Maintenance techniques have come a long way.

The first maintenance technique ever implemented was the REACTIVE MODE (If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it). Machinery would run until it failed and the maintenance department would scramble to repair it.

Things had to change. The competitive market place would not allow for uncontrolled losses with money being spent on unplanned down-time and catastrophic failures, which are normal for this type of maintenance strategy.

The next step in the evolution of maintenance was the time based PREVENTATIVE MODE. Bearings were greased, belts were changed, and machines were rebuilt, according to wear and tear and the age of the machine.

This helped cut costs and the amount of failure was reduced. However, machines would still fail with no warning, causing the unplanned down-time and no one knew if the machines and parts being repaired or replaced really needed to be repaired or replaced. This can cut deep into the pockets of any company.

As technology advanced and the need for machine reliability increased, the PREDICTIVE and PROACTIVE MODES were developed. It is now possible to collect and analyze machinery information on a periodic interval. Using this technique we can analyze such things as Vibration, Ultrasonic, Oil and Temperature signatures and predict when maintenance should be performed (Predictive Maintenance).  Using these same technologies, we can also determine why maintenance is needed and correct the root cause of the problem (Proactive Maintenance).  This allows a company to plan down-time and repair machinery on a regular maintenance schedule. The machinery and parts that need to be repaired or replaced are, and the ones that don’t need to be repaired or replaced aren’t.

The evolution of maintenance strategies from the REACTIVE MODE to today’s PREDICTIVE and PROACTIVE MODES means that your company can now more accurately budget both time and money for machine maintenance, a savings that will benefit your efficiency as well as your bottom line.