Module Overview

This module focuses the student on the philosophy of plant maintenance incorporating an introduction to the fundamentals of sustainable manufacturing. Manufacturing operations are facing significant change in the challenges they face with the advent of Automation, the focus on lean methodologies, increased production requirements within rigid production schedules as well as the high cost of capital equipment. With new trends adding to the challenges such as rapid product development and ensuring environmentally sensitive production it is important that students are introduced to the basics of sustainable manufacturing – the systems and manufacturing processes used along with the approach to how products are developed.

The student learns the rudiments of differing maintenance philosophies and using both quantitative and qualitative techniques learns how to set-up a maintenance system, devising the structure, controls and required support systems. This knowledge is grounded in that of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and manufacturing excellence.

The basics of sustainable manufacturing philosophies and techniques are incorporated into this module through the use of case-studies and in-class discussions such that students learn how manufacturing operations are addressing their environmental and social responsibilities ensuring the longevity of their operations measured through the triple bottom line (TBL).