Why use a maintenance checklist?

Whoever neglects the maintenance of their equipment takes an unnecessary risk - and does not benefit from the advantages that regular maintenance with a checklist brings. A maintenance checklist is used by technicians to perform maintenance without errors and to document the work. The records of actions performed for safety and quality reasons can be better tracked. In addition, the collected knowledge serves as a basis for the next maintenance.

Equipment maintenance is a continuous process that includes inspection, repair and maintenance of equipment parts. This prevents breakdowns and keeps machines in working order. Malfunctions are corrected promptly. Maintenance is a preventive measure whose tasks can best be mapped with a checklist.

This article provides information on the following topics:

1. The benefits of regular maintenance

2. 4 tips for creating a maintenance checklist

3. A mobile app for maintenance

The benefits of regular maintenance with checklist

Regular maintenance of a company's operating equipment brings numerous benefits that have a positive impact on the company's success:

• Serenity
  Those who have their machines checked according to the recommended maintenance intervals find themselves on the safe side and do not have to fear regular breakdowns.


• Reliability
  Regular maintenance with checklist ensure that the operating equipment is always available and in good working order.


• More safety
  Maintenance of operating equipment reduces the danger to employees handling the equipment. Regular maintenance ensures hazard-free operation and compliance with locally applicable laws and regulations.


• Increased system efficiency
  Routine maintenance such as inspections, oil changes, replacement of wear parts and minor repairs help systems operate much more efficiently. Operating costs are saved by keeping the system running optimally.
  
  
• Cost savings
  In the long run, regular maintenance pays for itself, as it is more cost-effective than the emergency response to breakdowns. The cost and commitment to preventive maintenance can be budgeted and planned in advance. Reports can be generated that provides information on future requirements. Over a longer period of time, routine maintenance always pays for itself, reducing overall costs and associated operating expenses.


• Avoid system downtime
  Maintenance windows are easy to plan for and do not come as a surprise. With a maintained plant system or equipment, the likelihood of failure decreases. When maintenance schedules are met, the concern for malfunctions and failures decreases.


• Maintained documentation
  Consistent documentation of repairs and diagnostics identifies trends early, prevents malfunctions and failures, and lays the data foundation for future maintenance.

4 tips for developing a maintenance checklist

With the help of maintenance checklists, the maintenance team works more efficiently. They serve both as a guide for technicians performing the work and as a means to gather useful information for analysis and operations. Regular maintenance combined with an effective checklist will help prevent breakdowns and failures and extend the life of equipment and facilities.

That's why it's important to create quality checklists that have received the care they deserve when written. The following four tips should be reflected in any maintenance checklist:

1. Tip: Simple, concise and effective

A checklist will only be an effective reference document for the user if it is clearly worded and free of unnecessary content. It should list only those instructions that are necessary to complete the maintenance tasks. This makes them easier to understand and avoids misinterpretation and tampering. Concise sentences and relevant content will best guide the employee through the list.

2. Tip: Establish criteria in advance

Whoever creates a maintenance checklist needs to know the company, the equipment in question, and the needs of the maintenance staff. The latter are the users of the checklist, so it must meet their requirements in terms of content and form.

The first thing to do is to determine the items or areas to be covered. Once the details of the maintenance plan are determined, the items or areas that amount to meeting the maintenance plan are identified. The first step is to evaluate the environment, using SWOT analysis as the evaluation criterion. A comprehensive understanding of the environment helps to create a checklist tailored to the maintenance work.

3. Tip: Design maintenance checklist

When all the above information is complete, the checklist can be created. This should be able to answer the following questions for the later completion of the maintenance:

• What is the visual and physical condition of the equipment, machinery or plant?


• What physical defects are present?


• What measures need to be taken?


• Were there any other abnormalities during maintenance?


• What is the overall assessment of the maintenance?


• When must the next maintenance be performed?


• Who performed the maintenance, when?

4. Tip: Use data for upcoming maintenance

It must be possible to use the checklist to record readings from various sensors, indicators and displayed elements that warn of a future failure: noise, temperature fluctuations, pressure levels, vibrations, and so on. Those who properly use the collected data from a maintenance checklist can intervene at an early stage.

A mobile app for maintenance

Paper-based maintenance checklists are cumbersome for data collection. Creating paper maintenance reports is challenging for any inspector because it is not possible to easily attach photo evidence. In addition, the loss of paper documents can lead to unresolved problem cases that may not be resolved in a timely manner.

Lumiform is a powerful inspection application that replaces all paper-based maintenance checklists and logs with digital ones. Because the checklists can be instantly annotated with photos and notes to highlight key findings, the completed digital maintenance reports are more powerful and detailed.

Benefits:

• Generate real-time data on internal processes. This makes quality and safety measurable and constantly optimizes processes based on data.


• Get an overview of everything on site.


• Reports are created automatically - that saves the complete follow-up.


• Save time by making it easier to analyze all data and more quickly identify areas that need attention.


• Continuously increase quality and safety: Through the flexible checklist toolbox, maintenance is constantly optimized. Since Lumiform guides the inspector through the inspection, no training needs to take place.


• The very simple operation offers no margin for error for inspectors on site. The app offers less complexity in documenting or filling out checklists than complicated paper or Excel lists.


• Maintenance is performed circa 30%-50% faster overall, depending on the use case.