Operations management techniques in maintenance management:A case study of Kenya Railways workshop

Abstract

In this era of globalization, cut throat competition and liberalization, the only organization which is going to survive is that organization which is geared towards continual improvement in its customer-service delivery systems or goods. The organization must know its customers and the competition. Operations management is one of the key areas in which continual improvements in serving the customer can be achieved. Operations management focuses on the methodological ways of value addition. This study was set to achieve three objectives; firstly, it was aimed at finding out whether the duration allowed between two successive preventive maintenance dates was adequate. It was found out that the duration (four years) for one category of wagons was adequate, but the duration (six years) for the other category of wagons was too long and needed to be shortened. It is very necessary that preventive maintenance duration be reviewed from time to time because durability of components may change with time. Secondly, the study set out to unfold whether operations management techniques were applied in workshop operations. The study established-.that scheduling was applied but manual in approach and rigid. It also established that materials requirement plan was applied but was traditional in approach and also manual. These approaches were used to control time taken during maintenance, financial control of maintenance, spear parts inventory control and planing maintenance. These techniques could be applied and yield better results if computerized. Lastly the study extracted factors which could hinder the application of operation management techniques in workshops operations. The following factors were found to be important starting with the most important if such techniques had to be applied successfully in workshops operations; - Top management should support and motivate employees. - Technology used in the work environment should be conducive. - Staff should be empowered to apply the techniques. - The organization should be committed to the goal of continuous improvement. - The causes of breakdowns should be clearly identified. - Maintenance time should be well managed. - Bills of materials should be prepared in advance of scheduling. - Operations management techniques to be applied should be known and understood by the employees. - Facilities layout should allow easy movement of work in progress across work centers. - Inventory control models in inventory management should be avoided and materials requirement plan used instead. - Causes of backlog should be identified and addressed appropriately.