Production restart after unplanned Shutdown using QMS

When it rains, look for rainbows, when it’s dark, look for stars – Oscar Wilde

These days the heart sinks for many when our internet network stops suddenly. During peak summer afternoon, when suddenly electricity goes off, we sweat and crib the local government and electricity board for their inefficiency. Due to lockdown, suddenly the meeting of many lovers has stopped! When we are on a highway and our car suddenly breaks down, we get helpless.

Something similar happens in the industrial environment when few machines or the entire plant goes under unplanned breakdown. It is easy to recover after planned shutdown as organizations make prior arrangement for the startup. But globally, COVID 19 has put the entire industry in a mess as everything halted suddenly and now when slowly situation is coming back to normal, it is a mammoth task for each industry (Large, Medium, small) to restart efficiently.

For organizations, these are testing times to check the strength of their Quality Management System (QMS). In the coming few months, organizations will somehow manage to come out of this desperate situation but how efficiently, effectively and prudently, organizations will transform to the ‘New Normal’ will depend upon the depth and maturity of their existing management system and how intelligently they will use in this crisis time.

As per IATF 16949: 2016, Clause 3.0, there are few definitions related to Maintenance & shutdown.

Production shutdown: Condition where manufacturing processes are idle; time span maybe a few hours to a few months

Total productive maintenance: a system of maintaining and improving the integrity of production and quality systems through machines. equipment, processes, and employees that add value to the organization

Why Strong QMS is need of the hour?

• Expectations of customers and relevant interested parties still remain the same!
• Low morale of employees and relevant stakeholders
• Nobody (including top management) knows the right answers to the present situation
• The high cost of production
• Low Productivity
• Unavailability of skilled manpower
• The bad condition of machines, fixtures, gauges, measuring instruments, tooling etc.
• Unreliable supply chain
• Unpredictable government guidelines

How QMS can help to restart the factory after unplanned shutdown?

The strength of QMS lies in its systematic approach to

• Engage all relevant stakeholders
• Understanding their needs and expectations
• Conducting risk analysis
• Taking appropriate actions
• Reviewing the results
• Taking actions to improve it further

To restart the production after unplanned shutdown, the challenges and possible actions using QMS can be divided into 6M & 1E (Management, Man, Machine, Material, Method, Measurement, Environment).

Management:

Man:

Machine:

Material:

Method:

Measurement:

Environment:

Once the organization will map their possible challenges as per 6M & 1E, they can identify possible solutions (relevant at this point of time) and can systematically ensure that

• Customer remains satisfied
• Employee morale remains high
• Losses can be minimized
• The organization can quickly recover themselves and move towards the path of growth again.

Challenges:

• How effective and mature is the existing Quality Management system?
• Confidence of Top Management in their QMS.
• Effective and open communication channel with customers, suppliers and other relevant interested parties.
• Effective utilization of digital technology.
• How to keep high morale of the employees?

References:

ISO 9001: 2015

ISO/TS 9002: 2016

ISO 9004: 2018

IATF 16949: 2016

 This is the 55^th article of this Quality Management series. Every weekend, you will find useful information that will make your Management System journey Productive. Please share it with your colleagues too.

Your genuine feedback and response are extremely valuable. Please suggest topics for the coming weeks.