Effective predictive maintenance programs can help manufacturers reduce downtime and supply chain issues while improving machine efficiency and asset life. You’ll learn more through Latest.com coverage.
The use of predictive maintenance programs is becoming increasingly common in the manufacturing sector. As a result, companies are discovering more benefits associated with functional programs. These potential benefits include reduced downtime, improved machine efficiency, longer asset life, supply chain mitigation, and improved staffing, all of which can lead to cost savings.
Predictive maintenance aims to gain a better understanding of machines so that maintenance issues can be addressed before they occur. This is achieved by using sensors to detect critical process data. This information is then fed into a software package that analyses the data and helps the user by showing problems or even predicting them before they occur.
Moving from a traditional maintenance model to a predictive maintenance model may seem daunting, but the benefits for manufacturers can be huge. For example, a CXP report found that predictive maintenance can reduce costs by up to 40 percent. An effective predictive maintenance program can help manufacturers in the following five ways.
Reduced Downtime
An obvious benefit is that a predictive maintenance program can reduce downtime. When operations have a better understanding of when equipment is likely to fail, better plans can be put in place to address the problem.
A report by PwC found that 60% of businesses that implemented a predictive maintenance program increased their uptime by an average of 9%. It’s well known that downtime can be costly for businesses. Any unplanned downtime means products can’t be produced properly and sales may be delayed. Downtime also has a cascading effect, delaying the next production run, and so forth.
If a predictive maintenance program is in place, these incidents of unplanned downtime can be reduced. Failures can be better understood before they occur, and production schedules can be more easily adjusted to accommodate critical maintenance activities.
Improved Machine Efficiency
With a predictive maintenance program in place, the health of equipment can be easily measured and displayed to operations staff. This provides quick insight into the condition of the equipment.
Maintenance professionals know that machines will run better if they are properly maintained. Predictive maintenance programs help companies quickly understand which machines need more attention. Under which conditions does a motor run more efficiently? When it’s properly lubricated and aligned, or when it has vibration alarms and misaligned shafts?
Extending Asset Life
Predictive maintenance programs have also been shown to extend the life of existing assets. By considering every issue from a working condition perspective, catastrophic failures are rare. This means that machines run smoother and more efficiently. In turn, this extends the life of the machine. This leads to more efficient use of assets and money – less money to replace equipment, and more money for improvements.
Experienced maintenance managers know that keeping equipment in good condition saves them a lot of trouble. Systems that run better are less likely to break down and don’t appear on the emergency list.
Reduce Supply Chain Stress
In the current manufacturing environment, there is no bigger problem than the supply chain. Managing the supply chain has become extremely difficult since the new Crown Pneumonia outbreak disrupted the global supply chain. Often, the material situation is not at all transparent – availability, where, timelines, etc.
In this environment, we want to gain any advantage possible in the supply chain. As a result, when there are fewer unexpected failures, there is less competition for spare parts. The logistics team already has enough to do – there are fewer urgent orders to track down, and they are certainly grateful.
Better Utilize Your Employees
Another huge challenge facing today’s manufacturing industry is staffing. Attracting and retaining talented employees can be extremely difficult. More than ever, manufacturing companies must leverage their employees.
Predictive maintenance activities have shifted from being schedule-based (or simply reactive) to being based on working conditions. Instead of performing a task because a date has been assigned to simply go ahead and perform the task, it’s because the machine is showing signs that something is wrong.
For example, the bearings in a motor can be lubricated as soon as vibration or overheating is detected. This type of maintenance almost always results in more efficient use of assets. Employees are placed where they are most needed. The allocation of maintenance staff is optimized more effectively, and they are probably happier to know it.
An effective predictive maintenance program offers many advantages to manufacturing companies. These include reducing downtime, improving efficiency, extending asset life, helping the supply chain, and utilizing staff more effectively. All of these advantages save companies money.
Although it may seem difficult to implement a predictive maintenance program, the effort is always worth it. At first, the program doesn’t need to be large – it can be piloted on a key production line, then scaled up, and finally rolled out across the business.
