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Showing posts with the label CementPlant

Three days in and around the plant: Shutdown, Sunday, Systems.

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6th April 2026 The last three days have been deeply satisfying. Not just productive, but meaningful. Saturday started with clarity. In the morning standing meeting, I explained my concept of *11S3*. 110 days of operation + 11 days of shutdown makes one cycle of 121 days. Three such cycles in a year. 363 days. That translates into 330 strong kiln running days with planned, controlled shutdowns. For the team, this was a moment of connection. They could finally see the logic behind the number I have been repeating as our annual target. It is not just a number. It is a structured way of running the plant. Simple. Practical. Proven. More importantly, I explained what makes it work. The strength lies in building the pillars of TPM. One by one, I connected each pillar to what we have been doing over the past seven months. That realization was important for them. Nothing we are doing is random. Everything is part of a system. Sunday was refreshing in a different way. A road trip around the pla...

Shutdowns: A Challenge or an Opportunity? Only Preparation Decides

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Unplanned stoppages are bad.  But shutdowns can be a big opportunity — A really big opportunity… IF ONLY WE ARE PREPARED, our job-lists are ready. There are two types of job-lists for any shutdown: 1. Standard Job-List This is the list of jobs that we perform as part of our standard inspection and maintenance routines (mostly preventive maintenance). Process Department: checks refractory conditions in cooler, kiln, and preheater; dip tube, feedpipe, flap valve condition, etc., and carries out the necessary maintenance. Mechanical Department: checks DPC, cooler, kiln supporting roller bearings, drive, HTD, bucket elevator, blowers, process fans, mill internals, screw conveyors, etc., and performs the required maintenance. Electrical Department: checks HT/LT panels, circuit breakers, cable terminations, MCCs, motors, lighting systems, earthing, and ensures functionality of interlocks and protection systems. Instrument Department: calibrates and maintains field instr...