that relates to product damage.”
Operational audits, by contrast, focus more on the overall
performance of a system. Indicators that an operation might
benefit from this type of audit tend to be more subtle than
the problems that typically prompt a maintenance audit.
“The DC or warehouse could be performing without any
problems, but you still may not be getting the performance
you want,” says Ruehrdanz. “The trigger may be that you are
just not getting the packages out the door. You are humming along, but you’re not meeting the desired rates. Or at
the end of the shift, you still have work and you have too
much overtime. Or maybe you start seeing some ergonomic issues or you are not getting the order accuracy you used
to. If any of your key metrics are going in the wrong direction, that’s a reason for an operational audit.
“An operational audit is all about evaluating the effective-
ness of the process,” he adds. “Areas of particular focus
include labor utilization, ergonomics, space utilization,
processing time, inventory accuracy, order accuracy, and
performance during peak time periods.”
An operational audit might reveal opportunities for tech-
nology upgrades—even in relatively new systems, says
Klueber. For example, auditors may be able to offer ideas
for enhancing throughput or energy efficiency.
WATCH AND LEARN
The key element of either type of audit is having an engineer observe the system in operation. While an in-house
maintenance staff may be able to get at some underlying
issues, this is a job for an outside specialist, the experts
agree. Ruehrdanz says the explanation lies in the reliability
of today’s systems. Because these units are so trouble-free,
he says, even DC maintenance professionals may find their
knowledge gets rusty because they deal with problems so
infrequently. For that reason, he and other conveyor professionals we spoke with encourage bringing in engineers who
work with automated systems every day.
“It’s like calling in the doctor, if you will,” Ruehrdanz says,
“someone who can walk through and check core indicators.
Let’s say you have a sliding shoe sorter. If you bring in a
technology expert who lives and breathes sliding shoe
sorters, who knows the mechanical and electrical controls
and the software, he will be able to make a diagnosis faster
than a maintenance staff. Your maintenance staff may be
darn good, but there may be things they are not aware of.”
As for what an audit entails, Bonham offers this descrip-
tion of his own company’s procedure. “Even before going
out, we review the system,” he says. “Then we go to the site
and basically walk through the system while it’s operating.
We talk to the operators, we talk to the mechanics. We get
feedback on what they are experiencing with the system.
Sometimes, the solution is as simple as fixing a guide rail.
Or it may be bearings—we do spot checks on things like
bearings and drive components. Then we usually go back
when the system is down and take a closer look at things.
Afterward, we compile a report on what things need repairs
and what areas need additional regular maintenance.”
The good news for DC managers is that neither type of
audit need disrupt their operations. In fact, doing the audit
requires the on-site analyst to watch the system in action. And
fixes, too, often can be completed with little or no interrup-
tion of operations. “Sometimes it is just a little adjustment,”
says Ruehrdanz. “Sometimes we can make tweaks right there.”
Either type of audit can take place relatively quickly. For
example, Klueber says Intelligrated’s specialist in opera-
tional audits will spend one to three days in an operation.
“He’ll just walk around and watch the systems run, watch
people working in the pick modules or loading and unload-
ing trucks. He’ll make some notes and run calculations and
make recommendations on modifying the work flow.”
Within days of the visit, the auditor should provide a
written report detailing observations and recommenda-
tions. “If there is really something glaring, that would be
called out and highlighted,” says Ruehrdanz.
MORE CALLS FOR AUDITS
Bonham reports that companies are seeking audits more fre-
quently than in the past. “They are becoming more popular,”
he says. “Maybe customers do not have the maintenance staff
they once had. Or because equipment is more technical, they
want technical expertise. Or rather than invest in a new sys-
tem, they want to make the existing system last longer.”
The best reason may be that an audit can be cheap, dis-
ruptions expensive. As Bonham says, “The cost of down-
time is going up.” ●
