The Future of MRO practices in the age of Industry 4.0

The article discusses MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) in manufacturing, essential for efficient operations. It covers routine maintenance, unexpected repairs, and supplies, minimizing downtime, ensuring safety, and optimizing costs.

- SANJAY JADHAV

In the world of manufacturing, MRO stands for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations, encompassing everything that keeps the wheels turning, but isn't directly involved in making the final product. This includes routine maintenance of machinery and facilities, repairs to address unexpected breakdowns, and the day-to-day supplies needed for production, like lubricants, tools, and even office supplies. MRO is crucial for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing because it minimises downtime from breakdowns, extends the lifespan of expensive equipment, ensures consistent product quality, promotes safe working conditions, and ultimately helps optimise costs by streamlining inventory and reducing the need for emergency repairs.

Traditional practices

Traditional MRO practices, while familiar, can be a significant roadblock to efficient production. Reliant on "runto-failure" maintenance, they lead to unplanned downtime due to unexpected equipment failures and costly repairs. This disrupts production schedules, hinders delivery times, and increases operational costs. Inventory management struggles further exacerbate these issues, with overstocking tying up capital and understocking causing delays due to part shortages. The combined effect is a vicious cycle of unplanned downtime, missed deadlines, and decreased productivity, impacting both customer satisfaction and employee morale. To overcome these challenges and achieve efficient and reliable operations, organisations need to embrace modern MRO practices that prioritise preventive maintenance, proactive inventory management, and data-driven insights for optimised production planning and cost control.

Emerging Trends