Achieving Maintenance Excellence in Manufacturing Through Integration of Lean Six Sigma and Proactive Approaches: A Case Study

Achieving maintenance excellence is essential for enhancing operational efficiency, reducing unplanned downtime, and maintaining the performance of critical manufacturing systems. This study examines the integration of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) with proactive maintenance strategies—Risk-Based Inspection (RBI), Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)—to improve equipment reliability, extend asset lifespan, and optimize resource utilization. While LSS targets inefficiencies through continuous improvement, RBI, RCM, and TPM offer data-driven, proactive solutions for minimizing downtime and enhancing system performance. Despite their successes, the combined application of these methodologies in asset management remains largely unexplored. This paper introduces a novel framework that integrates LSS, RBI, RCM, and TPM to optimize asset performance by improving reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety (RAMS), while reducing risks and costs. The framework includes well-defined objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) to facilitate data-driven decisi on making and encourage ongoing improvements. Validated through a case study of a major shutdown maintenance project at a feedwater pumping station in a petrochemical company in Egypt, the framework demonstrated significant outcomes, including a 60 Parsant reduction in non-value-added time, a 43 Parsant decrease in downtime, and a 22 Parsant improvement in shutdown efficiency (from 27 Parsant to 49 Parsant). These results underscore the synergistic potential of integrating LSS, RBI, RCM, and TPM to optimize maintenance practices and enhance operational performance. This study provides valuable insights for both academics and industry professionals seeking to align maintenance strategies with organizational objectives and drive sustainable, long-term improvements.