Some Considerations regarding a Factory Maintenance Engineering Department

In this paper, the author attempts to focus attention on the necessity for a suitable organization of the maintenance services in factories, whatever their size. His object is to promote discussion and not to put forward an ideal scheme for all plants, which would be quite impossible.

A general survey is made of preventative maintenance measures and breakdown conditions to be met by the department. Consideration is given to the administrative personnel and organization of work, with reference to the location of the maintenance plant in relation to the factory production machinery, and also to the layout and equipment required for the maintenance department. The author discusses the need for adequate stores for spare parts and consumable goods and, where necessary, well laid-out outside storage areas with good access roads. Suggested ways of controlling workers' time, and hence the cost, are outlined, although it is fully realized that the extent of detail for proper administration of costs, varies widely with differing products and size of factory. References are made to organization for a group of small factories, and also a system of emergency posts in large factories.

Attention is finally directed to the existence of undesirable conditions sometimes encountered in maintenance departments.