Downtime
Downtime records when a work centre stood still and why. It is the other half of the production picture: how much was made is only meaningful next to how much time was available to make it in. The log feeds the Downtime and OEE report, which is where lost capacity becomes an argument for doing something about it.
Recording a stop
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Work Centre | Which centre stood still. Required. |
| From / Stop | When it started and when it ended. The end must be after the start. |
| Hours | Worked out from the two. |
| Reason | From the downtime reasons list. A stop with none shows as No reason given. |
| Memo | What actually happened. |
Why a reason list
Free text produces twenty descriptions of the same stoppage and no way to add them up. A fixed list of reasons — set up under shop floor settings — turns the log into a ranking of what is actually costing you time.
Entries reading No reason given are the ones to chase. A recorded stop with no reason tells you capacity was lost and nothing about why, which is the least useful record it is possible to keep.
What it feeds
| Report | Uses downtime for |
|---|---|
| Downtime and OEE | Overall equipment effectiveness — availability against performance and quality. |
| Work Centre Load | Capacity actually available against capacity planned. |
Keeping it honest
Downtime that is not recorded appears as capacity that existed and was not used, which reads as a people problem rather than a machine problem. Recording stops accurately is what protects the shop floor from that conclusion, which is usually the argument that gets it done.
Related pages
- Shop floor settings — work centres and downtime reasons
- Work Centres
- Manufacturing Reports — Downtime and OEE
- The Board — what is running now