We probably will see an end to the Mechanic shortage when the little Greysons of the world enter the workforce. In the interim the retiring baby boomer multi-craft maintenance technicians are leaving a big hole in the workforce. It would be nice to think that the workers entering the market could instantly fill the hole. The reality is that the retiring workers gathered their broad spectrum skill over a lifetime in the field. As a double whammy the adoption of automation as a solution to other competitive issues has expanded the need for maintenance mechanics.
Most people still in the manufacturing game are well aware of the problem. The question is what to do about it. I have elected to list a few avenues to consider.
1) Factory rebuilds. Ralph Nader in his ignorance made planned obsolescence a generally known term. As engineers we are proud of our ability to design products with a known lifetime. This term can be good or bad depending on whether you are trying to use mechanical items beyond their design life. Smart business people recognize the benefit of rebuilding back to better than new on a planned schedule. For example the life expectancy of the first rebuild of a diesel 18 wheel truck engine exceeds the life of the original engine. Trying to staff enough maintenance talent on the third shift or weekend to keep equipment past its planned life running is a losing battle
2) Offsite maintenance. The thing I like best about Kiva Robots is their interchangeability. If you are automating a warehouse it is not necessary to hire a large staff of robot mechanics. These items can be sent offsite and quickly replaced with identical replacements. Many industrial trucks and lift trucks fit into the same category. Contrast this with central conveyor systems that shut the plant down if any section is not operational.
3) Autonomous Maintenance. In today’s lean environment we have to get past the notion that only maintenance craftsmen are capable of keeping the plant running. Operators know their work area best. Systems can be put in place to guide each operator in performing actions which prolong equipment life and improve uptime.
4) 5S. Shine is a key factor in keeping equipment operating reliably. Many times a repair is nothing more that cleaning within the mechanisms. The time for making a repair is diminished if the mechanic does not also have to clean the outside.
5) Team maintenance. Scarce multicraft technicians are a lot more productive if they have an assigned helper. This effective strategy also is helpful is broadening the skills of apprentices.
6) Scheduled Maintenance Free. Smart business people are purchasing items that require less maintenance. I was talking to a Tesla owner who only changed tires after three years of heavy driving. This is possibly why they do not need a dealer network. Wesley an industrial truck builder changed to flat-free aperature tires and maintenance free batteries to offer a vehicle without scheduled maintenance.
7)HMI. (Human Machine Interface) Much the same way that it is next to impossible to fix your car without obtaining the error codes, the computers attached to modern production equipment need to identify what is wrong.