Availability in OEE measures the percentage of planned production time actually spent running the production process.
It’s calculated as the ratio of Run Time to Planned Production Time.
Run Time refers to the duration the production process is operational, excluding stoppages.
This includes both unplanned stops, such as equipment failures and material shortages, and planned stops, like changeover time.
How to Calculate Availability
To calculate availability, divide the actual Run Time by the Planned Production Time:
Availability = Run Time / Planned Production Time
Importance in Overall Equipment Effectiveness
Availability is a critical factor in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
Alongside Performance and Quality, it helps in understanding and improving manufacturing productivity.
Identifying and addressing the root causes of downtime is essential for reducing losses.
By improving availability, you can enhance the proportion of actual production time, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
Components of Availability in OEE
Availability in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) measures the percentage of planned production time that is actually available for production.
It includes both planned and unplanned downtime, which can significantly impact manufacturing efficiency.
Planned and Unplanned Downtime
Planned downtime includes maintenance shutdowns, changeovers, and major plant overhauls.
Exclude this from OEE calculations, but certain planned stops like changeover time should be included to gauge true production potential.
Unplanned downtime covers equipment failures and material shortages.
These events must be included in the OEE calculation as they reduce Overall Equipment Effectiveness.
Real-time Monitoring
Real-time OEE monitoring software helps mitigate unplanned downtime and optimises planned downtime.
It provides immediate data on equipment performance, enabling quick responses to any issues. This leads to an accurate and continuous improvement of availability in manufacturing processes.
