As a business, it can be difficult to perfect the art of maintaining equipment. While it’s obvious that routine maintenance is the best course of action, equipment failure can occur, and it can be disastrous. Avoiding this failure is imperative for the success of any businesses’ operations and is typically accomplished through two maintenance approaches. A combination of preventive maintenance strategies and investments into predictive maintenance systems can give organizations the tailored maintenance approach they’re looking for. Prior to making a decision between the two, this post should provide some valuable context.
Beginning with the maintenance approach that’s standard across countless industries, preventive maintenance. When practicing this approach, maintenance is done on each piece of equipment at set intervals throughout the year. Determining these intervals is dependent on factors like the equipment’s age or how often it runs in comparison to the rest of the fleet. This approach is far from being the most efficient of the two. Predictive maintenance, comparatively, is much more fine-tuned for efficiency.
Identifying the major differences between these two strategies is only half the battle. Deciding between the two in the moment in much more difficult for organizations. However, the the information found within the accompanying resource attached to this post can help simplify the decision. Within it, you’ll find detailed ways in which each approach can benefit organizations, as well as ways in which these organizations can avoid running their equipment to failure.
In regards to the hesitations most organizations will have with predictive maintenance systems, doubts surround the ways in which these systems can benefit their organization. Namely, they’re worried about the interconnectivity between these systems and their machinery. As with any technology that is connected to the Internet of Things, the more connections made, the more accurate the data reported can become. As more and more companies establish the connection between their equipment, the more precise these systems can become in regards to reporting critical failures and suggesting maintenance to avoid these failures.
Despite how amazing these systems may sound, many organizations that have gone the route of 100% predictive maintenance have experienced troubles. Once cost is cast aside, organizations will have to put their employees through rigorous retraining programs to master these new systems. Managers will have to adjust to the new technologically advanced systems as well, while still providing the same value to their employees. These systems will require a great deal of patience to make sizable long-term differences.
If you were interested in learning more about these two maintenance approaches, take a minute to read the infographic shared alongside this post. Courtesy of Industrial Service Solutions.
