How Production Loss Analysis (PLA) for the Process Industries Saves Companies Time, Money, and Headaches

Production Loss Analysis (PLA) enhances reliable operations by systematically identifying, quantifying, and categorizing production losses to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and asset utilization. Organizations can leverage their PLA processes to grasp their true production capacity, understand why planned production isn’t achieved, and make more informed, data-driven decisions to mitigate losses. 

How? By applying a cause to each loss to ultimately improve the OEE, reduce downtime, and optimize production processes. Key elements of an effective PLA process include:

• Data collection – organizations should gather data on planned vs. actual production, including events that cause losses.
• Loss categorization – organizations should classify losses into categories (e.g., equipment failure, planned downtime, reduced speed, etc.).
• Root cause analysis – organizations should investigate the reasons behind production losses and apply mitigation plans to address them.
• Action planning – organizations should create strategies to minimize or eliminate identified losses or potential losses.

Why does it matter? Organizations that understand and address production losses can enhance their asset performance, equipment reliability, and work processes. By identifying and mitigating the causes of downtime, they can ultimately increase production capacity and boost efficiency.

To effectively implement PLA, organizations must:

• Define production goals – establish clear production targets for each unit or process, develop repeatable targets based on maximum sustainable rates, and implement a system to update these as units age and/or production capabilities change.
• Collect production data – track planned and actual production output and any events that cause losses.
• Categorize losses – create a process for collaborating with cross-functional teams to assign losses to specific categories. Once root causes have been identified, this will facilitate analysis and allow for updates as more information becomes available.
• Analyze data – identify trends and patterns in production losses.
• Implement corrective actions – develop and implement strategies to address the root causes of losses.
• Monitor and evaluate – continuously track the effectiveness of corrective actions and adjust as needed.

Data-driven insights from the PLA process enable informed decisions about maintenance, resource allocation, and process optimization. While there are many tools available to support PLA efforts, none are more comprehensive than the Operational Sustainability^® OESuite^® PLA Module. With OESuite^®, users can achieve an overall foundation for understanding their true production capacity over time and the associated risks, thanks to its interoperable data collection, analysis, and reporting capabilities.

Connect with an OS expert to learn more