Base Preventive Maintenance on Accurate Information

The two biggest objections to preventive maintenance are doing excessive maintenance, and assets still breaking down despite being proactive. Both problems are, in most cases, a result of a rushed preventive maintenance plan that wasn’t based on accurate data.

If you want to run an effective maintenance program, it is never enough to just schedule maintenance based on OEM recommendations. While this is a good starting point, there are other sources of information you need to account for.

First, look at the maintenance history of the asset you want to put on a PM plan. If you are using a modern CMMS, getting to maintenance logs should not really be a problem. By looking at what type of failures the asset experienced in the past (and how often) will give you a good idea if the asset “acquired” specific problems over time that will need additional attention. Second, talk to your maintenance technicians and machine operators.

In the end, some insights you can only get by talking to the people who are actually turning the wrench.

Bryan Christiansen, Limble CMMS, bryan@limblecmms.com