Developing and implementing an effective preventive maintenance program is one of the best things you can do for your business. Having such a program at your facility will provide numerous benefits in the long run: reduced downtime, fewer repairs, equipment reliability and better conservation of assets. As a business, you can also use maintenance as a tool to establish a safe working environment for your employees.
While there is no doubt about the benefits, there are some potential problems that can affect your efforts to establish a fruitful preventive maintenance program. However, smart work and planning can help you avoid these problems with great ease. Let’s have a look at some of the major problems you need to avoid in order to make the most out of your maintenance efforts:
Lack of information
What do you know about your critical equipment? Do you have enough data to form a sound foundation for a preventive maintenance program? When it comes to maintenance, you need real-time data, insights and a deep understanding of your machines. Many companies undermine the significance of data which is the only source to measure performance and identify weaknesses. Therefore, when planning to implement a preventive maintenance program in your facility, make sure to put great emphasis on preserving data and the use of insights.
Lack of planning
To enjoy the benefits of a preventive maintenance program, you need to plan and set directions. Make sure everyone involved in the program understands their role and has the skills to perform their duties effectively. The purpose of planning is to outline everything from assigning roles to defining procedures and objectives.
Discontinuity
Preventive maintenance is more than just a one-time effort to inspect your equipment or carry out repair activities. It’s an ongoing process; gaps between preventive maintenance tasks will diminish the effectiveness of your program. Set standard intervals for maintenance tasks.
Moreover, don’t skip any equipment. Unfortunately, many facilities treat each machine separately, paying more attention to some machines while ignoring others. It’s critical to understand that your facility should be managed as a unit of various interdependent equipment. When you ignore a certain machine in your preventive maintenance program, it could lead to downtime for the entire facility. Asking your maintenance technicians for feedback will help you understand your equipment and the need for maintenance.
Ignoring the principles
As the name suggests, preventive maintenance is a systematic effort to reduce problems or prevent problems from happening in the first place. Identifying potential problems that can grow into serious concerns is a major function of a successful preventive maintenance program. A maintenance team who ignores key PM principles will be less likely to avoid costly plant shutdowns. It’s far easier and affordable to identify potential problems on time before something catastrophic occurs.
How we can help
Quality Millwright helps industries establish and implement successful preventive maintenance strategies. From fabrication and machining to preventive maintenance and shutdown, we provide a comprehensive range of millwright services to a range of industries in Edmonton and across Alberta. Contact us today to discuss your preventive maintenance needs!
