There are two types of maintenance strategies followed in factories when it comes to keeping machinery running in a smooth manner, proactive and reactive. For years, the reactive, or “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” was widely used in many types of manufacturing and industrial units. Facilities managers ideally waited until a machine broke down or at least had certain malfunctions, and then handled repairs accordingly. However, today a more proactive machine maintenance approach is gaining traction across industries. This approach involves preventive machine maintenance, and routinely addresses machinery concerns and upkeep to avoid major failures. Such systematic inspections help in identifying and correcting issues before they end up causing a major problem that requires costly repairs or replacement. Many manufacturers today use cloud-based preventive maintenance tools that allow for paperless tracking of machine maintenance, shorten changeover time, and minimise production downtime (NPT).

Why Take a Proactive or Preventive Approach?

Having a preventive maintenance program in place for factory machinery and equipment is vital to ensure that they operate smoothly over the long term. It also allows manufacturers to steer clear of costly repairs down the road. Many businesses can enjoy improved cost savings by following a proactive or preventive approach for machine maintenance, depending on their industry, the type of equipment they use, and so on. 

Increase Equipment Life

A machine breakdown can essentially disrupt your entire operations. Hence, businesses need to be proactive about stopping or reducing the risk of delays and disruptions. This can be done through preventive maintenance of machinery.

A well-planned and executed preventive maintenance program shall maximise the usefulness of factory equipment. It would also save a good amount of money in deferring unnecessary yet expensive repairs and replacements. Machine preventive maintenance can impact the day-to-day wear and tear of the machinery, as well sits its overall efficiency to a good extent, and maximises optimal working conditions. Improved machine efficiency would also reduce the energy consumption at a factory or manufacturing facility, which is likely to contribute to a large percentage of its operating expenses. Hence, by following a preventive maintenance program, one can improve equipment life expectancy at their facility, while simultaneously spending less in running their operations. 

Reduce Costs

Unscheduled downtime can cost a lot in terms of both time and money. Many facilities managers and operators may consider regular equipment inspection and testing to be a burden. But in reality, they provide a competitive advantage to a business. Scheduling a preventive maintenance plan for factory equipment and machinery lowers the risk of emergency repairs which can be pretty costly. On the other hand, unplanned downtime can spike maintenance costs, as machines may have to be rush-ordered at a higher price and shipped via the priority method.

To Wrap Up

The benefits of preventive maintenance ultimately come down to cost savings and reliability. As each machine at a factory is timely repaired and well-maintained, they are less likely to break down and hence have less downtime over the life of the asset. Facility managers and operators may use a computerised maintenance management system that provides real-time data for asset management and tracks every single machine present at a factory to orderly implement a preventive maintenance program.