Factory Downtime Minimization through Tracking of Maintenance Information System of Metahara Sugar Factory, Ethiopia

Abstract

Analysis of factory downtime records of Metahara Sugar Factory for the past twelve consecutive years show that the total number of stops and stop hours of one of the stations (front factory) was more than 300% higher than other stations. The front factory comprises two tandems: tandem A and B. The total downtime records for the first six months of 2013/14 sugar production season for tandem A show that the downtime was mainly due to mechanical failures, lack of canes, preventive maintenance activities, cleanings due to blockages, and electrical failures, which account 64.1, 13.7, 6.8, 5.9 and 3.1 % of the total stop hours respectively. Similarly, the records for tandem B show that 64.2, 11.3, 8.7, 8.4 and 6.2 % of the total downtime were mainly due to mechanical failures, cleanings due to blockages, electrical failures, lack of canes and preventive maintenance activities respectively. Therefore, measures should be taken at the front factory to reduce mechanical failures and blockages in order to sustain the achievements of the factory. The factory sets to maintain factory downtime below 9% and total downtime below 12% but actual figures were higher. Factory downtime record for the first six months of 2013/14 sugar season showed reduction of 75.7%. But the overall achievements were still higher than the set values. In this paper, based on downtime records, it is believed that measures should be taken at the front factory in order to reduce mechanical failures and blockages. Only by considering lost production capability, an increase in annual sugar production capability of 78,705 quintals will be achieve (additional revenue of more than 4 millions USD annually).