The Pros Of Predictive Maintenance Software: Preventative & Predictive

Preventative maintenance has a great reputation for improving equipment reliability and performance, reducing maintenance costs, and warding off unexpected equipment failures, among other important benefits. For many companies, it is a preferred approach.

In fact, according to a maintenance study performed by Plant Engineering, a staggering 88% of manufacturing companies rely on preventative maintenance, 52% rely on a reactive (run-to-failure) approach, and 40% support preventative maintenance using analytics tools.

However, as technology advances and the demand for more sustainable solutions increases, many companies are adopting predictive maintenance (PdM) as a more effective way to reduce waste and cost and keep critical equipment up and running without interruption.

This article will explore the benefits of PdM, predictive maintenance software, such as LLumin’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS+), and how to choose the right PdM solution if your organization is considering a change in maintenance strategy.

What is Preventative Maintenance Software?

Preventative maintenance is a proactive strategy that focuses on keeping equipment in optimal working condition with regularly scheduled inspections and upkeep. Unlike reactive maintenance, which addresses problems after they occur, preventative maintenance takes a time-based or usage-based approach to identifying and resolving issues early on. 

For example, a manufacturing plant might schedule monthly inspections of its conveyor systems to check for signs of wear and tear. These regular inspections can ensure that small issues—like a loose belt or worn bearings—are fixed before they develop into major mechanical failures. By following a proactive maintenance schedule, companies can significantly reduce downtime, extend the lifespan of critical equipment and assets, and improve their reliability. 

Another advantage of this maintenance strategy is that it doesn’t require advanced technology to be effective. Simple tools and CMMS software are often all that’s needed to support it, making it a cost-effective choice for many organizations. However, like other proactive strategies, it does require team accountability and regular documentation to support it over the long run. 

What is Predictive Maintenance Software?

Predictive maintenance is an advanced strategy that leverages cutting-edge technologies to monitor equipment conditions in real-time. It uses a combination of technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, machine-level sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine-learning algorithms, to provide deep insights into equipment performance and potential anomalies and failure patterns. 

For example, organizations that manage turbines are equipped with IoT sensors capable of tracking temperature, vibration, and pressure levels. LLumin’s AI-powered CMMS+ system can monitor their condition without requiring manual inspections and handling. LLumin collects data via machine-level sensors and then uses machine-learning algorithms to spot signs of impending failures, such as subtle changes in vibration that can indicate bearing deterioration. 

In this case, maintenance teams will be alerted to perform these tasks when necessary instead of waiting for the turbine to fail or regularly sending technicians to inspect, maintain, or repair the turbines on a set schedule. 

PdM’s real-time monitoring capabilities offer a more efficient and precise way to deploy maintenance. It enables companies to deploy maintenance based on actual equipment conditions rather than on planned schedules that can miss the mark in terms of excessive or inadequate maintenance and upkeep. 

Further, because of its ability to process and analyze large volumes of equipment performance data, PdM enables organizations to make informed decisions based on accurate predictions of future mechanical failures and performance trends. 

Learn the Fundamentals of Predictive Maintenance for Your Industry

Predictive Maintenance vs Preventative Maintenance

Deciding between predictive and preventive maintenance will require consideration of your equipment, budget, and long-term goals. Companies managing outdated equipment that is older and unpredictable may not benefit from implementing PdM in the same way a company managing high-value, critical assets with predictable failure modes will. 

Further, implementing PdM has some drawbacks in terms of upfront costs and the investment in technology, training, and support needed to ensure successful implementation. Getting the benefits and ROI you’re looking for will require careful planning and management through several phases of PdM implementation. 

Below, we’ve compared predictive and preventative maintenance and some benefits and drawbacks to help support your organization’s decision. 

Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:

Predictive Maintenance vs Preventative Maintenance
Feature	Preventative Maintenance	Predictive Maintenance
Approach	Time-based or usage-based schedules	Condition-based, real-time monitoring
Technology Required	Basic tools and scheduling software	IoT sensors, AI, machine learning
Costs	Lower upfront, higher long-term costs	Higher upfront, lower long-term costs
Reliability	Moderate	High
Scalability	Limited	Extensive

The Benefits of Predictive Maintenance

Predictive maintenance can provide an organization with several valuable benefits and strategic advantages. It’s important to recognize that PdM is recognized as the future of industry 4.0 and maintenance management, with proven impacts on an organization’s ability to reduce unexpected breakdowns and improve equipment reliability and lifespan. 

However, evaluating your current equipment and resources is essential to identify when, how, and where applying PdM processes will produce the greatest ROI. Consult with IT professionals and your PdM software provider to help perform this initial evaluation, determine if PdM is right for your organization, and develop a successful implementation plan. 

Follow This Checklist for Successful Predictive Maintenance Programs

Operational Efficiency

PdM can improve operational efficiency and how organizations handle time management. This approach can increase equipment reliability, lifespan, and the time equipment operates at peak performance. It can also help prevent costly, unplanned disruptions and ensure production lines run seamlessly and performance goals are met consistently. 

Further, because PdM enables organizations to identify signs of problems early on, maintenance teams can schedule repairs during planned downtime or off-hours. This can help significantly reduce an organization’s rate of unplanned downtime.  

Safety

Unfortunately, workplace injuries are common, especially in industrial plants, construction sites, and other facilities that manage heavy and complex equipment and machinery. Reducing risk is a serious responsibility for many organizations, and proactive maintenance can be essential in this process. 

PdM can reduce risk in several ways. Its ability to monitor real-time equipment conditions and help maintenance teams ensure it operates within safe parameters can reduce the risks of catastrophic failures that create unsafe conditions for workers. Further, it can reduce the frequency of sending technicians to perform manual inspections and repairs needed, which also reduces risk. For organizations responsible for managing heavy machinery and hazardous environments, PdM is an invaluable tool. 

Cost Savings

Organizations can save a significant amount of money by addressing potential issues before they escalate into emergency situations. In fact, according to recent research, implementing PdM systems can save an organization up to 60% of its maintenance costs. This is attributed to its ability to reduce expensive repair costs, minimize downtime, improve reliability, and prolong equipment lifespan. 

Reduced Waste

PdM can help your organization prevent unnecessary part replacements and prolong equipment life. Equipment failures can lead to large amounts of material waste, such as defective parts and entire components. Even when not completely degraded, these parts and components can end up in the trash. 

This is also the case during unnecessary repairs and maintenance. Rather than replacing equipment and components on a set schedule or relying on manual inspections prone to human error, PdM can help organizations identify when necessary repairs are needed. It can also help organizations prevent material spills that release hazardous waste. 

Reliability and Customer Satisfaction 

When an organization relies on business-critical equipment to support daily operations, reliability is the backbone of operational success, with far-reaching positive impacts on product quality and customer satisfaction. 

When equipment failures are anticipated beforehand or detected early via monitoring long before they escalate into downtime, companies can schedule needed maintenance at the best times and ward off downtime. This process ensures that equipment operates optimally for longer periods, reducing mechanical issues responsible for poor or inconsistent product quality. 

Further, reducing equipment breakdowns is key to maintaining and improving customer and stakeholder trust and satisfaction. PdM can ensure that equipment continues to function optimally without interruption, enabling organizations to meet important production goals and avoid breakdowns that disrupt production and lead to service delays. 

Extend Asset Lifespan With Predictive Maintenance Best Practices

Choosing the Right Predictive Maintenance Solution

Choosing a PdM solution requires careful planning and consideration. Because it can be a major investment that requires supportive technology and training, looking for a solution that meets your unique needs and provides adequate support is essential. 

While many off-the-shelf CMMS solutions on the market that support PdM come with comparable features and tools, it’s important to ensure your chosen solution offers long-term customer support, integrates with your current IT infrastructure and software, and provides some of the more advanced features needed to stay competitive in the future. 

Here are a few key criteria to consider: 

• Compatibility: Verify your new solution will integrate with existing systems, reducing disruptions during implementation. 
• Scalability: Look for a solution that can grow with your business, supporting new equipment and facilities as needed.
• Customer Support and Training: Training programs, resources, and responsive support will be invaluable for a smooth transition over the long run. 
• Advanced Features: Cutting-edge tools like IoT integration, advanced analytics, condition-based monitoring, mobile accessibility, and more are some of the features you will need to support PdM and stay competitive. 

Switching from Reactive to Predictive Maintenance

Transitioning from reactive maintenance to an advanced PdM program can be challenging. However, while it can initially seem overwhelming, proper planning, support, and management can lead to successful results. Implementing PdM will require a change in approach, company culture, mindset, and processes. Working alongside professionals, preferably through your choice of software provider, can help ensure the best outcome. 

Collaborate with your software provider to customize a phased implementation plan capable of minimizing disruptions. This process should include identifying high-priority assets where applying a PdM strategy will have the most impact. Over time, you can expand your program to include more assets as your teams become confident in supporting PdM. 

Further, use available resources and training to support the new tools and systems. The key to success is ensuring that your team has the tools and information to support the technologies and processes they will use to deploy a new PdM program. 

LLumin’s CMMS+ for Predictive Maintenance

At LLumin, we understand that PdM is a game-changing strategy that represents the future of maintenance management. However, we also understand that many organizations lack the resources and support to change their maintenance strategy for better results. 

In addition to providing a CMMS+ designed to empower your team with advanced tools capable of IoT integration and advanced analytics, we provide ongoing customer support and training to help maintenance teams be successful in the early phases of a fully honed implementation process. We aim to help maintenance teams understand machine health, improve reliability, and start predicting and preventing costly equipment breakdowns. 

Contact us today to learn more about Predictive Maintenance vs Preventative Maintenance software and LLumin’s CMMS+ predictive maintenance software.