Organizations, large as well as SMEs, understand how their business growth and productivity depends on operational efficiency and maintenance processes. There are many types of maintenance which come with varying definitions and procedures. There are five notable types of industrial maintenance: preventive, corrective, predictive, condition-based, and predetermined. Many companies find it difficult to differentiate between different types of maintenance strategies or what maintenance program is ideal for them.
Importance of industrial maintenance
Maintenance costs a major share of total operating costs for many industries. In some cases, maintenance represents around half of the production costs. Unexpected events like premature equipment failure can lead to additional costs that are difficult to manage. Simply put, the profitability of a company largely depends on how the maintenance team plans and implements maintenance processes. Therefore, it’s important for you to implement a well-thought-out maintenance plan to ensure equipment reliability and reduce production costs.
Each plant or facility has unique and precise needs and therefore demands a specific maintenance strategy in order to ensure equipment reliability. Understanding the following types of maintenance programs will help you make the right decision and implement the right maintenance strategy:
1. Corrective maintenance
As the name suggests, corrective maintenance is applied right after a problem is reported on a production line. The corrective measures just focus on fixing the piece of equipment and make it work again. It can be planned or unplanned based on whether or not you have created a maintenance plan. Unplanned corrective maintenance is needed when a problem couldn’t be anticipated with preventive maintenance.
2. Predetermined maintenance
Predetermined maintenance is not a popular type of maintenance as it relies on the programs delivered by manufacturers. In other words, this type of maintenance is implemented in accordance with the programs described by manufacturers. While the maintenance department has to rely on the manufacturer’s program, there is a risk for downtime to occur which can affect productivity.
3. Condition-based maintenance
Condition-based maintenance is probably the most complicated form of maintenance to implement. It involves regular check-ups and a plan to prevent system failures. It monitors the actual state of equipment and determines what maintenance is needed based on certain indicators: performance, upcoming failures, etc.
4. Predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance monitors the condition and performance of equipment during operation. The purpose of implementing a predictive maintenance plan is to reduce the likelihood of failures. The principles of predictive maintenance have been in practice since the 1990s.
5. Preventive maintenance
Preventive maintenance (PM) is used as a dependable way to identify the breakdown or equipment failure before they take place. Preventive measures are taken to reduce the probability of unexpected breakdown or degradation of equipment. It requires a strategic approach to implement a successful PM program. It is important for any industry to have a PM program in place in order to ensure equipment reliability.
Related: Preventive Maintenance Mistakes You Should Avoid
About Quality Millwright
When it comes to preventive maintenance and millwright services in Edmonton, Quality Millwright is the only engineering company you can count on. Contact us to discuss your next PM project.
