Table of Contents:
In the manufacturing and facility management business, where time is of the essence, your machines are the blood of your business. When it rhythms consistently, the production streams and profitability increase. But when does it stop? The silence may be deafening—and very costly indeed.
Failing equipment is not merely a failed machine; it is a domino effect that spreads to your entire organization, leading to delays in production, safety issues, and skyrocketing expenses. In the manufacturing industry, where billions of dollars are lost annually due to unplanned downtime, success versus stagnation is often determined by how well you maintain and care for your assets.
The good news? The failure of equipment can be avoided to a great extent. Through the identification of potential root causes and the use of the power of the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), you will be able to change your maintenance approach from being more of a reactive firefighting system to proactive reliability.
Equipment failure, at its most basic definition, is any incident in which machinery ceases to carry out its designated purpose, or it is functioning below acceptable quality. It may involve a complete failure that shuts down a production line or small inefficiencies, such as a conveyor belt running at a slower speed than it was supposed to run, that drip profits out. Although there are sudden disastrous failures, there are also failures that are caused by gradual worsening, which was unnoticeable until it was too late.
To avoid such failures, it is necessary to know the source of such failures first. As a rule, equipment errors can be grouped into three main categories:
1. Process Failures (Wear and Tear) This is the easiest cause of breakdowns. Similar to the tires of a car, such industrial elements as bearings, motors, and belts wear out with time because of friction and constant work.
2. Design Failures Sometimes, it is not how you are using the machine, but it is the machine. Design failures take place when the equipment is simply incompatible with the job or environment in which it is being utilized.
3. Human Factor: Even the most sophisticated machine cannot defeat inappropriate handling. Unscheduled downtime is contributed to a large extent by human error.
The consequences of ignoring equipment's health extend far beyond the repair bill. The risks include:
Avoiding failure requires a mix of maintenance strategies tailored to your assets:
It is almost impossible to manage all these strategies on paper or spreadsheets in a facility in the modern world. It is at this point that a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) would come in handy.
A CMMS is the central nervous system for your maintenance operations. It directly opposes equipment failure like this:
Equipment of malfunction is another reality that is not only costly but also does not necessarily have to happen. You can save your bottom line by recognizing the causes, be they process, design, or human-based, and adopting a strong defensive strategy.
The most effective action that can be taken to alleviate these risks is to invest in an efficient CMMS solution. It gives your crew the tools to help you transition to proactive management as opposed to reactive management and make sure your equipment is in operation for a longer and safer operation and at a higher rate of efficiency.
Are you prepared to prevent downtime before it occurs? Get your team armed with Cryotos CMMS to discover how it will be able to secure your operations today.
