What you will find in this text:
- Benefits of predictive maintenance in manufacturing
- Steps to implement predictive maintenance
- The advantages of having predictive maintenance software
Predictive maintenance has revolutionised the world of manufacturing. It gives you a whole new perspective, a glimpse into the future, allowing you to make the best decisions regarding your maintenance strategies based not on guesswork, but on accurate data analysis and forecasting.
Benefits of predictive maintenance in manufacturing
Predictive maintenance in manufacturing brings with it many benefits. When you run your maintenance regime focusing on corrective maintenance strategies, you’re putting your business at risk of serious downtime problems, missing deadlines, and risking the safety of anyone working on your premises. Of course, corrective maintenance is the easiest option.
It requires little forethought and planning. When something goes wrong, fix it. But as we’ve mentioned, this can be particularly hazardous. If a machine develops a fault, it can easily become dangerous to operate. In addition, should failure to properly maintain your equipment cause someone to be injured, they could seek a legal claim against you for damages.
What’s more, by simply waiting for an asset to fail, the resulting repairs could well be more costly than if the problem has been pre-empted and dealt with before it became a catastrophic failure. Often a small job turns into a larger one if it isn’t dealt with promptly.
So, it is easy to see that by using predictive maintenance methods, to gain an insight into when and how a failure could occur, we are avoiding a lot of extra problems. Something as simple as predicting the right time to schedule a part replacement or oiling of the machinery can ensure the machine keeps running efficiently, lowering the risk of an unexpected failure.
By predicting the need to check or repair a machine within a certain time frame, or after a particular length of operation, the repairs and inspections can be scheduled for the most convenient time. When left to chance, you just know that a machine is going to fail at your busiest time when you’re rushing to meet a deadline!
Being one step ahead of potential failures and problems allows your business to run smoothly, and your reputation for reliability to grow. Not to mention, it reduces the stress levels of running a manufacturing business!
Steps to implement predictive maintenance
If you don’t currently use predictive maintenance strategies, you may be wondering how best to take the step to an improved maintenance regime. Here are some tips for ensuring your move to predictive maintenance goes smoothly…
Utilize the data you already have
When implementing a new system, it can be tempting to simply think ‘out with the old in with the new’, however, your historic data could be highly valuable within your new system. That data can give your predictive maintenance software a head start in making accurate forecasts. Additionally, any manufacturer’s information regarding machinery maintenance could also be beneficial for your new system.
Gather more data using IoT devices
You should also think about the advantages of collecting further real-time data via connected IoT devices. Sensors that can pick up subtle changes in operating conditions that are too minor for humans to detect, such as a change in operating temperature, or an unusual level of vibration. This data can work well to predict a potential failure, allowing maintenance teams to determine the cause and prevent a larger scale problem down the line.
Implement a good predictive maintenance software platform
With so much data, it would be pretty much impossible for a person or even a team of people, to make sense of it all, particularly when the information is needed constantly, and in real time. Intelligent maintenance software is a must, and it’s very important to choose a system that you can rely on. It must be compatible with your existing systems, it must synchronise with your IoT devices, or any that you may want in the future, and it must be able to make accurate predictions. Look for a high quality platform such as Predictto, perfectly suited to your industrial maintenance requirements.
Give the system time to learn and your team time to adjust
Your new system will improve over time. As the system gathers data, your insights, alerts, and reports will get better and better. Ensure your staff are on board for changes to the maintenance routines and spend time learning all that your new platform can offer you. You will also want to implement training so staff members are familiar with the new system, can use it effectively and know how to get the most out of it. It’s a good idea to opt for a system that is intuitive and easy to use.
You may have employees who are not highly computer literate or may be unsure of change. Systems that are clear and simple to use will have a higher level of uptake, and when staff can get to grips with a new system quickly, they’re more likely to use it to its full, and when they’re happy using a quality platform, morale is kept high and productivity increases.
The advantages of having predictive maintenance software
Good predictive maintenance software such as Predictto uses the latest Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies to make accurate predictions for your maintenance requirements. The longer you use it, the more accurate and invaluable it becomes. A true asset to your business.
By predicting machine failures, and easily scheduling maintenance and repairs, you’ll reduce downtime, improve safety and boost productivity levels. Investing in predictive maintenance will save time and money going forward, so the system will quickly pay for itself. As we’ve mentioned, because the system learns as it gathers more and more data, it becomes increasingly intelligent over time, and so it is wise to implement your system as soon as possible, so all that data can be used to greatest effect.
Predictto utlises your historic data, gathers new data from your existing systems, and seamlessly integrates with any IoT devices you use. With its intuitive interface, you have easy access to all its analysis and insights, you can generate reports and job lists for maintenance teams and be alerted to any issues that are detected.
Potential points of failure will be flagged, often before any staff member is even aware there may be a problem. Predictive maintenance truly is a game changer that allows you to see into the future and prevent potential disasters that cost time and money and put staff safety at risk.
Protect your reputation, boost your productivity, and increase your profits. Predictive maintenance is the maintenance strategy of the future.