7 Reasons To Use Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance

Predictive maintenance (PdM) is a method of maintaining physical assets in a proactive rather than a reactive manner. Instead of waiting for assets to need repair, PdM allows organizations to get ahead of the game and perform maintenance on assets predicted to need it soon. This is based on complex data sets, not just scheduled maintenance dates. PdM essentially gives your maintenance scheduling processing the ability to predict the future and prevent issues from happening before they happen in the first place. Assets are monitored and the data collected is stored and analyzed to determine how maintenance would be best scheduled and performed.

Condition monitoring

Condition monitoring (CM), within the realm of an asset management discussion, is the process of monitoring specific conditions about an asset. Monitoring systems are put in place to occur automatically (through use of sensors or by looking at historical failures for the asset type). Other systems are manual, where a technician collects data about the asset. For use in PdM, the conditions monitored should be able to be analyzed in order to benefit the maintenance process.

Using CM data to create effective PdM

To put PdM processes in place, algorithms are created to look at historical data collected about relevant assets and asset types. These algorithms look at all data that might impact maintenance on a particular asset or asset component and help determine what should be scheduled. Factors considered might include the overall cost of the asset or component, the cost to repair the asset or component, how necessary the asset is for business to continue to function, how many assets of the same type are available in current stock if replacement is necessary, and any other elements which might make maintenance more or less critical to prioritize. Through this prioritization and monitoring, accurate PdM can be set up, and the benefits can start to be realized.

Benefits of implementing PdM procedures

1. Decreased down-time; Fewer service interruptions

With PdM, asset maintenance is performed before failures occur. Asset failure impacts business functions. Down-time and service interruptions cost money. Better utilization of assets directly equates to cost savings.

2. Longer asset lifespan; Better overall asset performance; Less maintenance costs during the asset’s lifespan

With some asset types, failures can lead to more complex and expensive maintenance than maintenance which would have been needed should it have been addressed while the asset was still functioning as required. In addition to the associated lower costs for parts and labor, this means better performance for the life of the asset and a longer overall lifespan for the asset.

3. Predictable scheduling

Since assets being maintained are still fully-functioning, scheduling can be planned for times that have the least impact on the business. This means there isn’t a need to schedule work during peak hours or other less than ideal times. Additionally, planning ahead instead of waiting for an emergency repair means field crew can be dispatched on a more organized, planned route. This allows them to accomplish more work within the same amount of time.

4. Predictable purchasing

Knowing what repairs are scheduled makes purchasing more predictable. Less down-time and fewer surprises means fewer parts which need to be rush delivered because they weren’t expected to be needed. PdM also allows less stock on hand due to lower failure rates.

5. Increased customer satisfaction

More reliability means improved quality and better customers satisfaction.

6. Quicker response time when failures do occur

Getting ahead of standard field dispatch activities with PdM means less open work orders pending for unexpected events. This means a faster response and completion time for when unexpected work does occur.

7. Adherence to regulations and policies; Increased safety

Downtime for broken assets may have greater impacts to your business than just added cost and time. Depending on the asset type and your organization and industry, there may be high risks associated with violating regulations and policies when unexpected breakdowns occur. Additionally, certain asset types may pose a safety issue if not fully functioning. PdM helps lower these risks and give management ease of mind knowing they are taking the steps needed to ensure major issues like this are avoided as often as possible.

Implementing PdM at your organization

PdM functionality is starting to become more standard with full-function Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions in today’s market. Systems like OptiAM from Andromeda and other full-function EAM solutions allow configuration of custom variables specific to your organization or industry’s condition monitoring needs. These variables are then considered when producing output for PdM functions.

Keep in mind that simply collecting “more data” isn’t useful if that data is not leveraged and analyzed in a way that leads to a useful, valid end result. Andromeda offers services to effectively plan, implement, and start benefiting from PdM.

When effectively set up and managed, PdM can help make a substantial difference. Predicting the future is the wave of the future for asset-heavy organizations. Those organizations who make the necessary investments to use data to their advantage are seeing large return on their investments.