Emergency Process Changes
Barbara Kanegsberg
It’s seemingly inevitable. The critical cleaning process fails; a chemical
becomes unavailable; process equipment suffers an irreversible meltdown;
some one from a regulatory agency threatens grave consequences if you continue
with the process. You or your manager or your customer shouts: “Do
something! Do anything! Just make it work! Get product out the door or else.” Process
breakdown can be avoided. Here are 10 cleaning process emergencies along
with ways to avoid at least some of them.
Summary: Critical Cleaning Process Emergencies and How to Avoid Them
Problem |
Details |
How to avoid emergency |
| Personnel changes | • Person who runs the
process gets sick, gets promoted, runs off to Tahiti, quits, retires • New, inexperienced employees put in change of cleaning process • The procedures are not clearly written • No one can find the procedures |
• Understand what the “old-timer” is
actually doing • Observe the “old-timer” while the process is actually working • Educate, observe, mentor the new people • Treat critical cleaning processes and the people who run the processes with respect |
| Cleaning chemistry reformulation | • cleaning chemistry
looks different, smells different • change in performance, rinsing properties • decrease in soil loading (have to change the bath more often) |
• Get your suppliers
to agree not to change the product • Require your suppliers to notify you in advance of changes |
| Your product line changes | • your designers make an “improved” product • your customer sends newer, smaller products |
• make the cleaning
process part of the design process (and maybe part of the job performance
review) • Determine if new designs will result in new critical cleaning requirements |
| Materials of construction changes | • new products introduced • existing materials of construction change unexpectedly |
• for new products,
determine if the new materials are compatible with the cleaning process • for existing materials, keep track of batches, lot numbers, do incoming cleaning inspection of critical materials |
| Production volume increases | • shortened bath life • soil loading • pH changes • equipment breakdown |
• keep tabs on total
process flow • review preventive maintenance procedures • consider increasing frequency of maintenance, bath changeout |
| Cleaning equipment breakdown | • unexpected equipment
breakdown • automation problems • fixturing problems |
• review preventive
maintenance procedures • review process flow, production volume • develop employee education programs |
| Cleaning chemistry no longer available | • cleaning agent company
goes out of business • secret formula lost • regulatory issues |
• have an alternative
cleaning agent or process ready to go • avoid depending on “mystery mixes” • keep track of the global, national, and local regulatory situation |
| Regulatory constraints | • chemical phased out • process control change |
• Please see “cleaning
chemistry no longer available” • Check the regulatory websites • Do not depend on your cleaning agent vendor or environmental consultant to “get you out of” having to comply. • Budget in advance for new process equipment |
| New customer (or corporate) requirements | • customer increases
cleaning requirements • customer restricts allowable chemicals |
• determine if it is
a true requirement • see if you can readily change the process • if the product will be compromised: communicate, negotiate |
| Mystery failure | • “sudden” cleaning process failure | • is it a real problem
or employee perception? • is it truly a sudden problem? • detective time: what events lead up to the problem? • Something changed: WHAT WAS IT? • Try not to panic • Try to avoid the “buckshot” approach • Approach systematically • Work with an experienced critical cleaning consultant; may we suggest contacting us at BFK Solutions |
This summary is provided to help you avoid unnecessary cleaning process emergencies. We will provide additional information in future articles. By avoiding emergencies, you can do true process improvement – a key to a more cost-effective, competitive, quality product.
Ref: “ You Can’t Use It: Good Reasons” and “You Can’t
Use It: Overstatements, Conflicts, and Urban Legends,” Clean Source,
Volume 2, issue 1, 2005.
