Long gone are the days when businesses had to repair or replace parts of a machine after it had broken down. Back then, a continuous examination was required to determine the condition of the different assets.
Manufacturers and factory managers could only react when it became apparent that a breakdown took place.
Reactive maintenance has always been linked with abrupt activity disruption, increased maintenance cost, shorter assets lifespan, lower safety, and inefficient maintenance labour practices resulting from
reacting to the breakdown, only when it happens.
Meanwhile, preventative maintenance is another model whereby machine and other asset repairs could consume unnecessary resources, eat into operational costs, and effectively cripple smooth-running operations.
The two most used maintenance methods are preventative and predictive maintenance. While the former is scheduled regularly, the latter is scheduled based on the asset’s condition. Predictive maintenance is the ideal solution to the challenges associated with reactive and preventive maintenance.
The benefits of predictive maintenance include maximising equipment lifespan, reducing equipment or process downtime, cost reduction for parts and labour, optimising employee productivity, increasing revenue, enhancing service quality, and saving energy.
The technology used for predictive maintenance is infrared thermography, which analyses all individual components of the concerned asset and can be extended to plant systems, roofs, and even entire buildings. A thermal imaging camera can identify and detect problems early on, preventing costly repairs associated with malfunctions like hot spots, leaks, electrical faults, and many more. Other technologies utilised in predictive maintenance include vibration analysis, ultrasonic analysis, oil analysis, laser alignment, and motor circuit analysis.
Facilities management companies may find it difficult to adopt predictive maintenance as it requires significant financial, human resources, and training investments. While these initial investments might seem challenging to an organisation, predictive maintenance’s return on investment (ROI) often far outweighs any upfront costs. It is a more significant investment in the long run.
There have been many efforts from facilities management companies to educate clients on the value of predictive maintenance. However, many outdated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are still linked to the preventive and corrective approach. Unless the asset owners absorb the cost of predictive maintenance, we will see no adequate understanding of the concept.
Contrary to popular belief, predictive maintenance decreases cost due to the equipment’s enhanced operational life, reduction in overtime costs and downtime, decreased inventory overload, and elimination of breakdowns by 75%. Furthermore, predictive maintenance is estimated to save up to 30% of the cost of over functional programmes, spare parts, and consumables while positively impacting worker morale and environmental safety.
The technology and the data associated with predictive maintenance are still in their early stages within the region. There is still a lot of work to be done in that regard; however, the growth potential associated with the decreased disruption is a clear indication of how technologies around predictive and preventative maintenance will see considerable growth in the coming decade.