If you own a car, then you would definitely have given it for servicing from time to time. The mechanic will examine the vehicle, perform thorough cleaning and oiling, and even inform you if specific components need to be changed. You would have noticed that your car seems to have become smoother after servicing.
Regular servicing or preventive maintenance is crucial for all machines to work at their optimal capacity. Just as with your car, all the equipment that you use in your company also requires regular preventive maintenance.
When you have very few machines, it is easy to keep track of when to schedule the maintenance and what needs to be done. However, industries deal with a large number of machines.
Manual tracking and scheduling of maintenance is not the best way to do it, and human error is inevitable. Preventive maintenance software automates various processes associated with equipment maintenance. It offers a host of benefits for businesses.
If you own a construction, manufacturing, oil, and gas, or other similar business, then here are tenbenefits of preventive maintenance software that will convince you to start using one immediately.
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Increase the Lifespan of Assets
When any piece of machinery is not maintained properly, its parts start to deteriorate. Even if you repair it when there is an issue, it might be too far gone and could have still caused irreversible damage to the machine.
You may feel that regular maintenance is an added expense. However, it extends the lifetime of your assets. In the long run, the cost of preventive maintenance is more than offset by the savings you get by increasing the lifetime of the assets.
Reduce Equipment Downtime
Preventive maintenance software streamlines the process of creating a preventive maintenance schedule. It reduces equipment downtime in two ways. When you schedule the maintenance activities at a time when the equipment is not being used, you reduce delays in the project.
Secondly, by performing preventive maintenance, you also avoid unexpected breakdowns that can derail the work and lead to significant repair. It may take much longer to fix a substantial issue than to perform regular maintenance activities.
Increase Efficiency of Equipment
Any equipment that is not adequately serviced and maintained does not perform at its optimum level. It decreases the efficiency of the machines.
Preventive maintenance software automatically schedules the maintenance activity for various equipment. Regular upkeep ensures that all your machines are in good health and are performing efficiently.
When a machine has rusted or is in need of oiling, it consumes more energy. Preventive maintenance software can also make your machines more energy-efficient and reduce your energy consumption.
Reduce Costs
Equipment downtime, delays caused by unexpected downtime, and reduced efficiency are various factors that can increase your operating costs.
When equipment stops working unexpectedly, it takes a considerable amount of time to troubleshoot the problem and then find a way to fix it. Your staff may have to work overtime to repair the machine. The delay in completing the work, overtime wages for the staff, and the cost of the repair are added expenses.
You can avoid these by using preventive maintenance software that improves the health of your equipment and prevents unexpected breakdowns.
Improve Workplace Safety
Workplace safety is paramount in any organization. Industries such as manufacturing, construction are also considered high-risk workplaces. Many of the accidents in such industries are caused by faulty equipment.
Faulty equipment can breakdown or malfunction at any given time without warning. It is an unpredictable scenario that you cannot control. There is a high chance that malfunctioning equipment can injure a worker.
Preventive maintenance software reduces the probability of such a scenario and makes your workplace as safe as it can be.
Reduce Time to Repair
When you need to repair particular equipment, the technician will have to inspect it, access its documentation, order spare parts, and look at its work history to understand the problem better.
A CMMS software stores all information regarding the equipment in a single centralized location. Anyone with the necessary authorization can access this information from anywhere.
It reduces the time it takes for the technician to go back and forth between the equipment location and office to gather the required information. The repairs can take place faster, and the work can be back on track.
Optimize Your Inventory
Keeping track of your inventory is crucial to reducing added expense. You have to find the fine balance between having enough spare parts so that they are available when needed and not hoarding them unnecessarily.
Preventive maintenance software tracks the usage of various equipment and its components. It analyses the consumption of spare parts and schedules purchases when the inventory is too low.
It can also suggest the optimum number of spare parts or equipment you need to function without running too low on them.
Track Performance Indicators
The performance of various machines and their components impact business decisions. If you are making a new purchase, would you order the same model you have, or should you look for a better model? Are you performing unnecessary maintenance on specific equipment?
Preventive maintenance software can help you answer these questions by providing various performance metrics. It can help you identify trends, track recurring costs, identify areas that need automation, etc.
Get Real-Time Status on Work Orders
It is not enough to just issue a work order. You also need to know the status at any given time. The real-time information can help you plan production, prevent backlogs, and schedule efficiently.
If maintenance or repair is taking too long, the manager can monitor it and assign additional staff if needed. You can change the priority of the work orders to fast track the urgent ones. Once the repair is completed, the software will also intimate the staff so that they can start working again.
Optimize Maintenance Budget
Budgeting is crucial for every business. However, you need accurate information about all the costs associated with the working of the organization to create practical budgets.
CMMS provides comprehensive reports that help you in planning and budgeting your finances.
In Conclusion
Preventive maintenance software can revolutionize the working of a resource and asset-heavy business. Its benefits outweigh its costs. Get the competitive edge by using one to improve your preventive maintenance.