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CILT checklists that stay as current as your machines

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CILT checklists: the EZ-GO app on a tablet at the line

CILT stands for cleaning, inspection, lubrication, and tightening: the four basic tasks that keep a machine in its original condition. It is the daily core of autonomous maintenance.

In the EZ-GO platform, every CILT task has its own machine, frequency, shift, and photo of what good looks like. Operators carry out the round on a tablet at the line, and the standard can be updated as soon as the machine or the method changes.

Where CILT standards fall behind the machine

The metallising process at Kvadrat Shade

Most CILT standards start strong. The team walks the machine, marks every cleaning, inspection, and lubrication point, and agrees on a frequency for each one. A year later, the standard no longer matches the machine. Points were added or moved, some frequencies turned out too high and others too low, and the photos show a machine that has been modified twice since.

Changing the standard usually means asking the one person who manages the file, so changes wait. In the meantime, operators do what makes sense to them today, and each shift does the round a little differently.

A CILT standard works when it stays as current as the machine. That takes a quick way to change it, and data that shows which points need a change.

How the EZ-GO platform supports each CILT task

Cleaning: clean to inspect

Each cleaning task shows the area with a photo of the clean result, so operators know when the job is done. Cleaning is also the best moment to spot abnormalities, so the cleaning task can include the inspection points of that area. Leaks, wear, and loose parts that operators find during cleaning are reported right away, with a photo.

Inspection: clear criteria at every point

Every inspection point has a clear criterion: OK or not OK, a value within a limit, or a photo to compare with. Operators record the result in the app. When a point is outside the standard, the operator turns it into an action and involves the team leader or maintenance, with the photo attached. Safety devices such as guards, light curtains, and emergency stops can be checked in the same round. See this checklist for safety devices.

Lubrication: the right point, lubricant, and amount

A lubrication task shows which point, which lubricant, and how much, with a photo or short video of the point itself. Lubrication points with a monthly frequency are easy to forget. In the EZ-GO platform, they show up at the start of the right shift, so they are done on time. When a point can only be reached with the machine stopped, the safety steps, such as a lockout and tagout checklist, are part of the same task.

Tasks per shift, day, and week in the EZ-GO app

Tightening: check what works loose

Tightening tasks list the bolts and connections that tend to work loose from vibration, with a photo of each one. If you use match marks, the photo shows what a correct mark looks like, so operators can quickly see whether a bolt has moved.

For a single CILT task, a one-point lesson with photos or a short video at the machine is often enough.

Work instruction with photos in the EZ-GO app

Keep the standard as current as the machine

A compact production line at Aviko Rixona

Change the standard where the work happens. When a step can be done better, the operator proposes the change in an action, with a new photo from the tablet. The person responsible for the standard reviews the proposal, gives feedback, and updates the standard. Every shift sees the new version at the same moment.

Adjust frequencies based on what operators find. Sign-offs and findings per task show where a point keeps causing problems and needs a shorter interval or a structural fix. They also show where a check never finds anything and may be done too often.

Copy a standard that works. A CILT standard for one machine can be copied to similar machines, lines, and sites, and adjusted where the machines differ. Other sites receive it in their inbox and adopt it as it is or with changes.

Open the right task at the machine. With a QR code on the machine, operators open its CILT tasks and instructions in one scan.

Why CILT rounds slip in daily work, and what that costs, is covered on the autonomous maintenance page.

An example from the line

On a packaging line, conveyor 3 stops a few times per shift. The cause is the optical sensor that detects the cartons: when it gets dirty, it gives false signals. Some operators wipe it with a damp cloth while the line runs, which risks a short circuit and still leaves streaks on the lens.

The team turns the right method into a CILT task with a one-point lesson: switch off the machine at the main switch, clean the sensor with a dry, lint-free cloth, check that the lens is clean, and never use water. The task shows up once per shift with a photo of a clean lens. Operators sign it off on the tablet. If the false stops come back, the team leader can see right away whether the cleaning was done and on which shift.

Questions about CILT checklists

What is a CILT checklist?

A CILT checklist, also called an autonomous maintenance checklist, lists the cleaning, inspection, lubrication, and tightening tasks for a machine, with the standard for each point and how often it must be done. In the EZ-GO platform, the CILT checklist is digital: each task shows up for the right operator on the right shift, with photos of the expected result, and every sign-off and finding is recorded. Read how to create a good checklist.

How often should CILT tasks be done?

It depends on the machine, the manufacturer's guidelines, and the conditions it runs in. Five factors usually decide the right frequency: legal requirements, the type of machine, the risks, the history of breakdowns and incidents, and how intensively the machine runs. Most teams start with the manufacturer's intervals and their own experience, then adjust based on what operators find. In the EZ-GO platform, you can plan CILT tasks per shift, day, week, or month, and change the frequency when the findings show it is needed. Read more about how often to schedule checks and measurements.

What is the difference between CILT and autonomous maintenance?

CILT is the daily content of autonomous maintenance: the four basic tasks operators do on their own machines. Autonomous maintenance is the wider program around it, including operator skills, reporting defects to maintenance, and step audits. Read more about autonomous maintenance and how it fits into TPM.

Can operators change a CILT standard themselves?

Not directly. An operator proposes a better step in an action and adds a new photo from the tablet. The person responsible for the standard reviews the proposal, gives feedback, and updates the standard, for example after the team meeting.

Does CILT cover hygiene cleaning in food production?

CILT cleaning is about the condition of the machine: cleaning to find wear, leaks, and loose parts. Hygiene cleaning, such as sanitation and allergen changeovers, has its own requirements and records. Both can run in the EZ-GO platform as separate tasks. Read more about quality and hygiene.

How do we move our current CILT lists into the EZ-GO platform?

Key users build the tasks for each machine, with photos and videos from your own line. Most teams start with one machine or line and use the move as a moment to check every point and frequency, instead of copying the current lists one-to-one. Importing existing lists is possible, but we advise against it, because the move is the best moment to check every point.

Ready to see your CILT standards at the machine?

In a short demo, we show you how a CILT round works in the EZ-GO app and how a standard changes when the machine does.

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