Preventive Maintenance: A Game-Changer for Operational Efficiency

Large facilities lose approximately $532,000 for each hour of downtime and an average of 27 hours a month to machine failures, according to a recent report by Senseye,

Failed production, emergency repairs, and programmed chaos add up quickly. No business is immune to a major breakdown. Even a seemingly minor oversight, such as scanty lubrication of machine parts, can cripple the operational efficiency of a large organization and lead to six-figure losses.  

With appropriate preventive maintenance software, facilities’ managers won’t have to wait for the problems to strike; rather, they'll be ahead of the issue, safeguarding machinery and keeping the facility running at peak efficiency. 

But the question remains: HOW can you move from proactive to reactive maintenance? This guide is your blueprint for understanding preventive maintenance plans—enabling you to cut down costs, and enhance uptime.  

Quick Overview of Preventive Maintenance 

The process of predicting and preventing catastrophic asset failures before their occurrence can be termed preventive maintenance. Traditionally, facility personnel conduct routine inspections, timely maintenance, and repair assets for preventive maintenance to ensure efficient functioning instead of waiting for machines to break down.

Preventive maintenance is conducted in four steps,
1. Starting with inspection,
2. Followed by detection of problems,
3. Correction, and finally
4. Prevention. 

Some of the common preventive maintenance actions include scheduling and conducting timely equipment inspections, ensuring the facility management team is well-versed about the equipment to be able to take proactive actions, reduce wear and tear, and repair and replace defective equipment parts on time. 

Benefits of Preventive Maintenance with Instant Data  

Instant data access in preventive maintenance has various benefits, including increasing asset longevity and productivity and safeguarding people and assets. It can enable facility managers to:

• Lower excess equipment depreciation.
• Impede untimely breakdown of crucial equipment
• Prevent unnecessary inspections and maintenance tasks.
• Save money and prepare to prevent issues from occurring in the future.                                                                                                                                                                        

Challenges of the Manual Preventive Maintenance Program  

Preventive maintenance has proven to be highly beneficial for businesses by eliminating downtime and reducing the chances of businesses incurring losses from unplanned asset failures.

Some of the common challenges in a manual preventive maintenance program include: 

1. Lack of proper planning 
2. Improper asset data and documentation 
3. Difficulty in balancing maintenance costs and downtime 
4. Scheduling and coordination of challenges 
5. Finite resources and competencies
6. Unforeseen equipment failures 
7. Evolving technology and complexities in equipment 
8. The continuous need for monitoring and measuring effectiveness 

Preventive Maintenance Software and its Impact on Operational Efficiency 

The fastest and easiest way to implement and support a preventive maintenance program is to get help from industrial preventive maintenance software. Using this progressive software can not only facilitate preventive maintenance tasks; it can also replace the need for sifting through stacks of papers, blueprints, and spreadsheets for every asset maintenance. Such software streamlines facilities’ jobs by offering them instant access to asset information along with the best preventive maintenance protocols in the field. 

But these are not the only ways an efficient preventive maintenance software can impact the operational efficiency of a facility; other benefits of preventive maintenance involve:  

• Easy to Locate Service Equipment with Location-Based As-Built Mapping System 

It also offers as-built map features, ensuring you can view your assets in their real-time location, no matter how outdated the blueprints lying in your storeroom are. Search for the asset you want to view and find out their data, starting from the last repair date to when the next repair date is. This feature comes in handy, especially if a team member is tasked with inspecting or servicing all assets as part of a preventive maintenance program.  

• Instant Access to Facility Data Enhance Coordination During Emergencies  

During emergencies such as a sudden fire breakout or pipe breakage, it is necessary to locate equipment and communicate evacuation points to rescuers. The mobile preventive maintenance solution of ARC Facilities offers quick access to building and asset information, which can be shared instantly with anyone at any time within a matter of seconds. ARC Facilities allow individuals with access to the maps to edit and mark points, equipment, and much more, which can be shared instantly during emergencies to limit the adverse effects of extremities on the occupants and the facility. 

• Recordable and shareable data enhances operational efficiency.  

For a facility manager or a facilities team member, it is necessary to know the building and its assets well to maintain operational efficiency.

• Seamless Communication both On and Off-Field 

ARC Facilities collects and stores facility and asset documentation in a centralized and accessible mobile app. Facility team members, with the help of preventive maintenance software from ARC Facilities, can access required documents both on and off the field without having to run back and forth to the plan room or sift through file cabinets. Additionally, ARC Facilities can function on any mobile device, eliminating the need to print out work orders for carrying out preventive maintenance tasks.  

• Easy Access to Asset Status with QR Codes  

Under the preventive maintenance program of ARC Facilities, assets are marked with QR codes, which, when scanned, can offer instant access to facility data. Anyone with access can see the preventive maintenance history of the asset along with any upcoming maintenance tasks that must be completed. This ensures quick and easy maintenance. 

Conclusion  

At first, investing in preventive maintenance software can seem like an overhead cost, which is difficult to justify. But only one serious accident or significant downtime can easily demonstrate how important preventive maintenance is, and its software can help your business operations. Preventive maintenance software from ARC Facilities can help you stay ahead of maintenance and repair needs, helping you slash costs and increase asset reliability.