What is preventive maintenance?
Preventive maintenance is a type of maintenance that is regularly performed on tools, equipment, or properties to prevent potential failures and breakdowns from occurring. Preventive maintenance aims to maintain the excellent functionality of machines and equipment and prevent unplanned outages, which can be expensive and disrupt production. This may include regular inspections, cleaning, lubrication, and replacement of worn or damaged parts. Preventive maintenance is usually planned and scheduled in advance and is performed routinely to ensure equipment and machines' good condition and operational readiness. By performing preventive maintenance, the company can increase the reliability of the equipment, extend its life and reduce the costs arising from it.
Why is preventive maintenance important?
Preventive maintenance is important for several reasons.
- To increase equipment reliability. Maintenance helps to ensure that the devices are always in good condition and perform their intended tasks whenever needed. In addition, by identifying potential problems before they become critical, proactive maintenance can prevent production interruptions and increase equipment reliability.
- Longer lifetime of devices. Regular maintenance can extend the life of equipment and machines. Replacing worn and damaged parts in time saves the device and thus protects the company's operations. This helps companies get more value from their invested equipment and reduces the need for expensive replacement investments.
- Savings. Regular maintenance can reduce the overall costs of the device. In addition, the company can avoid expensive repairs and unexpected production interruptions by preventing breakdowns.
- Safety. Proactive maintenance can help ensure the safety of equipment and tools essential to employees and customers. A company can reduce accidents and injuries by identifying and correcting potential safety risks before they become a problem.
- Compliance with regulations. Proactive maintenance can also help the company meet safety and productivity regulations. By carrying out regular maintenance, the company can show that they take part and carry out the mandatory and recommended measures in equipment maintenance, thus ensuring good working conditions and preventing damage to employees, customers, and the environment.
- Improved quality. Regular maintenance helps to ensure that the device works in the best way it was intended, which can produce better quality products. This helps the company meet customer needs and maintain a competitive advantage.
- Better planning and scheduling. By implementing the company's preventive maintenance plans and schedules, it can perform maintenance more efficiently. This can produce more efficient use of resources, including working time and efficient use of equipment, and reduce the harmful effects of maintenance on production.
Types of preventive maintenance
Routine maintenance
This is the most common type of preventive maintenance of all maintenance solutions and includes simple tasks such as checking, cleaning, greasing, and tightening screws and nuts.
Predictive maintenance
This type of maintenance uses sensors and other monitoring devices to predict when the device is likely to break down. As a result, the company can take proactive steps to prevent breakdowns and unexpected outages by monitoring equipment in real-time.
Condition-based maintenance
Maintenance is based on the actual condition of machines and equipment rather than scheduled maintenance. Condition-based maintenance uses sensors and other monitoring tools to determine the condition of the equipment. As a result, maintenance is performed when it is needed rather than regularly.
Corrective maintenance
The task of this maintenance is to respond to problems and breakdowns that have occurred. Corrective maintenance is performed only after the problem has been detected and identified.
Preventive maintenance
The goal of maintenance is to take the necessary steps to prevent problems from occurring, such as updating equipment, modifying processes, and training staff in the necessary maintenance procedures.
It is important to note that the best approach to preventive maintenance can vary depending on the equipment and the business needs. However, by combining these types of preventive maintenance, it can be ensured that the equipment and properties always remain in good condition and perform daily operations.
The challenges of proactive maintenance
Proactive maintenance can also create some challenges in the company.
Costs
Implementing and maintaining proactive maintenance is by no means free. On the contrary, it often requires equipment, tools, and training investments. Therefore, the company must carefully balance the costs of preventive maintenance against the benefits achieved to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the maintenance program.
Complexity
A maintenance program can be complex and require high coordination and communication between different departments, operators, and people. Therefore, the company must have the resources and expertise to manage the maintenance program effectively to achieve the desired result.
Disturbances in production
Preventive maintenance can cause temporary interruptions in production, which can affect production schedules or delivery times. Therefore, the company must carefully plan and coordinate maintenance solutions and proactive actions to minimize production disruptions.
Difficulty measuring results
Measuring the benefits of preventive maintenance can be difficult because the costs of prevented failures are often difficult to estimate. A company should use several metrics, such as equipment reliability, to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive maintenance.
Resistance to change
Implementing predictive maintenance may require significant changes in company culture and processes, which may be difficult for some employees or departments to accept. Therefore, the company must effectively communicate about preventive maintenance solutions and their benefits and involve employees in the planning and implementing processes to overcome resistance to change.
In summary
Although introducing and maintaining preventive maintenance poses challenges for the company, the benefits of increased equipment reliability, longer life, financial savings, better safety, and better quality are often profitable investments for many companies.