Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) Study of an Ice Cream Industry

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Generally, English language should be improved. 

 

Author Response

Response to Reviewer #1 Comments:

Comments and Suggestions for Authors:

We would like to thank the Reviewer for his/her positive comments and valuable suggestions. We have carefully considered and actually utilized the essence of all the recommendations to improve our paper.

 

Generally, English language should be improved. 

Done; the paper was proof read in order to correct grammar and spelling mistakes.

Please also see the attachment file “Applsci-824149 Response to reviewers R1 10-6-2020”

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting and well-written case report. This report has the potential to be published. However, I suggest the following to be considered for improvement- 

1. Abstract- briefly clarify the purpose of this case report, the rationale for the RAM study and the implications of this report. 
2. Introduction- improve the rationale of your study. You could consider the questions such as - why this study is essential and what we do not know about this filed and what's new in your report?
3. Literature Review- Most of the articles used are quite dated. It would be better to use more latest (i.e. 2019, 2020) journal articles in this filed. 
4. Conclusion: This part is relatively weak in this report and needs to be strengthened further. Implications of the case report could be presented here as well. 

 

Author Response

Response to Reviewer #2 Comments:

Comments and Suggestions for Authors:

This is an interesting and well-written case report. This report has the potential to be published. However, I suggest the following to be considered for improvement- 

First of all we would like to thank the Reviewer for his/her positive comments and valuable suggestions. We have carefully considered and actually utilized the essence of all the recommendations to improve our paper.

 

1. Abstract- briefly clarify the purpose of this case report, the rationale for the RAM study and the implications of this report. 

Done; in the revised version of our manuscript based on Reviewer’s comments the Abstract pg. 2, line 12-22 has been changed to: “The purpose of this paper is to provide findings for a thorough review of reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) analysis utilizing failure data from an ice cream industry. The case study illustrated, shows how RAM analysis is very helpful in assessing maintenance intervals and in planning and organizing an effective maintenance strategy. RAM study was computed based on historical data gathered over a twelve-month period. Pareto analysis, descriptive statistics, trend and serial correlation test of the data were conducted. The parameters for failure and repair data were computed for each machine and the complete ice cream manufacturing system. The RAM analysis assesses the current operations management and improves the quality, productivity, and the performance of the line. It was found that: (a) preventive maintenance intervals for each machine and completed system for different reliability periods were calculated. (b) Two machines with the lowest reliabilities are the packaging machine and then on the freezer tunnel. The significance of these machines is vital and their maintenance must be thorough to avoid losses pertaining to quality and productivity, and (c) the worst maintainabilities occur at the exogenous machine, and on the ice cream machine, together with the complete production system. Moreover, as the RAM indices have been calculated to quantify and increase machines' performance, production managers and engineers can easily evaluate the next moves and decisions made with respect to the function of the system.”

 

2. Introduction- improve the rationale of your study. You could consider the questions such as - why this study is essential and what we do not know about this filed and what's new in your report?

Done; the relevant paragraphs in “Introduction” Section have been changed, in order to improve the rationale of our study.

The relevant line 46-47 has been changed to “RAM analysis is essential to increase the productivity, efficiency and the quality of the products. In addition, the RAM methodology guides us to the continuous improvement based on the Total Quality Management (TQM) principles. Reliability analysis is a crucial tool to determine how efficient a system is, and also to select a maintenance policy [8].”

 

The relevant line 46-47 has been changed to “It is believed that RAM is one of the most crucial fields for profitability improvement [15]. Furthermore, RAM will be instrumental in an increased environmental performance and safety, a vital element in maintenance of function, by contributing real and up to date database which concerns the genuine condition of the system. The RAM analysis in any industrial system is different because of various factors, e.g. the operating conditions of the system, the training level of the employees (operators, technicians, and managers), from the existing maintenance policy, etc. As a result, the system is particular and requires special know-how to solve it. This study may therefore be a valuable tool for product manufacturers wishing to develop their design and operation production lines.”

 

The relevant line 94-96 has been changed to “Conversely, there have been limited studies conducted on operations management, particularly centered on estimating functional reliability based on historical reliability data in food industry production lines. RAM analyses are common in different sectors of food industry i.e. croissant, wine, etc., but applying it to an ice cream industry is unique. This will help to use the research on other similar manufacturing plants of dairy products for deciding maintenance intervals, and for organizing and planning the effective maintenance policy.”

 

3. Literature Review- Most of the articles used are quite dated. It would be better to use more latest (i.e. 2019, 2020) journal articles in this filed. 

Done; ιn the revised version of our manuscript, we added some latest (i.e. 2019, 2020) journal articles. More specifically, we added the following papers in Introduction Section;

1. Patil, SS, and Bewoor, AK. Reliability analysis of a steam boiler system by expert judgment method and best-fit failure model method: a new approach. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. 2020, DOI 10.1108/IJQRM-01-2020-0023.
2. Żurek, J, Małachowski, J, Ziółkowski, J, Szkutnik-Rogoz, J. Reliability Analysis of Technical Means of Transport. Applied Sciences. 2020, 1-16.
3. Zeng,Y, Duan, R, Huang, S, Feng, T.  Reliability analysis for complex systems based on generalized stochastic petri nets and EDA approach considering common cause failure. Engineering Computations. 2020, 37 (5), 1513-1530.
4. Omoya, OA, Papadopoulou, KA, Lou, E. Reliability engineering application to pipeline design. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. 2019, 36 (9), 1644-1662.
5. Patil, RB. Integrated reliability and maintainability analysis of Computerized Numerical Control Turning Center considering the effects of human and organizational factors. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering. 2020, 26 (1), 87-103.
6. Tsarouhas P. Reliability, availability and maintainability analysis of a bag production industry based on the Six Sigma DMAIC approach. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 2020, DOI: 10.1108/IJLSS-09-2019-0101.
7. Zhang, X, Jiang, G, Zhang, H, Yun, X, Mei, X. Time-dependent reliability analysis of harmonic drive based on transient FEA and accelerated life test. Engineering Computations. 2020, DOI 10.1108/EC-10-2019-0466.
8. Jakkula, B, Raj, MG, Murthy, CSN. Maintenance management of load haul dumper using reliability analysis. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering. 2020, 26 (2), 290-310.
9. Zhang, J, Li, H Golizadeh, H, Zhao, C, Lyu, S, Jin, R. Reliability evaluation index for the integrated supply chain utilising BIM and lean approaches. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2020. 27 (5), 2020, 997-1038.
10. Choudhary, D., Tripathi, M. and Shankar, R. (2019). Reliability, availability and maintainability analysis of a cement plant: a case study. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management. 2019, 36 (3), 298-313.

 

4. Conclusion: This part is relatively weak in this report and needs to be strengthened further. Implications of the case report could be presented here as well. 

Done; a relevant paragraph in the “Conclusion” Section have been added, in order to clarify the implications of the case report. The relevant paragraph has been added in line 471: “There are many implications for this case study: (a) in deciding the maintenance periods both in scheduling and managing the correct maintenance policy, we showed how the study of RAM is especially beneficial. (b) In order to allow production managers to proceed safely from the next steps and decisions in respect to machines’ operation, RAM characteristics have been computed to evaluate and optimize System Performance. (c) The participation and cooperation for all levels of employees (operators, technicians, managers, etc.) in the RAM procedures was ensured. Moreover, this study offered encouragement for innovative thought of employees in order to meet the strategic goals of the organization.”

 

Please also see the attachment file “Applsci-824149 Response to reviewers R1 10-6-2020”

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Use in current bibliographic notes of the specialized literature.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer #3 Comments:

Comments and Suggestions for Authors:

We would like to thank the Reviewer for his/her positive comments and valuable suggestions. We have carefully considered and actually utilized the essence of all the recommendations to improve our paper.

Use in current bibliographic notes of the specialized literature.

Done; we have used the current bibliographic notes of the specialized literature by added more references:

1. Patil, SS, and Bewoor, AK. Reliability analysis of a steam boiler system by expert judgment method and best-fit failure model method: a new approach. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. 2020, DOI 10.1108/IJQRM-01-2020-0023.
2. Żurek, J, Małachowski, J, Ziółkowski, J, Szkutnik-Rogoz, J. Reliability Analysis of Technical Means of Transport. Applied Sciences. 2020, 1-16.
3. Zeng,Y, Duan, R, Huang, S, Feng, T.  Reliability analysis for complex systems based on generalized stochastic petri nets and EDA approach considering common cause failure. Engineering Computations. 2020, 37 (5), 1513-1530.
4. Omoya, OA, Papadopoulou, KA, Lou, E. Reliability engineering application to pipeline design. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management. 2019, 36 (9), 1644-1662.
5. Patil, RB. Integrated reliability and maintainability analysis of Computerized Numerical Control Turning Center considering the effects of human and organizational factors. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering. 2020, 26 (1), 87-103.
6. Tsarouhas P. Reliability, availability and maintainability analysis of a bag production industry based on the Six Sigma DMAIC approach. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 2020, DOI: 10.1108/IJLSS-09-2019-0101.
7. Zhang, X, Jiang, G, Zhang, H, Yun, X, Mei, X. Time-dependent reliability analysis of harmonic drive based on transient FEA and accelerated life test. Engineering Computations. 2020, DOI 10.1108/EC-10-2019-0466.
8. Jakkula, B, Raj, MG, Murthy, CSN. Maintenance management of load haul dumper using reliability analysis. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering. 2020, 26 (2), 290-310.
9. Zhang, J, Li, H Golizadeh, H, Zhao, C, Lyu, S, Jin, R. Reliability evaluation index for the integrated supply chain utilising BIM and lean approaches. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 2020. 27 (5), 2020, 997-1038.
10. Choudhary, D., Tripathi, M. and Shankar, R. (2019). Reliability, availability and maintainability analysis of a cement plant: a case study. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management. 2019, 36 (3), 298-313.

Please also see the attachment file “Applsci-824149 Response to reviewers R1 10-6-2020”

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments

This work is a response to a key problem encountered in the industry: how to increase the availability and reliability of a production machines and minimize downtime?

The work presented in this paper concerns an experimental study of the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system. This study is based on historical data collected over a twelve months period. Pareto analysis, descriptive statistics, a trend, and a serial correlation test of the data were performed. The parameters for failure of the entire ice cream manufacturing system such as TBF and TTR were studied, analyzed and interpreted. Reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) analysis assesses current operations management and improves the quality, productivity and performance of the line. The objective is to improve reliability and formulate a better maintenance strategy by using recognition of machines and vital faults.

The authors present a state of the art on analysis, measurement and parameters used in RAM analysis and on the importance of the RAM study to determine the efficiency of a system in terms of profitability, environmental security and to select a maintenance policy. The authors also present a detailed state of the art on RAM analysis in the food industry production lines (automatic pizza production line, a meat shaving and packaging line, wine packaging and cake manufacturing systems, bread making machine, canning and bottling and dairy products).

The authors also give definitions of the different types of maintenance (corrective, preventive and predictive) and maintainability in this paper. These definitions show the importance of this study.

The authors present in detail the different stages of the study and analysis of the failure parameters of the ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system as well as the interpretation of the results obtained: (i) establishment of the failure database and the operation administration of plant over a period of 12 months (records of failures by period, breakdowns occurring by work period and the immediate actions necessary for the personnel of maintenance to repair a breakdown), (ii) descriptive statistics from the failure database (TBF and TTR) for each machine and for the complete ice cream manufacturing system were presented, (iii) trend test and serial correlation test for an ice cream manufacturing system. All these studies make it possible to study the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system.

The work carried out by the authors corresponds well to the current problem of monitoring the failure parameters of production machines in the context of predictive maintenance. The work presented in this paper concerns an experimental study of the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system. The results obtained are interesting and very promising.

However, the authors should specify in abstract their scientific contribution to this study and show the originality of this study.

This paper may be published after clarification by the authors of the above remarks.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Response to Reviewer #4 Comments:

Comments and Suggestions for Authors:

This work is a response to a key problem encountered in the industry: how to increase the availability and reliability of a production machines and minimize downtime?

The work presented in this paper concerns an experimental study of the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system. This study is based on historical data collected over a twelve months period. Pareto analysis, descriptive statistics, a trend, and a serial correlation test of the data were performed. The parameters for failure of the entire ice cream manufacturing system such as TBF and TTR were studied, analyzed and interpreted. Reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) analysis assesses current operations management and improves the quality, productivity and performance of the line. The objective is to improve reliability and formulate a better maintenance strategy by using recognition of machines and vital faults.

The authors present a state of the art on analysis, measurement and parameters used in RAM analysis and on the importance of the RAM study to determine the efficiency of a system in terms of profitability, environmental security and to select a maintenance policy. The authors also present a detailed state of the art on RAM analysis in the food industry production lines (automatic pizza production line, a meat shaving and packaging line, wine packaging and cake manufacturing systems, bread making machine, canning and bottling and dairy products).

The authors also give definitions of the different types of maintenance (corrective, preventive and predictive) and maintainability in this paper. These definitions show the importance of this study.

The authors present in detail the different stages of the study and analysis of the failure parameters of the ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system as well as the interpretation of the results obtained: (i) establishment of the failure database and the operation administration of plant over a period of 12 months (records of failures by period, breakdowns occurring by work period and the immediate actions necessary for the personnel of maintenance to repair a breakdown), (ii) descriptive statistics from the failure database (TBF and TTR) for each machine and for the complete ice cream manufacturing system were presented, (iii) trend test and serial correlation test for an ice cream manufacturing system. All these studies make it possible to study the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system.

The work carried out by the authors corresponds well to the current problem of monitoring the failure parameters of production machines in the context of predictive maintenance. The work presented in this paper concerns an experimental study of the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system. The results obtained are interesting and very promising.

We would like to thank the Reviewer for his/her positive comments and valuable suggestions. We have carefully considered and actually utilized the essence of all the recommendations to improve our paper.

 

However, the authors should specify in abstract their scientific contribution to this study and show the originality of this study.

This paper may be published after clarification by the authors of the above remarks.

Done; in the revised version of our manuscript based on Reviewer’s comments the Abstract pg. 2, line 12-22 has been changed to: “The purpose of this paper is to provide findings for a thorough review of reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) analysis utilizing failure data from an ice cream industry. The case study illustrated, shows how RAM analysis is very helpful in assessing maintenance intervals and in planning and organizing an effective maintenance strategy. RAM study was computed based on historical data gathered over a twelve-month period. Pareto analysis, descriptive statistics, trend and serial correlation test of the data were conducted. The parameters for failure and repair data were computed for each machine and the complete ice cream manufacturing system. The RAM analysis assesses the current operations management and improves the quality, productivity, and the performance of the line. It was found that: (a) preventive maintenance intervals for each machine and completed system for different reliability periods were calculated. (b) Two machines with the lowest reliabilities are the packaging machine and then on the freezer tunnel. The significance of these machines is vital and their maintenance must be thorough to avoid losses pertaining to quality and productivity, and (c) the worst maintainabilities occur at the exogenous machine, and on the ice cream machine, together with the complete production system. Moreover, as the RAM indices have been calculated to quantify and increase machines' performance, production managers and engineers can easily evaluate the next moves and decisions made with respect to the function of the system.”

 

Furthermore, in various points of our manuscript we added the following in order to clarify scientific contribution and the originality of this study. More specifically:

The relevant line 46-47 has been changed to “It is believed that RAM is one of the most crucial fields for profitability improvement [15]. Furthermore, RAM will be instrumental in an increased environmental performance and safety, a vital element in maintenance of function, by contributing real and up to date database which concerns the genuine condition of the system. The RAM analysis in any industrial system is different because of various factors, e.g. the operating conditions of the system, the training level of the employees (operators, technicians, and managers), from the existing maintenance policy, etc. As a result, the system is particular and requires special know-how to solve it. This study may therefore be a valuable tool for product manufacturers wishing to develop their design and operation production lines.”

 

The relevant line 94-96 has been changed to “Conversely, there have been limited studies conducted on operations management, particularly centered on estimating functional reliability based on historical reliability data in food industry production lines. RAM analyses are common in different sectors of food industry i.e. croissant, wine, etc., but applying it to an ice cream industry is unique. This will help to use the research on other similar manufacturing plants of dairy products for deciding maintenance intervals, and for organizing and planning the effective maintenance policy.”

 

In the “Conclusion” Section, we added in line 471: “There are many implications for this case study: (a) in deciding the maintenance periods both in scheduling and managing the correct maintenance policy, we showed how the study of RAM is especially beneficial. (b) In order to allow production managers to proceed safely from the next steps and decisions in respect to machines’ operation, RAM characteristics have been computed to evaluate and optimize System Performance. (c) The participation and cooperation for all levels of employees (operators, technicians, managers, etc.) in the RAM procedures was ensured. Moreover, this study offered encouragement for innovative thought of employees in order to meet the strategic goals of the organization.”

 

Please also see the attachment file “Applsci-824149 Response to reviewers R1 10-6-2020”

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The work is well structured and the indicated corrections have been made.

Reviewer 2 Report

Most of the issues raised were addressed. So, I think it is in good form to publish. 

Reviewer 4 Report

Journal: Applied SciencesManuscript ID: applsci-824149Type of manuscript: Case ReportTitle: Reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) study of an ice cream industryAuthors: Panagiotis Tsarouhas Submitted to section: Applied Industrial Technologies,

Comments

In this second version, the authors have made ​​changes corresponding to the remarks I made.
In particular:

The authors specified in the abstract their scientific contribution to this study and show the originality of this study.

The authors have provided new references.

The work carried out by the authors corresponds well to the current problem of monitoring the failure parameters of production machines in the context of predictive maintenance. The work presented in this paper concerns an experimental study of the reliability and maintainability of the complete ice cream manufacturing system and each equipment constituting the system. The results obtained are interesting and very promising.

So this article deserves to be published.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf