can be maximized and operating costs can be held to a minimum.

The goal of every equipment manager, regardless of the size of the operation, is to gain maximum performance and productivity of each piece of equipment at its lowest possible aggregate lifetime cost. To accomplish this, the equipment manager must devise an effective maintenance system.

To have an effective maintenance system, the three basic components required are a detailed record for each piece of equipment, a preventative maintenance program, and an efficient maintenance capability.

Records — A good record system should contain, at a minimum, the following information for each separate piece of operating equipment.

1. Equipment description (auto, truck, backhoe, tractor, mower, street sweeper, trencher, grader, dozer, ect.)

2. Equipment make and model.

3. Cost of purchase.

4. Date and description of maintenance performed whether preventative or due to failure.

5. Date, description, and costs of parts replaced.

6. Odometer or hour-meter readings.

7. Direct labor costs — for time spent by mechanics for the specific repairs.

8. Fuel and oil consumption data.

A good record system provides valuable information to analyze what is really happening to equipment. For example, the maintenance records of two trucks of different makes and models, doing similar work, can help determine the superiority of one over the other for a specific task. A maintenance record can help to indicate whether a single piece of equipment may be performing tasks beyond its design capabilities. Recorded instances of excessive wear, down-time, repetitive parts replacement and reported operational malfunctions provide valuable information on the cost-effective performance of equipment and maintenance procedures. Such records can also assist in the formulation of specifications for the purchase of new equipment.

Preventive Maintenance — The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is a proven fact when it comes to obtaining the most efficient and productive operation from equipment. Every reputable manufacturer provides an operation and maintenance manual with their equipment — and for a good reason. Their research and development programs determine the proper operating procedures and maintenance requirements deemed necessary for the greatest efficiency and to extend the useful life of the machine. The manufacturer knows that a satisfied customer is a potential customer in the future.

Good records, as previously noted, are an integral part of a good preventative maintenance program. Regularly scheduled inspections of components, oil changes, oil or air filter changes, replacement of designated parts and lubrication can be scheduled through these records and the recommendations of the manufacturer. Records also can assist in deciding which replacement parts to stock.

January 1987 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 21

The quality of a preventative maintenance program contributes directly to the lifetime costs of any equipment. The equipment manager must consider the age, use and general condition of the equipment to determine the regularity and extensiveness of the desired maintenance. A separate maintenance schedule for each piece of equipment based upon these factors will prevent under or over maintenance and assure equipment availability and substitution equipment when needed. Repetitive repairs and maintenance of equipment can be evaluated to determine whether replacement is necessary and cost effective.

Efficient Maintenance Capability — The third factor in good maintenance management is the capability of the shop facilities and the ability and efficiency of shop personnel. The sufficiency of shop tools and equipment directly affects the degree of preventative maintenance or repairs that may be undertaken. The ability of shop personnel and their knowledge about the equipment to be serviced affects the direct labor costs incurred and the lifetime cost of a piece of equipment. It is important that training be a part of the maintenance program to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

It is common practice in the service industry to know how much time it should take to perform any specific preventative maintenance or repair procedure on a specific piece of equipment. Labor costs are detailed, broken down and attributed to the specific mechanic which performed the maintenance procedure. Comparisons are made to the accepted standards of productivity, and the manager can determine staff capabilities, utilize special skills and provide for training where required to increase efficiency.

Regardless of the size of the community and its staff, management of the preventative maintenance and repairs of equipment, whether done in-house or by outside facilities, is important to every municipality.

For further information, call our toll-free hotline number, 1-800-562-4688 (LOC-GOVT). •

Page 22 / Illinois Municipal Review / January 1987