Maintenance Technician

SUMMARY:
New role is available for a Maintenance Technician for our client in the Automotive Industry, based in Kariega.

POSITION INFO:
Role Purpose:
Take ownership of all plant stoppage and breakdown analysis, providing comprehensive statistical reports and identifying root causes to support preventative and predictive maintenance strategies. Monitor maintenance KPIs and support the team in minimizing downtime by assisting in fault resolution and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Analyse all plant stoppages and equipment breakdowns; compile statistical reports and summaries to track performance and trends.
• Maintain historical data and provide regular insights into maintenance KPIs.
• Drive and support preventative and predictive maintenance initiatives to enhance equipment reliability.
• Assist maintenance personnel in resolving breakdowns to minimize production downtime.

Core Tasks:

• Diagnose, repair, and manage spare parts for various equipment including welding guns, servo-pneumatic valves, transmission modules, tucker guns, and sealer equipment.
• Troubleshoot robotic communication issues by adjusting robotic programs to prevent recurring faults and ensure production continuity.
• Analyse, repair, and optimise failures in sealer, toxing, welding, laser, bolting, and rivet joining technologies to maintain quality and production efficiency.
• Investigate and resolve PLC-related issues by analysing programs and addressing Interbus or Profinet network faults.
• Set up, fault find, and program SEW drives using diagnostic tools such as Movitools and Motion Studio.
• Modify and enhance HMI diagnostic software to streamline fault detection and reduce downtime.
• Conduct in-depth root cause analysis on severe or repetitive stoppages, proposing corrective and preventative actions.
• Collaborate with equipment suppliers and Group technology specialists for advanced troubleshooting and long-term solutions.
• Document all breakdowns, interventions, and solutions using the Knowledge Management System, TPM sheets, and PM schedules to ensure traceability and knowledge sharing.
• Perform immediate post-breakdown root cause analysis and ensure accurate documentation on control sheets.
• Ensure robot safety circuits are operational and compliant with relevant safety standards.
• Maintain current backups of robot and PLC programs for swift recovery in the event of data loss.

Qualifications:

• National Nated Diploma / National Diploma / BTech / BEng / BSc in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years in a maintenance role within a vehicle manufacturing or industrial technical environment.

Essential Skills & Requirements:

• Proficient in reading E-Plan electrical and pneumatic schematics.
• Strong analytical and diagnostic skills, with proven problem-solving abilities.
• Willingness to undergo and pass job-related assessments.
• Flexibility to work shifts, weekends, public holidays, and plant shutdowns as required.
• Availability for standby duty.
• Successful completion of VASS (compulsory internal certification).
• Demonstrated good attendance and reliability record.

Preferred / Advantageous:

• Siemens PLC and robot programming training.