Improvements to the preventive maintenance plan in the tuna cannery to reduce thermoeconomic cost

Abstract

In Ecuador, tuna canning companies generally do not implement Preventive Maintenance strategies. Thermoeconomic costs, which include both energy costs and economic costs associated with production downtime and urgent repairs, can be significantly reduced through the application of preventive maintenance techniques. The main objective of this study was to propose improvements to the Preventive Maintenance plan to reduce thermoeconomic costs in Ecuadorian tuna canning companies. The methods used were interviews and surveys with experts and employees, linked to the previously conducted diagnosis of the current status. The main result obtained was the development of a preventive maintenance plan that contributed to the reduction of thermoeconomic costs in the tuna canning company. The main failures suffered by assets in a tuna canning company and their relationship with the lack of preventive maintenance were identified, as well as the thermoeconomic costs associated with critical systems and assets, which significantly improved with the proposals to the current preventive maintenance plan.