Turnaround time is the total time it takes to complete a specific task or process from start to finish. It's often confused with downtime, but while downtime refers to the period when a system or asset is not operational, turnaround time focuses on the entire duration of a process, including planning, execution, and completion.
Think of it as the time between when you submit a request and when you receive the final result. Whether it’s a manufacturing process, a computing task, or a warehouse order, turnaround time measures how quickly a system can deliver what it was asked to do.
In industrial environments, turnaround time typically refers to the time an asset—like a boiler, pressure vessel, or entire plant—is taken offline for maintenance, upgrades, or critical repairs. During this time, no production occurs, which is why it's also called a "plant shutdown" or "turnaround."
In computing, turnaround time is the time between the submission of a job and the delivery of its output. In logistics and warehousing, it’s the time from when an order is placed until it is fulfilled and shipped out.
Understanding and managing turnaround time is crucial for efficiency and profitability. The faster a process can be completed, the more productive a company can be. However, there are always trade-offs between speed and safety, especially in high-risk environments like power plants or oil refineries.
At an industrial plant, turnaround time is the time required to shut down a specific piece of equipment or the entire facility to perform necessary maintenance, upgrades, or repairs. This period is often referred to as "downtime," "planned outage," or "plant turnaround." During this time, operations come to a halt so that workers can safely inspect, repair, or replace critical components.
If the entire plant needs to be shut down, the turnaround time refers to the full period during which the facility is offline. This can last days, weeks, or even months, depending on the scale of the work involved.
Turnaround time is not just about waiting—it’s about the time needed to complete a complex set of tasks that bring a system back online. These tasks may include inspections, repairs, replacements, upgrades, or even adjustments due to external factors like new regulations or global events.
Planned turnarounds are usually scheduled in advance, allowing teams to prepare and allocate resources. However, unplanned downtime can also occur due to emergencies or unexpected failures, and these situations still count as part of the overall turnaround time.
Turnaround time is directly tied to productivity and profitability. When a plant or system is offline, it cannot generate revenue. For industries like power generation, even a few hours of downtime can cost thousands of dollars in lost income.
The goal for most companies is to minimize turnaround time without compromising safety or quality. Faster turnarounds mean more uptime, more production, and more profit. In sectors like shipping, logistics, and energy, reducing turnaround time can lead to significant financial gains.
For example, in the power industry, every minute a plant is off-line represents a loss of potential revenue. Companies invest heavily in optimizing their turnaround processes to reduce these losses and improve overall efficiency.
However, it's important to balance speed with safety. Rushing through a turnaround can lead to errors, rework, and even accidents. Therefore, careful planning and execution are essential to achieving efficient and safe operations.
Reducing turnaround time is a key objective for many industrial and logistical operations. Here are five effective steps to help achieve this goal:
While the five steps above are essential, incorporating advanced technology like drones can offer an extra boost in efficiency. Drones, especially those designed for industrial use such as the Elios 3 by Flyability, are revolutionizing the way inspections are conducted.
Here are two major ways drones help reduce turnaround times:
Inspecting confined spaces like boilers or pressure vessels often requires building scaffolding, which can take days to install and remove. With drones, inspectors can fly into these areas, collect high-quality visual data, and exit without the need for temporary structures. This eliminates the time and effort required for scaffolding setup and removal.
While scaffolding is still necessary for repairs, the data collected by drones allows for precise targeting of problem areas, minimizing the amount of scaffolding needed and reducing overall downtime.
Drones can capture visual data much faster than human inspectors. For instance, one customer reported that using the Elios 2 drone cut inspection time by two-thirds compared to manual methods. While a traditional inspection might take 30 hours, the same task could be completed in just 10 hours with a drone.
This time savings translates to significant cost reductions and increased operational efficiency. By speeding up the inspection process, companies can get back online faster and resume production sooner.
Using drones not only improves efficiency but also enhances safety by reducing the need for personnel to enter hazardous environments. As a result, companies can achieve faster, safer, and more cost-effective turnarounds.
With real-world success stories showing millions in savings, it's clear that integrating drone technology into turnaround processes is a smart and strategic move for modern industries.
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