You can order the new edition of the popular book: Managing Factory Maintenance from the Springfield Resources shop or Industrialpress.com or Amazon.com right now.

 

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I just taught a course on Inventory and stock room management in beautiful Louisiana (if you are not familiar with the US- New Orleans is in Louisiana as well as a good portion of our alligator population) and they reminded me about the importance of having the right parts available at the right time.

 

There were a couple lessons that could be learned by any storeroom starting with the importance of accurate records. Everyone agrees with the importance of accurate records but disagree with how to achieve the goal. Here’s my take on achieving the goal:

q       Be sure everyone knows why it is important.

q       Encourage people to take responsibility for their part.

q       Be sure everyone knows who is accountable for different aspects.

q       Provide physical security.

q       Provide training in procedures for storeroom personnel and your customers

q       Conduct motivational talks from different parties

q       Provide the tools to make doing the right thing the easiest thing to do.

q       Establish goals and measures and report on progress IN PUBLIC

q       Management must have the will power to make it  so!

 

Did you ever think of all the areas where mistakes can happen to mess up your inventory numbers?

Parts removed without paperwork

Missing shipping, receiving documents

Wrong part sent in and missed in receiving

Rebuildables handles differently each time

Confusion in unit of measure

Marking wrong SKU (part number) on incoming part

Errors in transcription

Returns improperly accounted for

One part blocking sight of another

Pilferage, theft

Toolbox and rat hole inventory

 

Another thing that struck me was the complexity of the process to change items on the stock list. If you want to see something interesting get a sheet of quad paper (if they still sell it- or use Visio) and take a business process like Return surplus items to stock or the process to agree to standardize on one item (such as a particular bearing). Draw all the steps, authorizations, conversations, files created or changed, forms to be filled out to accomplish the objective. In our class adding an item to stock required 20 steps and a plant manager’s signiture!

 

Thanks for reading-  Joel

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Joel Levitt, President Springfield Resources  (Since 27- Feb-1980)

Phone: 610-278-7550              Fax: 610-278-7552

Maintenance Training and Consultation

Visit:  http://www.maintrainer.com