Don’t let a lack of information hold you or your equipment back.
Minimising downtime is something that many managers struggle with. When a machine operates continuously or in long periods of time, it will inevitably require remedial maintenance at some point. However, the consistent operation of a machine can make it hard to recognise any possible issues that may lead to machine failure or inefficiency. When a machine does fail, it normally costs a lot to repair – not just in parts or labour to fix, but also in regards to the downtime required to fix the issue. So as one would assume, many organisations undertake preventative maintenance checks periodically.
Whilst this is efficient at mitigating potential issues and is the commonly accepted method by industry, it is no longer best practice. Look at this method objectively and one will find that in this era of digital transformation, having to manually check that an asset is working properly (and only at that specific point in time) is as inefficient as an underperforming machine itself. Predictive maintenance model is introduced to fix this problem, by using real-time machine condition monitoring to inform organisations where and when maintenance should take place to achieve the most efficiency.
Real-time equipment condition monitoring, as the name suggests, allows you to track the health of your equipment continuously, while the machines are operating. Therefore, you are informed immediately when a machine has any abnormality in operation, allowing you to understand your machine health and take action on the fly. Predictive maintenance systems and real-time monitoring mean you only need to send in your maintenance team when necessary, equipped with all the information they need to fix the issue.
This method of machine maintenance saves organisations so much money and time (read our case study to know more). Not only do their maintenance teams spend less time on unnecessary tasks, but the work also happens more promptly – because all the diagnostic information is at their fingertips. Fixing your machines before they reach a state of failure, is undeniably less costly in the long run. Plus, in the interim, you are consistently receiving data to make your maintenance more efficient, and gain a comprehensive understanding of your equipment’s efficiency.
Machines are often significant investments, and in many cases are critical to the revenue of the business – manufacturing businesses, for instance, are reliant on machines to make money. A correctable operational error that leads to major machine breakdown poses a significant risk to the livelihood of these businesses. Finding the best solution for maintenance and investing in it is just as important as any other issues in your business. Transitioning to real-time machine monitoring can be daunting but the reward and return on investment are worth the time and effort involved.
So, where can you start? Well, we at MOVUS have solutions to make the transition to predictive maintenance in a snap. Our smart monitoring device, the FitMachine, requires minimal effort to install (it attaches magnetically, or via a small bracket, to your devices) and can provide you with a full view of your entire fleet of equipment almost immediately.
Our online dashboard, accessible from anywhere, allows you to stay on top of your machine(s) status. Plus, if any abnormalities or variances from normal operating behaviour are detected, FitMachine will immediately alert you (and anyone you designate) along with the required graphic and written information you need to know about the situation. This ultimately makes FitMachine an assistant reliability engineer that works on-site 24/7.
If you’d like to learn more about FitMachine, and what it can do for your organisation – click here.
Cover image sourced from https://theramreview.com/7-pillars-of-best-practice-maintenance-planning-and-scheduling/
Secondary image source: https://www.maintworld.com/R-D/Measuring-the-Value-of-Data-in-Maintenance
