Preventive Vs. Predictive Maintenance: What Do You Need?

When it comes to maintaining equipment proactively, there are two main approaches: preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance. Both can be powerful tools for keeping equipment running smoothly, but they require different technology, budgets, and expertise to use effectively.

In this blog post, we'll explore the differences between preventive and predictive maintenance and why it's important for businesses to align their maintenance protocols with their internal needs and capabilities. Whether you're a maintenance manager looking to optimize your operations or a business owner looking to improve the reliability and efficiency of your equipment, it's important to understand the pros and cons of each approach.

By choosing the right maintenance strategy, you can save time, money, and resources, and ensure that your equipment is always ready to perform at its best! Let's jump right in.

Recommended Resources:

• Maintenance Management Software
• Preventive Maintenance Software
• 7 Best Predictive Maintenance Software For Businesses In 2024
• 10 Best CMMS Software For Small Business In 2024
• Facility Maintenance Software

What is Preventive Maintenance 

Preventive maintenance is a planned approach to avoid machine downtime. With preventive care, a company routinely schedules inspections, cleanings, part replacements, or repairs. This is a proactive way to find problems before they become big ones.

Before preventive maintenance, most believed that “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Well, this mentality businesses end up experiencing:

• Increased labor costs associated with reactive work orders
• Higher rates of equipment downtime
• Increased replacement part costs
• Secondary equipment damage
  

According to the US Department of Energy, more than half of all factories reportedly utilize reactive maintenance as their primary maintenance activity. However, that same study signifies an immediate 12%-18% cost savings when implementing preventive maintenance measures.

Typically, there are two types of preventive maintenance utilized by maintenance professionals. Here are the two strategies:

🕗 Time-Based

Time-based preventive maintenance is a type of maintenance strategy that involves performing maintenance tasks on a regular schedule, regardless of the condition of the equipment. This type of maintenance is typically performed at predetermined intervals, such as every week, month, or year, and is based on the manufacturer's recommendations, industry standards, or the experience of the maintenance team.

The main advantage of time-based preventive maintenance is that it is simple to implement and easy to schedule, as it follows a fixed schedule. However, it can also be less effective than other types of preventive maintenance, as it does not take into account the actual condition of the equipment. This means that maintenance tasks may be performed even when they are not necessary, which can waste time and resources.

Overall, time-based preventive maintenance is a useful strategy for equipment that is relatively simple and does not require frequent maintenance, but it may not be the most effective approach for more complex or critical equipment.

Time-based preventive maintenance examples:

1. Changing the oil in a car every six months.
2. Inspecting and cleaning HVAC filters on a monthly basis.
3. Replacing the batteries in smoke detectors every six months.
4. Mopping lobby floors every week.
5. Performing a yearly tune-up on a lawn mower.
   

🚞 Usage-Based

Usage-based preventive maintenance is a type of maintenance strategy that involves performing maintenance tasks based on the usage of equipment, rather than on a fixed schedule. This means that maintenance tasks are performed when they are needed, rather than at predetermined intervals.

Usage-based preventive maintenance is typically more effective than time-based preventive maintenance, as it takes into account the actual condition of the equipment. This means that maintenance tasks are only performed when they are necessary, which can help to save time and resources. However, it can be more complex to implement and requires more sophisticated tracking and monitoring systems, as it involves constantly monitoring the usage of equipment.

Overall, usage-based preventive maintenance is a useful strategy for equipment that is critical or complex, as it helps to ensure that maintenance tasks are performed when they are needed. However, it requires more advanced technology and expertise to implement effectively.

Usage-based preventive maintenance examples:

1. Monitoring the wear and tear on the brakes of a car and replacing them when they reach a certain level of wear.
2. Checking the tread on tires and replacing them when they become too worn to provide proper traction.
3. Inspecting and replacing conveyor belts in a factory based on the number of hours they have been in use.
4. Monitoring the usage of a machine and performing maintenance when it reaches a certain number of operating hours.
5. Checking the oil level in a forklift and replacing it when it reaches a certain level of usage.

How to Implement Preventive Maintenance Effectively

Preventive maintenance is important because it helps to ensure that equipment is operating at its optimal performance level and can prevent costly breakdowns and unscheduled repairs. By regularly inspecting and maintaining equipment, you can identify and address potential issues before they become more serious, which can extend the lifespan of equipment and improve its overall reliability.

📅 Implement Preventive Maintenance in 6 Steps

1. Identify the equipment that requires preventive maintenance: The first step in implementing preventive maintenance using a CMMS is to identify the equipment that needs to be maintained on a regular basis. This may include machines, tools, and other assets that are critical to your operations.
2. Determine the preventive maintenance schedule: The next step is to determine the frequency of preventive maintenance for each piece of equipment. This may be based on the manufacturer's recommendations, industry standards, or your own experience with the equipment.
3. Set up preventive maintenance tasks in the CMMS: Once you have identified the equipment and determined the preventive maintenance schedule, you can set up preventive maintenance tasks in the CMMS. This typically involves creating a task template for each type of preventive maintenance that needs to be performed, along with any relevant details such as the required parts, tools, and personnel.
4. Assign preventive maintenance tasks to maintenance personnel: The CMMS should allow you to assign preventive maintenance tasks to specific maintenance personnel or teams, depending on the skills and expertise required.
5. Monitor and track preventive maintenance tasks: The CMMS should provide a way to monitor and track the progress of preventive maintenance tasks, including the completion of tasks, any issues that arise, and any deviations from the preventive maintenance schedule.
6. Analyze and optimize preventive maintenance: By using the data and insights provided by the CMMS, you can analyze and optimize your preventive maintenance processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs. This may involve identifying and addressing bottlenecks, streamlining tasks, or identifying opportunities to use more efficient maintenance techniques.

What is Predictive Maintenance?

Predictive maintenance utilizes sensory data to monitor and detect machinery anomalies and deviations from baseline. This information will predict when to perform maintenance and prevent equipment failure. CMMS systems to enable predictive maintenance collect live data and use it to automatically trigger work orders and inspections when necessary.

📳 Vibration Analysis

Vibration analysis is a predictive maintenance technique that involves measuring and analyzing the vibrations produced by mechanical equipment. By monitoring the vibrations of a machine over time, it is possible to detect changes that may indicate the need for maintenance or repair. By identifying and addressing potential problems before they become more serious, vibration analysis can help extend the lifespan of equipment and prevent costly breakdowns.

This can save companies time and money by reducing the need for unscheduled repairs and downtime. Vibration analysis is a non-invasive method of monitoring equipment and is typically performed using specialized sensors and software that can detect and analyze vibrations in real-time. This allows maintenance teams to identify and address potential issues before they become major problems, which can help improve the overall reliability and efficiency of equipment.

👂 Acoustic Analysis

Predictive maintenance techniques, such as acoustic analysis, involve the continuous monitoring of equipment to detect potential issues that may require maintenance or repair. By analyzing the sounds produced by machinery, maintenance teams can identify and address problems before they become more serious, helping to extend the lifespan of equipment and prevent costly breakdowns.

By using specialized sensors and software to detect and analyze sounds in real-time, maintenance teams can improve the reliability and efficiency of their equipment, saving time and money by reducing the need for unscheduled repairs and downtime. Acoustic analysis is often used in conjunction with other predictive maintenance techniques, such as vibration analysis, to provide a more comprehensive view of the health of mechanical equipment.

🔈Ultrasonic Analysis

Ultrasonic analysis is a predictive maintenance technique that involves using high frequency sound waves to inspect the condition of mechanical equipment. By emitting ultrasonic waves and measuring their reflection or absorption, it is possible to detect changes in the internal structure of equipment that may indicate the need for maintenance or repair. This can help maintenance teams identify and address potential issues before they become more serious, extending the lifespan of equipment and preventing costly breakdowns.

Ultrasonic analysis is a non-invasive method of monitoring equipment and is typically performed using specialized sensors and software that can emit and analyze ultrasonic waves in real-time. This allows maintenance teams to identify and address potential issues before they become major problems, which can help improve the overall reliability and efficiency of equipment. Ultrasonic analysis is often used in conjunction with other predictive maintenance techniques, such as vibration and acoustic analysis, to provide a more comprehensive view of the health of mechanical equipment.

🔥 Infrared Analysis

Infrared (IR) analysis is a predictive maintenance technique that involves using heat-sensing technology to inspect the condition of mechanical equipment. By measuring the temperature of equipment, it is possible to detect changes that may indicate the need for maintenance or repair. By identifying and addressing potential problems before they become more serious, IR analysis can help extend the lifespan of equipment and prevent costly breakdowns. This can save companies time and money by reducing the need for unscheduled repairs and downtime.

IR analysis is a non-invasive method of monitoring equipment and is typically performed using specialized sensors and software that can detect and analyze temperature in real-time. This allows maintenance teams to identify and address potential issues before they become major problems, which can help improve the overall reliability and efficiency of equipment. IR analysis is often used in conjunction with other predictive maintenance techniques, such as vibration and acoustic analysis, to provide a more comprehensive view of the health of mechanical equipment.

Most of these predictive maintenance tools will reduce the costs of usage-based prevention and save money by creating optimal equipment performance levels. This will boost product quality, reduce downtimes, and eliminate waste and unplanned repairs.

Preventive and Predictive Maintenance: Why should you care?

Regardless of who will win the preventive vs. predictive maintenance debate, these strategies aim to meet the same objective – save money. While saving money, businesses will reap several other rewards.

So, let’s review the top 3 reasons why any form of maintenance, whether preventive vs. predictive, completes that cost-saving objective.

👴 Increases the Lifespan of Equipment

• Equipment overhead is one of the most expensive capital costs for running a business. For years, companies have collected data using qualitative and quantitative studies to apply these costs to their cost-saving strategies, just like this Dutch study about the lifetime of machinery and equipment.
• Understanding the machinery and how to extend its life will warrant significant tangible and intangible rewards.

🚨 Reduces Downtime

• Equipment failure is one of the primary sources of shutdown within the industrial industry. These shutdowns reduce output; every minute a line item is down could cost a company thousands of dollars.
• Preventive maintenance tackles this downtime by monitoring equipment before it fails.

🦾 Boosts Productivity

• One of equipment failure's most critical risks is frustration among frontline workers. When a machine routinely creates defects, supervisors and frontline workers must scramble to find a solution and get back on the correct output schedule.
• Stress within a company will only heighten problematic customer relations. 
• Preventive maintenance keeps workers from dealing with these frustrations by reducing equipment failures. 

By leveraging an extended lifespan with less downtime and happier frontline workers, businesses can expect success. Companies with satisfied customers will expect product demand to increase. But for any preventive maintenance to work, knowledge, and consistency must align within the management team and employees.

Preventive vs. Predictive Maintenance: Which is Better?

Preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance are both types of maintenance that are used to prevent equipment failures and extend the lifespan of equipment. What you need is dependent on budget, team technological competency, and scale of downtime risk. Here's a few questions to ask yourself:

• How technologically adept is my team?
• What is the replacement cost and remaining useful life of the asset?
• What is the financial impact of equipment downtime?
• What is the annual maintenance budget?

Here is how they compare in terms of annual cost, difficulty, and accuracy:

💸 Up Front Cost

• Preventive maintenance is very inexpensive to set up as you just have to put your assets and activities on a calendar and automate the notifications of service needed.
• Predictive maintenance will cost you a lot more money up front to implement. For each asset that you want to monitor, you will have to purchase and install a data monitor. Once set up, you will need a comprehensive CMMS platform like Upkeep to collect, organize and action off data.

💰 Long Term Cost

• Preventive maintenance can be more expensive in the long run because it involves regularly scheduled maintenance regardless of the condition of the equipment. This can result in maintenance being performed on equipment that is still in good working condition, which can be an unnecessary cost.
• Predictive maintenance is typically less expensive because it only involves maintenance when it is actually needed. This can save money by avoiding unnecessary maintenance and reducing the frequency of maintenance.

🏋️ Difficulty

• Preventive maintenance is generally easier to implement because it involves a set schedule of maintenance tasks that are performed on a regular basis. This can be easier to plan and budget for, and it can also be easier to train personnel to perform the tasks.
• Predictive maintenance can be more difficult to implement because it involves the use of specialized equipment and techniques to monitor the condition of equipment and predict when maintenance will be needed. This can require more training and expertise, and it can also require a larger initial investment in equipment and software.

🎯 Accuracy

• Preventive maintenance is less accurate because it is based on a set schedule or physical inspection rather than the actual condition of the equipment. This can result in maintenance being performed on equipment that is still in good working condition, or it can result in maintenance being delayed until it is too late to prevent a failure.
• Predictive maintenance is more accurate because it involves continuously monitoring the condition of the equipment and performing maintenance when it is actually needed. This can help to prevent failures and extend the lifespan of the equipment more effectively.
  

CMMS Recommendation: Xenia for Preventive Maintenance

Xenia is a maintenance and frontline operations management tool that will streamline facility maintenance standards for all employees. This application allows companies to centralize and track data through the palm of their hand without the high cost of a typical CMMS platform.

The list of benefits includes:

• Cost-efficient lightweight CMMS: Packages start at $15/mo per user.
• Pre-built, ready-to-use template library with Inspections, SOPs, Logs and Checklists
• Robust template builder to support customization and from-scratch creation
• Work order management with live progress tracking, prioritization, location, category and more
• Attach unlimited templates to each work order
• In app PM calendar with easy set up
• Internal chat integrated into work orders
• Automatic data collection and secure cloud based storage
• Report exports in PDF and Excel 

CMMS Recommendation: Upkeep for Predictive Maintenance

Upkeep is the #1 CMMS for asset operations management. Upkeep utilizes Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to scale company impact, using real-time to meet production goals. Here are some quick facts about Upkeep’s CMMS software.

• CMMS with IoT support start at $75/mo.
• Each Sensor includes a one-time standard installation fee.
• Comprehensive CMMS with everything Xenia has plus:
• Barcodes
• Signatures
• Workflow automations
• Dedicated parts and inventory modules
• Purchase orders and cost tracking
• Comprehensive analytics