Some parts require long lead times -- this is especially true when you are ordering transformers, breakers, explosion-proof motors, or stationary batteries. There is no way to shorten the production time for some items, so if the manufacturer tells you nine weeks then be prepared to wait at least that long.

How can you avoid having to schedule a second shutdown? If your impending failure isn't too far in the danger zone -- and a shutdown doesn't require much advance notice -- you could just wait until you have all the requisite parts. But as you wait, you risk an unplanned shutdown due to a foreseeable failure.

To balance the risk of missing parts for a planned shutdown against the risk of an unplanned shutdown, find out from each parts manufacturer what the minimum lead time is and then allow a little extra. Consider also:

• Primary and alternate shutdown dates -- with the actual shutdown date confirmed based on the progress of the needed parts, which you will need to monitor.
• Pooling the costs of very expensive items (e.g., service transformers or special motors) within your division or even among facilities outside your company, so it's affordable to store spares of long lead time components that are vital to operations.

So you get shutdown set up, and your team duly replaces the bad contactors and fixes the bad connections. But they didn't know to bring a vacuum cleaner (or to provide a way to power it), so they leave the panel dirty. They don't inspect the transformer either, because doing so wasn't on the list. When they power the panel back up, flames shoot out of the vent on that transformer.