Driving Cost Reduction and Carbon Plant Productivity Improvement through Theory of Constraints and Planned Maintenance Capability

Abstract

Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a management approach that gives clear context for decision-making and can lead to lower cost and more efficient Smelter operations. TOC avoids local (sub) optimization and ensures that actions are aligned with “end-to-end” process performance. When a Smelter TOC operating strategy is cascaded down to the Carbon Plant, and then to the Paste Plant, it provides context for how to best approach Paste Plant operating and maintenance activities. In addition to defining the most appropriate strategy, TOC principles and tools can be applied to activities such as routine maintenance and larger non-routine maintenance projects. For example, Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is a TOC technique that increases the speed and quality of these activities and can increase asset reliability and available run time, giving lower cost production runs and greater predictability. This paper describes the cascading of TOC thinking and strategies down through a Smelter, leading to an example of how CCPM can be applied to a Carbon Plant maintenance project.