Lumiform / Infographics / 4 types of preventive maintenance for your business
Preventive maintenance is how businesses make sure that all their equipment is in working order consistently, and avoid unnecessary delays during work. Prioritizing equipment condition is also key to keeping your workers safe. Malfunctioning equipment, especially equipment with heavy or sharp components, is a serious safety hazard in any industry.
There are a few different types of preventive maintenance (which is maintenance geared towards preventing rather than controlling problems) you could implement in your business. They all benefit you from a quality and safety perspective, but some are more feasible than others for different organizations.
One of the most common forms of preventive maintenance is periodic maintenance, where you inspect and do minor repairs on equipment on a regular basis. The frequency of inspections is based on manufacturer recommendations.
Meter-based maintenance is similar because it still relies on physical inspections. When a machine’s readings show issues, then you perform maintenance. This is preventive because it hones in on small indicators to keep them from becoming bigger problems.
The other most common types of preventive maintenance are data-driven and rely on AI. Predictive maintenance uses sensors and other smart technology to constantly measure indicators like heat, speed, and vibration level. These systems alert you whenever there’s a deviation from normal operating conditions. Prescriptive maintenance is a more advanced form of predictive maintenance that doesn’t just evaluate equipment, it learns from the data it collects to offer you recommendations for the future.
AI-driven preventive maintenance tends to be more difficult to set up initially, despite being more thorough and ultimately saving you time and labor costs. So for that reason, it’s important to understand what your business can comfortably accommodate when deciding which form of maintenance to use.