Published: June 19, 2023  Updated: June 11, 2025

Elevating Operations: Preventive Maintenance's Place in CMMS

The core functions within a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) make for efficient operations. Following discussions on work orders, attention now shifts to preventive maintenance's place in a CMMS. This proactive approach significantly influences equipment longevity and overall productivity. Embracing preventive strategies helps avoid costly breakdowns and ensures sustained operational output

Many organizations, unfortunately, continue to operate with a reactive maintenance mindset. They delay repairs until a machine fails, leading to unforeseen disruptions. Such an approach often results in diminished productivity and increased operational costs. A proactive stance on maintenance offers a clear advantage in maintaining consistent output and managing expenses.

Understanding preventive maintenance is straightforward. Consider personal health: individuals engage in regular exercise, maintain a balanced diet, and attend annual medical examinations. They brush their teeth daily to avoid dental issues rather than waiting for pain to strike. Similarly, individuals look after their vehicles through routine oil changes, tune-ups, tire rotations, and even regular cleaning. Homeowners also tend to their properties, arranging HVAC inspections, roof checks, and landscaping maintenance.

Applying this same diligent approach to a workplace, particularly within a maintenance department, appears logical. If individuals prioritize the upkeep of their personal assets, the same consideration should extend to organizational equipment. For any enterprise, regardless of size, preventive maintenance is an indispensable element for successful business operation. Ignoring this can lead to unexpected downtime, increased labor expenditures, and urgent parts purchases, all of which negatively impact financial stability.

Spreadsheets, while valuable for personal and home use, present significant limitations within a maintenance department. Their inherent restrictions can hinder operations, especially when managing preventive maintenance programs. A specialized system is necessary for the complexities of asset care.

Advantages of CMMS for Preventive Maintenance

A CMMS provides numerous advantages when managing preventive maintenance activities. When considering an investment in such a system, attention to the specific details it can accommodate is important. The focus here remains on creating the preventive maintenance job itself, distinct from the work order it might generate.

Organizing Preventive Maintenance Tasks

Title Convention for Clarity: A good strategy for naming preventive maintenance tasks involves starting with the frequency of the activity. Examples include Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or Annually. This convention aids in sorting and locating specific PMs. Following the frequency, include a description of the equipment or asset involved and the actions performed. An example might be Quarterly, packing equipment, inspect, clean, and lubricate.

Defining PM Types: Preventive maintenance encompasses various types. These can include routine inspections, environmental checks, and even shutdown PMs, which occur during scheduled operational halts. Categorizing these types helps in managing diverse maintenance needs.

Establishing Priority Levels: Assigning a priority level to each preventive maintenance task is important. Some PMs might be urgent, requiring immediate attention to avert more extensive and costly repairs. Prioritization ensures that critical tasks receive appropriate focus.

Discover how streamlined maintenance processes can elevate production. Learn more.

Ensuring Comprehensive Execution

Implementing Checklists for Thoroughness: Many preventive maintenance tasks, similar to other repairs, demand a specific sequence for completion. Alternatively, multiple areas on a machine might require attention, including meter or gauge readings. Incorporating a checklist within the CMMS offers an excellent method to confirm all steps are completed accurately and completely.

Providing Detailed Descriptions: While a brief description exists in the title, a dedicated field for more comprehensive details is essential. This allows for the inclusion of specific steps, much like a checklist. An attached checklist provides the option for workers to manually verify each step, creating a clear record of completion.

Expanding Asset Scope: While equipment often comes to mind, preventive maintenance extends to other assets, including buildings and grounds. This can involve inspections of fence lines, roofs, sidewalks, and other infrastructure. A PM might also form part of a route, such as fire extinguisher inspections across multiple locations.

Resource Allocation and Information Access

Assigning Labor: Similar to work orders, a preventive maintenance task can include details about the crew, craft, shift, or specific employees assigned to the job. This ensures proper resource allocation and accountability.

Managing Bills of Material (BOM): Including a bill of materials (parts, tools, supplies) directly linked to the preventive maintenance task is beneficial. This allows for efficient preparation, ensuring all necessary items are available before work commences.

Attaching Supporting Documentation: Common data entry windows within a CMMS should allow for attachments. This can include images, safety protocols, or links to procedural videos, all of which provide valuable assistance to the worker performing the maintenance.

Preventive maintenance remains absolutely vital for any business operation. Organizations that genuinely care for their assets equip their teams with as much pertinent information as possible for asset care. A well-designed CMMS provides the necessary data entry points and information windows to support these detailed maintenance efforts.

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