Enhancing shutdown maintenance performance using Lean Six Sigma: a case study

What is it about?

This paper proposes a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) framework to optimize shutdown maintenance for critical equipment, aiming to improve safety, reliability, and reduce downtime and production losses. The research follows the LSS-DMAIC methodology and utilizes a case study to demonstrate its practical application. The case study, focused on a feedwater pumping station at a petrochemical company in Egypt, showed a 60% reduction in non-value-added time, a 43% decrease in downtime, and a 22% improvement in shutdown efficiency. While the case study was limited to one industrial site, the findings offer valuable insights for enhancing maintenance practices and can guide future research and application in similar settings. This study is among the few to apply LSS to shutdown maintenance, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving maintenance efficiency and supporting continuous improvement.

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