Running a plant can have many benefits for the operator and society. These facilities provide vital resources like food, medicine, and building materials. This venture can also be rewarding and profitable because it lets individuals harness their skills and expertise to create something valuable.
However, becoming a successful operator goes beyond purchasing the latest machinery and ensuring safety. You must schedule regular plant maintenance to prevent equipment failure and production stoppage and keep productive assets in good condition. It also helps improve product quality and reduce maintenance costs.
If you want to run a stress-free facility, this article will enumerate the types of plant maintenance and the challenge most facilities face with the upkeep requirement.
5 Types of Maintenance
Here are the five main types of plant maintenance that operators must regularly schedule.
1. Breakdown Maintenance
Corrective maintenance means stopping work because of a machine malfunction, which requires repair work. The maintenance team initiates this type of upkeep after the equipment has already stopped working. For example, if an electric motor can’tcan’t start because of a damaged conveyor belt or a broken shaft, the maintenance team will investigate the issue and perform the necessary repairs.
2. Preventive Maintenance
Unlike corrective maintenance, professionals schedule preventive maintenance before a problem occurs to avoid unexpected interruptions or breakdowns. It includes proper design and installation, periodic inspection, repetitive servicing, and adequate lubrication, cleaning, and painting.
3. Predictive Maintenance
This increasingly popular form of maintenance involves using delicate apparatus to anticipate potential issues that operators can monitor continuously. It also empowers maintenance teams to prepare for necessary repairs in advance.
4. Routine Maintenance
Maintaining production equipment involves regular checks, cleaning, lubrication, and repairs. Professionals can classify this kind of plant upkeep into two types: running and shutdown maintenance.
Running maintenance means allowing the designated team to perform the upkeep requirements while the equipment runs. On the other hand, shutdown maintenance means performing care when the operator isn’tisn’t using the machinery.
5. Planned Maintenance
Machines can unexpectedly stop working, but professionals can plan their maintenance through scheduled plant maintenance. It includes inspecting all equipment, machinery, and buildings based on a specific schedule.
Why Does Cost Control Matter?
Managing the expenses of plant maintenance is crucial. Since plant facilities involve several complicated tasks, this regular upkeep requirement can consume a significant portion of an organization’s yearly budget. Facilities can control the costs by adopting a proactive planning approach instead of a reactive one.
What’s the Biggest Challenge Facilities Face with Plant Maintenance?
Project management faces challenges in managing skilled personnel, leadership, logistics, technology, and optimizing processes. Recruitment, training, retention, strategic planning, sourcing and supply of maintenance items, and assessing the effectiveness of strategies are crucial. You can ensure smooth and successful operations by determining the best way to execute a process and regularly reviewing its effectiveness.
Do Plant Maintenance Activities Differ from One Site to Another?
The tasks involved in plant maintenance are usually similar across different locations. However, the difficulty level and the conditions professionals perform the upkeep requirements vary significantly from one facility to another.
Planned Maintenance Percentage: What Is It and Why You Should Measure It
Operations use various metrics to measure their maintenance strategy’sstrategy’s effectiveness, including Planned Maintenance Percentage. This metric compares the scheduled maintenance time to the unplanned downtime resulting from repairs due to equipment failure. It also shows what planned maintenance professionals perform on assets according to the maintenance strategy versus unexpected repairs.
Final Thoughts
Plant maintenance remains essential in industrial facilities because it helps prevent costly issues and minimize downtime. You can determine the best upkeep requirements by considering your needs, using the right metrics, and hiring reliable professionals.
If your industrial facility needs professional plant maintenance in the USA, let Ferguson Industrial Co help! Our family-operated and owned business is passionate about ensuring customer satisfaction with our professional services. Hire us now!
