Title: Maintenance planning and control of blast furnace section: a case study of SAIL Bhilai

Authors: Rupinder Singh; K. Navneet

Addresses: Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India ' Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Abstract: Modern technologies are characterised by the high level of automation deploying complex and sophisticated machines. The objective behind this is to achieve higher productivity and profit in an organisation. Therefore, it is always desirable to achieve maximum calculated output from every piece of equipment and machine in the industry. The reduction in downtime (maintenance time of the machine) is a step towards getting a maximum output from machines. In the present research work a systematic approach for maintenance planning and control (six step method) has been applied on one of the critical units, blast furnace section of SAIL Bhilai as a case study. Downtime has been reduced by analysing the failure pattern of critical parts of all types of machines/equipments. The study suggested that with a proposed maintenance plan, the downtime of a blast furnace section can be reduced by 20.31% and the monetary benefit to the company due to the new maintenance policy is of the order of Rs. 36, 50, 40, 000 INR. for one time maintenance in the total life span of the equipment.

Keywords: maintenance planning; maintenance control; blast furnaces; blast furnace sections; maintenance downtime; six-step method; maintenance policy; case study.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2014.060410

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2014 Vol.8 No.3, pp.275 - 299

Published online: 07 Jun 2014 *

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