EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Management of Parts Stock

We have a large stock of spares which is tied in with our in-house database. We have a storeman who deals with the ordering and delivery of all stock and non-stock items amongst other things. The stock list is monitored and levels adjusted if needed. We decide whether to put an item on stock based on usage, numbers of equipment on inventory and how quickly the suppliers deliver the goods. Not everyone plays the J.I.T. card unfortunately.

For many years we have kept a small amount of "working spares" to deal with the more common faults that we see and have tried to convince users that standardisation will help us to be able to keep appropriate spares.

"Working spares" as apposed to stock because our Finance Department would have us doing frequent stock checks to prove the value of the spares we hold.

As for obtaining parts some of the suppliers in Medical Equipment Land are poor and many are very poor.

Lee

Spares, spares, spares!!

Preferably it would be more efficient to have a rolling stock of servicing type kits supported by fast moving spares, (bulbs, batteries etc. The remainder could stay with the manufacturer so as not to place the burden of wasting production time of a technician accounting for them. Just a thought. I'm sure that there is always a load of 'surplus' spares that lurk in workshops that never seem to be used, but that some one has to account for??

1) Tech finds that job needs parts
2) Tech tracks down details (price etc.)
3) Tech raises request for parts
4) Job becomes "awaiting parts"
5) ... short time passes
6) Parts get ordered (PO raised by Supplies)
7) ... long time passes
8) Parts arrive and get received
9) Parts get issued to the job
10) Job gets completed

Go back and repeat steps 1) to 10)!

How about:-

1) Tech finds that job needs parts
2) Tech selects parts from store
3) Parts get issued to the job
4) Job gets completed
5) Tech raises request to re-stock parts

Go back to 1) and repeat only 5 steps (and job gets completed at step 4)!

Meanwhile, it's back to:-

6) ... short time passes
7) Parts get ordered (PO raised by Supplies)
8) ... long time passes
9) Parts arrive and get received
10) Parts get issued to stock

My guess is that you're thinking of the Armed Forces (or similar) type of environment there, Fordy. I've tried the "parts kits" idea myself in the past (and it's an approach that I personally like - just grab the appropriate kit(s) and go)! Another nice aspect is that, nicely presented, they can be sold on (to another contractor, perhaps) once you've finished with them (...bet you didn't think of that)! But it takes a bit of work to design the kits, create and maintain them.

You're right that over-stocking (read as "done badly") of "proper" parts (circuit boards, assemblies) can tie up lots of capital. That's why it needs to be done properly! But, regarding all those "surplus" spares lurking about that you mention ... well I wouldn't worry about that (them) too much, as their value pales into insignificance when compared with the value of the kit being maintained, the costs of workshops, vehicle fleets, tools and test equipment, technicians' salaries, and all the rest. And, as for accounting for them ... well, let's just say that the NHS (for instance) isn't quite like the Army when it comes to that sort of thing.

So, the bottom line is:- the stocking of spares is a good thing, but (like everything else to do with tech support), it needs to be done properly!