Preventive maintenance ( PM) describes the routine maintenance activities performed on equipment or machinery to reduce the risk of sudden breakdowns.
The benefits of preventative maintenance have led many companies to adopt it as a strategy to reduce long-term costs and decrease the risk of production failure, but what does it take to implement it successfully?
On this occasion, we will review the concept of preventive maintenance , its characteristics, advantages and the requirements to implement it.
Fundamentals of Preventive Maintenance
Companies that apply preventive maintenance (PM) do so through a tailor-made plan ––which should not be confused with a maintenance manual –– where the requirements of the organization and the machinery that must be regularly inspected are specified.
Now, how to understand what preventive maintenance is in a nutshell?
If we had to summarize it, it would be enough to list its main foundations:
It is based on periodic inspection routines. Preventive maintenance dates are determined based on the condition or use/age of the equipment.
Anticipate major failures. The goal is to identify small problems and fix them before they get worse.
In addition, during preventive maintenance days specific actions are carried out, such as:
Replacement of parts.
Adaptation of equipment conditions.
Restorations to avoid judicial devaluation.
Inspections to ensure optimal performance.
Lubrication and cleaning.
Etc.
Preventive Maintenance Objectives
Through PM maintenance days, we seek to:
Extend the useful life of assets.
Prevent the company from spending too much money on repairs.
Detect errors in equipment installation.
Combat the factors that lead to iran telegram data production pauses.
Identify repetitive failures.
Reduce the risk of injuries and accidents at work.
Preventive maintenance, especially in companies with heavy machinery in their fleet, provides workers with security and confidence, and is mandatory in many countries.
Advantages and disadvantages of Preventive Maintenance
Like any type of maintenance , preventive maintenance has pros and cons that companies must evaluate before making the decision to adopt it.
In summary, to create a preventive maintenance program you must define three aspects :
Assets (what equipment or facilities need to be periodically reviewed)
Procedures (using maintenance software)
Cadences (have to do with the information that the manufacturer provides regarding equipment maintenance).