The management of maintenance has changed over the past few years, and technology has become very crucial in asset keeping by organizations. Predictive maintenance and preventive maintenance are two popular approaches which the organizations adopt. Both of the methods are intended to minimize the downtimes, and to prolong the life of the equipment, yet have rather different approaches and timings. The approval to employ any of the two strategies successfully depends largely on the application of computerized tools like the CMMS software. The article deals with CMMS applications to predictive and preventative maintenance outlining the peculiarities of how the system can be used to enhance each program.
Understanding Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance means the time based maintenance of equipment. It is the maintenance but done at routine intervals where one does maintenance to avoid failing before they even do. The basic concept is that of service or part replacement not on a basis of breakdown but rather due to time or usage or cycles. This has in large part been practiced as it minimizes sudden breakdowns and maintains the assets in steady operation.
CMMS software has a core role in the management of preventive maintenance since it automates the scheduling and notification. Through the system, maintenance managers can predefined intervals during which inspection, lubrication sessions or replacement of parts may take place. Based on the software, the work orders are also automatically created to make sure that the maintenance activities are conducted regularly. Work order management can be tracked by teams using work order management software and the teams can check on completed tasks, check historical data on assets and also track maintenance schedules.
How CMMS Improves Preventive Maintenance
The elimination of human error is one of the major benefits that come with use of CMMS in maintenance. Without a system, we tend to forget or postpone daily activities hence causing loss of assets in the long run. CMMS software solves this risk by making the maintenance schedules centralized and giving reminders to the maintenance staff. This leads to better planning and resource allocation.
Also, the CMMS software assists in the collection of useful data during the process of preventive maintenance. Technicians are able to make an entry of observations, measurements or any anomalies that they come across when they are filling the work orders. This data will develop a comprehensive asset record against which the maintenance team can consult adjustments or observe trends in wear and tear on the asset over time, improving the preventive maintenance plan with time.
Understanding Predictive Maintenance
Unlike preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance involves paying attention to the real state of objects in order to make important decisions regarding the maintenance intervals. Its use of data via sensors, inspections and diagnostic devices predicts possible failures before they occur. This can be aimed at carrying out maintenance when needed hence eliminating the occurrence of unnecessary work and optimizing the maintenance cost.
Predictive maintenance has been popularized by the integration of CMMS software with the condition monitoring technologies. The association of the sensor data and the CMMS allows automating the generation of maintenance work orders depending on live asset conditions. Through this connection, maintenance can be much more dynamic and teams can take action literally when they have noticed a problem instead of sticking to a preferred time interval.
How CMMS Supports Predictive Maintenance
The CMMS software is the foundation of the workflow created by predictive maintenance. The system has the ability to create work orders with the right technicians when the sensors detect strange vibrations, spikes in temperature and so on. Work order management software makes it such that these alerts are not ignored and followed up efficiently, with the relevant repairs to be documented.
Moreover, CMMS systems have the right to store and examine high quantities of information about conditions that offer understanding of the asset wellbeing patterns. Such analysis assists maintenance managers to focus more on relevant problems, assign resources in a more virtuous manner and make decision making better and improved. With the application of the predictive data in conjunction with the monitoring of the work orders, an organization establishes a feedback mechanism, enhancing existing maintenance processes in the organization.
The usage of CMMS software is very useful both in preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance strategies. Preventive maintenance is based on or depends on scheduled interventions and CMMS does it with automation and makes it consistent. Predictive maintenance relies on live information and CMMS combines this data to initiate action in time. Preference of one or a combination of the two by an organization gives excellent asset reliability, minimization of downtimes, and maximization of any maintenance performed by use of a good CMMS system in an organization. Both strategies are incomplete without work order management software that links information, work, and personnel to attain an effective maintenance management process.
Source: The Role of CMMS in Predictive vs Preventive Maintenance
