DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGY FOR EVALUATING MAINTENANCE PERFORMANCE IN SELECTED MACHINE TOOLS WORKSHOPS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The machine tools over the ages has been found and proven to be known as a modern instrument in manufacturing due to ever increasing demand for its usage and they formed the basis for industrial development. The remarkable dynamism in machine tools maintenance development requires an evaluation based on usage or utilization level, and this will help determining the scope of job, and the best maintenance practice in machine tools workshops. The indicators that were considered paramount for the evaluation and assessment included labour versatility (age, sex, and experience), number of breakdown, maintenance hours, available machine hours, machine functionality; and level of maintenance skill acquisition. Fifty structured questionnaires were administered among some machine tools workshop in Nigeria to collect data on the indicators stated. Maintainability and availability were determined using modified convectional maintenance ratios to include salient maintenance resources (manpower, material and tools). The new model was applied to the identified machine tools, namely; lathe, milling, boring and drilling machines. The results generally showed that the availability and maintainability of the machine tools in the shops were generally lower (about 50%) and (54%) respectively than the expected (not less than 70%). These shortfalls are attributed to inadequate experience and capability of personnel involved in maintenance activities. Findings showed the need for training of personnel on the emerging maintenance techniques