The hot rolling of steel sheets is a highly energy-intensive process. There are technical and operational issues associated with this process, and the causes of these issues can be various. This study involved analysis of one issue that has a great influence on the resulting surface quality of rolled sheet metal: rolled foreign material. After the sheet cools, rolled foreign material tends to fall off and a hole then remain on the surface of the sheet. This paper focuses on the search for the root causes of the occurrence of foreign material rolling. The basic categorization of the causes of this issue was performed by experienced long-term operators. The 4M method (man, machine, method, and material) was used to categorize the causes. Pairwise comparison was used to verify the result. Using energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis, the origin of the foreign material was identified. The analysis confirmed that the foreign material was not derived from the primary material. Further research showed that the cause of the issue was the guide rulers, which are a structural part of the rolling mill. Measures were taken to significantly reduce the incidence of the problem, which also had the effect of reducing financial losses, which fell by a third in 18 weeks. In the future, it will be necessary to make design changes (modernization of the rolling mill), which will, however, require more financial investment.

In general, it can be said that a project is a means of change so that the organization or individual obtain something they do not currently have, and which, in some respects, can ensure its functioning within the system in society, in the market, etc. Organizations often use different tools and techniques in project implementation to help manage projects. The selection of the optimal method requires a thorough systematic analysis. The chosen method must cover the requirements of project management with regard to its size and nature. One such tool is the ISO 21500 Guidance on project management standard, which defines the basic processes and documents needed for project management. The aim of this article is to propose a model through which it would be possible to effectively manage projects in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), i.e., where generally available international methodologies for project management are not introduced. The proposed model (referred to as Model B) was verified on projects in different SMEs in Slovakia. Mathematical evaluation presented in the paper as well as the knowledge and experience from this verification were summarized and the proposed Model B was modified (referred to as SMEPM: small and medium enterprises project management) so that it can be used in the implementation of other projects in the conditions of SMEs.

Maintenance management is connected with two opposing aspects, management costs and operational efficiency. With the implementation of new technology within the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) concept, new technical solutions are being created. These solutions (mainly robotic workplaces) must reach a maximum performance rate, production quality, and, of course, high availability. Their operation, during the whole life cycle, is expected to be absolutely safe with minimum maintenance costs. These trends, even though they seem to be optimistic, face a lot of problems. The conducted research follows up on the results of previous research aimed at the initial assessment Slovak industrial company readiness status for the I4.0 conception between 2017 and 2019. The aim of the ongoing research was to assess the readiness status in more than 70 industrial organizations in the selected area for the new concept of maintenance management (eMaintenance) and its relation to machinery integrated safety. The research was carried out by questioning, with the structure of individual questions and closed answers stemmed from the self-evaluation according to the new European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model (2020). The results of the research were presented to managements of questioned organizations and confirmed the assumptions about a low level of maintenance management transformation to eMaintenance.

Purpose: The paper aims to introduce the practical application of using Root-cause analysis (RCA) by chosen methods of continual improvement in solving non-conformity occurrence in an organisation operating in the automotive field.Methodology/Approach: The chosen tools of (RCA), which includes an extended version of 5W2H and 5Whys were applied. Both tools were systematically applied step by step in case of claim solving, which occurred in automotive production.Findings: Non-conformity, which occurred in this case, was analysed through RCA and helped not only to identify the problem but also solve it and find adequate preventive measures to avoid occurrence non-conformity in the future.Research Limitation/implication: Practical application of chosen tools shows how problems and non-conformities should be solved using systematic steps of a different tool. In some cases, if it is needed, other methods and tools can be added, as well as metrology verifications.Originality/Value of paper: The innovative element of these tools application is the introduction of the extended version of the 5W2H method from the customer’s perspective as well as from the organisation perspective. It is also clear that to solve customer’s claim, it is necessary to use a combination of more tools to make sure that that kind problem is not going to occur in the future.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine risk management practices and their impact on performance. Specifically, the study aimed to examine risk management practices as part of physical asset management and their impact on maintenance management and its performance.Methodology/Approach: The empirical data were obtained from 76 manufacturing companies. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) was applied to evaluate the measurement and structural model.Findings: The results emphasized the importance of integrating risk management practices into asset management processes in order to improve performance outcomes.Research Limitation/Implication: This study contributes to a better understanding of how companies could achieve higher performance results by implementing risk management practices. The results of this study can help managers identify key asset risk management practices. Despite the important implications that can be derived from this study, further research that would extend the model to include additional performance measures and/or asset management dimensions would be of great importance.Originality/Value of paper: By analyzing the interrelationships between asset risk management practices and their direct and indirect effects on maintenance performance, the study provides important insights for the development of strategies to promote the novel and important discipline of asset management.

This research focuses on proposing a framework based on an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for the selection/evaluation of managers in the field of asset management. A hierarchical structure is constructed, encompassing the set of competences under the role of risk management and performance improvement of the Institute of Asset Management’s (IAM’s) competences framework. It also describes the AHP implementation and illustrates the entire process with an example that uses IAM competences as model criteria. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out to confirm the robustness of the proposed methodology. As per the findings, the AHP was proven to be a usable and reliable method in selecting the most appropriate asset manager. Therefore, it can help organizations to plan and develop the competences they need to meet current and future needs. This study is among the few studies that focus on competence requirements for people working in asset management. As such, a novel approach for selecting managers in the field of asset management is proposed by this study.