Maintenance is an integral part of any successful business. It helps to ensure that machines and systems are running optimally and efficiently, and that any potential issues are identified and addressed before they become serious. There are four main types of maintenance approach: predictive maintenance, corrective maintenance, condition-based maintenance, and preventive maintenance. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and understanding the differences between them can help you to choose the best approach for your business. Predictive maintenance (PdM) is a proactive approach that uses data from the machine's sensors and intelligent technology to alert the maintenance team when equipment is at risk of failure.
This allows for timely repairs and replacements, reducing the risk of unplanned downtime. An example of predictive maintenance is vibration analysis, which can detect changes in the vibration of a machine that could indicate a potential fault. Corrective maintenance is carried out when a problem is detected. This means that the maintenance associated with the problem is carried out before it worsens.
An example would be if a technician is carrying out a planned inspection and, in the meantime, detects a problem, they will perform corrective maintenance so that the problem does not cause a fault or other type of failure. Condition-based maintenance is based on minimum and maximum indicators. This means that a job will be triggered in the maintenance system if, for example, the temperature exceeds the maximum value. Therefore, the condition of the machine will indicate when maintenance is needed.
Condition-based maintenance can also be used in conjunction with predictive maintenance, as it can monitor the condition of machines to predict when a possible fault will occur. Preventive maintenance aims to detect and fix problems before they occur. It is usually carried out in the form of regular inspections, which are usually carried out several times a year. The main benefit of preventive maintenance is that it can eliminate unplanned downtime, since it detects problems before they occur. Condition-based maintenance is sometimes considered a more advanced alternative to preventive maintenance. Rather than inspecting them according to a schedule, machines and systems are carefully observed for changes that could indicate an imminent failure.
With condition-based maintenance, technicians observe the operation of the system and identify variables that could affect operation, such as temperature, vibration rate, power, the presence or absence of moisture, etc. Predictive maintenance refers to a specific type of condition-based maintenance in which systems are constantly observed through sensor devices. These devices are connected to the components of the system and provide constant, real-time data to the software. The software then interprets this data and warns maintenance technicians of the proximity of a hazard. Risk-based maintenance (RBM) consists of using a risk assessment methodology to allocate scarce maintenance resources to the assets that carry the greatest risk in the event of failure (taking into account that the risk is %3D of the probability x the consequence).To be successful in building maintenance, it is important to understand all four types of maintenance approach and how they can be used effectively. Predictive maintenance can help to reduce unplanned downtime by detecting faults before they occur.
Corrective maintenance can help to address problems quickly before they worsen. Condition-based and preventive maintenance can help to identify potential problems before they arise.
