The company specialises in clothing with embroidered logos. Its automated sewing machines operate 24x7. Image: logos4polos

This workwear company specialises in clothes embroidered with their customers’ logos.

They installed a BellHawk tracking system to speed up repairs to their automated sewing machines and conveyors. The maintenance engineers were wasting a lot of time going round several buildings, miles apart, checking for problems in the many departments.

The company operates a large number of multi–spindle automated sewing machines running 24x7. These are prone to jams, needle breakages, broken belts and so on. The automatic conveyors used to move products also break down from time to time.

There was a manual system used to replenish parts once a week. As a result some machines were down for days.

Solution

Each group of sewing machines already had a PC with a barcode scanner to select the numerical control program for each.

BellHawk added a program for the operator scan barcode menus to identify the problem on a machine and spindles that were down.

When technicians finish a repair job, they use the PC to:

1. Indicate the machine is operational.
2. Record parts used and required.
3. Sign up to the next job from a list (nearest or most important).

Coloured icons on a display screen show the maintenance supervisor and department managers the status of each machine:

• Green: running,
• Red: waiting repair
• Orange: being repaired
• Blue: waiting for parts

By clicking on an icon, they can see what is broken and the status of the repair.

Spare parts inventory.

Spare part level are monitored several times a day. Special parts are ordered as soon as they are needed, greatly reducing time spent expediting orders.

Replenishment parts are ordered in good time to maintain stock levels. Machine downtime due to stock-outs has reduced substantially.

Productivity reports

1. Technicians: hours per day repairing machines.
2. Response: time from request
3. Repair: time to fix

Reports revealed major delays in assigning operators to restart the machines after a repair.

Other maintenance activities

The company now uses barcoded work orders for all sorts of maintenance activities and facility repairs. From setting up conference rooms to fixing the roof.

Maintenance people scan these work orders when they start and end work. They also enter any pertinent information. The system emails the requesting manager by when the work is complete.

The ability to request work to be done and to monitor progress is important for shift working. A significant number of the maintenance team work on the second and third shift at different locations

Facility repairs

The BellHawk system now extends to sub contractors working outside the building, for instance on air conditioners. On arrival they are handed a mobile computer and instructed how to record their labour time and and parts consumed. They have to identify parts from the company's inventory.

The system has helped to increase productivity by reducing downtime. Its detailed reports provide the evidence for the department to fend off the ever present temptation for senior management to reduce the maintenance headcount.