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Carrying out maintenance activities on mechanical equipment within an engineered system

URN: SEMEM445
Business Sectors (Suites): Engineering and Manufacture Suite 4
Developed by: Enginuity
Approved on: 2017

Overview

This standard identifies the competences you need to lead maintenance activities by carrying out corrective maintenance activities on mechanical equipment within an engineered system, in accordance with approved procedures.  You will be required to maintain a range of mechanical equipment, such as gearboxes, pumps, machine tools, conveyor systems, workholding arrangements, engines, processing plant and equipment, which are working in an integrated system involving two or more of the following interactive technologies: electrical, fluid power or process controllers. You will also be required to identify and implement a systematic approach to improving the equipment maintenance activities undertaken and ensure that the maintenance team have to appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding to maintain the equipment efficiently, effectively and safely.

You will be expected to isolate and disconnect items and components of the interactive technologies in order to gain access to and remove the mechanical units and components that require replacing or repair. This will involve dismantling and reassembling a variety of different types of assemblies and sub-assemblies which, in some instances, will need to be dismantled to component level.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the maintenance activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the maintenance activities, tools or equipment used that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You must ensure that all tools, equipment and materials used in the maintenance activities are removed from the work area on completion of the work, and that all necessary job/task documentation is completed accurately and legibly. You will be expected to work with minimal supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions, and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide an in depth understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying mechanical maintenance procedures within an engineered system. You will know about the integrated technology assemblies and sub-assemblies, and their properties, functions and associated defects, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the dismantling and reassembly process safely and effectively. You will also understand the maintenance methods and procedures used, and their application within the engineered system, in sufficient depth to be able to carry out the maintenance activities, correct faults, and ensure that the maintained equipment functions to specification and remains compliant with all standards and regulations.  You will also know about the interaction of the other associated integrated technologies and have sufficient knowledge to carry out the dismantling and reassembly safely and effectively.

You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the maintenance activities, especially those for isolating the equipment and taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
  2. produce and update relevant maintenance schedules and plans
  3. lead maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
  4. carry out the maintenance activities in the specified sequence and in an agreed timescale
  5. report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
  6. complete relevant maintenance documentation accurately
  7. dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures
  8. identify and lead on making improvements to maintenance processes and procedures
  9. update management information and systems to support the activities of the maintenance department

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. the health and safety requirements of the area in which the maintenance activity is to take place, and the responsibility these requirements place on you
  2. how to prioritise your own and the team's workload to ensure that targets are met
  3. how to communicate effectively, listen, question, support and coach others to work towards the departmental targets
  4. the importance of ensuring that teams have the required skills, knowledge and understanding in order to maintain equipment to the required standards
  5. how to complete a skills audit of team members
  6. how maintenance teams can access the appropriate training and development programmes once a need training need has been identified
  7. the isolation and lock-off procedure or permit-to-work procedure that applies to the system
  8. the specific health and safety precautions to be applied during the maintenance activity, and their effects on others
  9. how to recognise and deal with victims of electric shock (to include methods of safely isolating the power source and methods of first aid resuscitation)
  10. the importance of wearing protective clothing and other appropriate safety equipment during the maintenance activities
  11. hazards associated with carrying out maintenance activities on an integrated system (such as handling fluids, stored pressure/force, electrical supplies, process controller interface, using damaged or badly maintained tools and equipment, not following laid-down maintenance procedures) and how to minimise these and reduce any risks
  12. how to obtain and interpret drawings, charts, specifications, manufacturers' manuals, history/maintenance reports and other documents needed for the maintenance activities
  13. the basic principles of how the system functions, its operation sequence, the working purpose of individual units/components, and how they interact
  14. the various fault finding techniques that can be used, and how they are applied (such as half-split, input/output, emergent problem sequence, six point technique, functional testing, unit substitution, injection and sampling techniques, and equipment self-diagnostics)
  15. how to evaluate the various types of information available for fault diagnosis (such as operator reports, monitoring equipment, sensory inputs, machinery history records, and condition of the end product)
  16. how to evaluate sensory information from sight, sound, smell, touch
  17. the procedures to be followed to investigate faults, and how to deal with intermittent conditions
  18. how to use the various aids and reports available for fault diagnosis
  19. the types of equipment that can be used to aid fault diagnosis (such as mechanical measuring instruments, electrical measuring instruments, test rigs, and pressure and flow devices), and how to check the equipment is calibrated or configured correctly for the intended use, and that it is free from damage and defects
  20. the application of specific fault finding methods and techniques that are best suited to the problem
  21. how to analyse and evaluate possible characteristics and causes of specific faults/problems
  22. how to make use of previous reports/records of similar fault conditions
  23. how to evaluate the likely risk of running the equipment with the displayed fault, and the effects the fault could have on the overall process
  24. the procedure for obtaining replacement parts, materials and other consumables necessary for the maintenance
  25. company policy on repair/replacement of components during the maintenance activities
  26. the sequence to be adopted for dismantling and reassembling the equipment, to both sub-assembly and individual component level
  27. methods of removing components that have interference fits (expansion, contraction or pressure)
  28. the techniques used to dismantle/assemble integrated equipment (such as release of pressures/force, proof marking to aid assembly, plugging exposed pipe/component openings, dealing with soldered joints, screwed, clamped and crimped connections)
  29. methods of attaching identification marks/labels to removed components or cables, to assist with re-assembly
  30. methods of checking that components are fit for purpose, and the need to replace `lifed' items (such as seals, gaskets and bearings)
  31. how to make adjustments to components/assemblies, to ensure they function correctly
  32. how to check that tools and equipment are free from damage or defects, are in a safe and usable condition, and are configured correctly for the intended purpose
  33. the importance of making `off-load' checks before proving the equipment with the electrical supply on
  34. the generation of maintenance documentation and/or reports on completion of the maintenance activity
  35. the equipment operating and control procedures to be applied during the maintenance activity
  36. how to use lifting and handling equipment safely and correctly in the maintenance activity
  37. the problems that can occur during the maintenance activity, and how they can be overcome
  38. the organisational procedure to be adopted for the safe disposal of waste of all types of material
  39. how to conduct a systematic plan, do, check, act (PDCA) approach to problem-solving and business improvement
  40. how to evaluate improvement ideas in order to select those that are to be pursued
  41. how improvements to the process are achieved by engaging the knowledge and experience of the people working on the process
  42. how to create or update Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) maintenance schedules and plans.
  43. the techniques required to communicate information using visual control systems (such as card systems, colour coding, floor footprints, graphs and charts, team boards, tool/equipment shadow boards)
  44. the extent of your authority and to whom you should report if you have a problem that you cannot resolve

Scope/range

Scope Performance

​

  1. Lead a maintenance team by carrying out all the following:

    1. communicate the maintenance activities to the team
    2. involve the team in planning how the maintenance activities will be undertaken
    3. allocate specific maintenance activities to each team member
    4. involve the team in identifying improvements that could be made to the maintenance process and/or procedures
    5. encourage the team and/or individuals to take the lead where appropriate

  2. Review and update maintenance procedures and plans to include three the following:

    1. preventive maintenance (routine inspections, and adjustments)
    2. corrective maintenance (activities identified from preventative maintenance activities)
    3. predictive maintenance (analysis of the equipment's condition)
    4. reactive maintenance (unexpected equipment/component failure)
    5. maintenance prevention (equipment/component design and development)

plus supporting documentation associated with two **of the following
6. equipment performance
7. equipment downtime/failure
8. overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
9. maintenance costs
10. health and safety
11. staff development and training
12. maintenance procedures/instructions
13. operator manuals/working instructions
14. regulatory compliance

  1. Collect evidence regarding the fault from three **of the following sources:

    1. person or operator who reported the fault   
    2. sensory input (such as sight, sound, smell, touch)
    3. monitoring equipment or gauges              
    4. plant/machinery records
    5. recording devices                                
    6. condition of end product

  2. Use a range of fault diagnostic techniques, to include two of the following:

    1. half-split technique
    2. emergent sequence                               
    3. unit substitution
    4. input/output                                         
    5. function/performance testing
    6. six point technique                              
    7. injection and sampling
    8. equipment self diagnostics

  3. Use a variety of diagnostic aids and equipment, to include two of the following:

    1. manufacturer's manual                         
    2. physical layout diagrams
    3. algorithms                                          
    4. flow charts
    5. probability charts/reports                    
    6. fault analysis charts (such as fault trees)
    7. equipment self diagnostics                   
    8. trouble shooting guides

  4. Use two of the following types of test equipment to help in the fault diagnosis:

    1. mechanical measuring equipment (such as measuring instruments, dial test indicators, torque instruments)
    2. electrical/electronic measuring instruments (such as multimeters, logic probes)
    3. fluid power test equipment (such as test rigs, flow meters, pressure gauges)

  5. Find faults that have resulted in two of the following breakdown categories:

    1. intermittent problem
    2. partial failure/out-of-specification output
    3. complete breakdowns

  6. Carry out all of the following during the maintenance activity as applicable to the equipment being maintained:

    1. plan and communicate the maintenance activities to cause minimal disruption to normal working
    2. obtain and use the correct issue of company and/or manufacturers' drawings and maintenance documentation
    3. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
    4. ensure the safe isolation of equipment (such as mechanical, electricity, gas, air or fluids)
    5. provide and maintain safe access and working arrangements for the maintenance area
    6. carry out the maintenance activities using appropriate techniques and procedures
    7. reconnect and return the system to service on completion of the maintenance activities
    8. dispose of waste items in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner, and leave the work area in a safe condition

  7. Use appropriate dismantling and re-assembly techniques to deal with two of the following groups:

fluid power components:

1.  releasing stored pressure            
2.  chocking/supporting cylinders/rams/components
3.  disconnecting/removing hoses and pipes      
4.  removing and replacing units/components (such as pumps,                                                              valves, actuators)

electrical components:
5. isolating the power
6. removing/replacing minor electrical components(such as relays, sensing devices, limit switches)
7. disconnecting and reconnecting wires/cables           
8. removing and replacing major electrical components (such as motors, switch/control gear)                 
9. removing and replacing wiring enclosures (such as conduit, trunking, traywork)

process controller components*:*
10. de-activating and resetting program controller 
11. disconnecting/reconnecting wires/cables
12. re-loading programs and making minor amendments   
13. removing and replacing program logic peripherals
14. removing and replacing input/output interfacing       

* *

  1. Carry out maintenance activities on three of the following types of mechanical equipment:

    1. gearboxes                     
    2. processing plant
    3. production plant    
    4. mechanical structures  
    5. engines
    6. machine tools                     
    7. pumps                  
    8. conveyors/elevators
    9. lifting and handling equipment  
    10. compressors          
    11.  process control valves
    12. workholding arrangements    
    13. transfer equipment   
    14. other specific equipment

* *

  1. Carry out all of the following maintenance techniques, as applicable to the equipment being maintained:

    1. draining and removing fluids                        
    2. tightening fastenings to the required torque
    3. dismantling equipment to unit/sub-assembly level
    4. making `off-load' checks before powering up
    5. dismantling units to component level                      
    6. replenishing oils and greases
    7. proofmarking/labelling of components               
    8. functionally testing the complete system
    9. setting, aligning and adjusting replaced components    
    10. replacing damaged/defective components
    11. replacing all `lifed' items (such as seals, bearings, gaskets)      
    12. checking components for serviceability

  2. Replace/refit a range of mechanical components, to include seven of the following:

    1. shafts               
    2. valves and seats   
    3. cams and followers     
    4. pulleys and belts
    5. couplings       
    6. brakes 
    7. springs     
    8. slides
    9. gears               
    10. bearing and seals     
    11. chains and sprockets    
    12. levers and links
    13. clutches         
    14. fitting keys
    15. locking and retaining devices (such as circlips, pins)

* *

  1. Identify and implement improvements in the services provided by the maintenance team to include two of the following:

    1. equipment downtime during maintenance
    2. equipment performance monitoring systems
    3. overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
    4. maintenance procedures
    5. operator instructions
    6. visual management systems/documentation
    7. resource planning
    8. costs
    9. staff development and training
    10. health and safety
    11. procurement
    12. other specific improvement

  2. ensure that the maintenance activities comply with one of the following:

    1. organisational guidelines and procedures
    2. equipment manufacturer's operating specification/range
    3. British, European or International standards or directives
    4. recognised compliance agency/body standards or directives
    5. health, safety and environmental requirements
    6. customer standards and requirements

  3. complete the relevant paperwork from one of the following, and pass it to the appropriate people:

    1. job cards
    2. permits to work/formal risk assessment and/or sign on/off procedures
    3. maintenance log or report
    4. company-specific recording system

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

​Additional Information

You will be able to apply the appropriate behaviours required in the workplace to meet the job profile and overall company objectives, such as:

  • strong work ethic
  • positive attitude
  • team player
  • dependability
  • responsibility
  • honesty
  • integrity
  • motivation
  • commitment

Skills

Glossary

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

2

Indicative Review Date

2020

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Semta

Original URN

SEMEM4-45

Relevant Occupations

Corporate Managers and Senior Officials, Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Functional Managers

SOC Code

1121

Keywords

Engineering; leading; design; process; maintenance; quality; customer; function; features; objectives; manufacturing; installation; commissioning; testing; carrying out; problems; specifications; quality; research; evaluate; system; mechanical; equipment