Equipment Failure - Causes, Risks, and How to Avoid Them with an Effective CMMS Solution

Article Written by:

Ganesh Veerappan

Manufacturing equipment is vital to production. When it fails, it can cost a company time and money. Equipment failures can cause businesses to suffer a number of negative consequences, including production downtime, financial losses, safety risks, and reputational damage. In some cases, equipment failures can even lead to catastrophic accidents.

Equipment Failure - Causes, Risks, and How to Avoid Them with an Effective CMMS Solution
Table of Contents

To avoid these negative outcomes, it is important for businesses to have an effective maintenance management system in place. A good maintenance management system will help businesses to identify potential risks, schedule preventive maintenance, and track the condition of their equipment.

One of the most effective ways to manage maintenance is to use a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). CMMS software provides businesses with a central database for storing information about their equipment, maintenance history, and maintenance plans. It also helps businesses to track and manage their maintenance backlogs, schedule preventive maintenance, and generate maintenance reports.

Equipment failures are common in organizations, especially those that rely heavily on machinery and equipment. In fact, it is estimated that equipment failures account for a loss of $50 billion per year in the United States alone. Equipment failure is defined as any unexpected malfunction or stoppage of equipment. It can lead to production delays, quality issues, and safety concerns.

There are many different types of equipment failures, but they can all be grouped into three categories: design failures, process failures, and human errors.

Design Failures
Design failures are the most common type of equipment failure. They occur when the equipment is not designed properly for the application.
Process Failures
Process failures are caused by poor maintenance or operating procedures. Wear and tear are the most common cause of equipment failures under processes. Over time, parts will inevitably start to wear down and break. This is especially true for parts that are constantly in use, such as motors and bearings. Improper maintenance is another common cause of equipment failures. If equipment is not properly maintained, it will likely break down prematurely. This can be due to a number of things, such as not replacing worn parts, not lubricating moving parts, or not cleaning equipment on a regular basis.
Human Errors
Human errors are the most difficult to avoid, but they can be reduced with proper training and procedures. If operators do not know how to properly use and maintain equipment, they can easily damage it. Operator error can also lead to safety hazards.

Risks of Equipment Failures

The risks of equipment failures are real and present in many industries. from transportation to healthcare, to manufacturing and beyond, the potential for a critical piece of equipment to fail can have far-reaching consequences.

Failures of equipment can have a number of negative effects on businesses, including production downtime, financial losses, safety risks, and reputational damage. In some cases, equipment failures can even lead to catastrophic accidents. Production downtime is one of the most common consequences of equipment failures.

When equipment breaks down, it can take a long time to repair or replace. This can cause businesses to lose a lot of money, as they are not able to produce products or services. Safety risks are another common consequence of equipment failures. If equipment is not properly maintained, it can pose a serious hazard to employees, customers, and the general public. Reputational damage is another risk that businesses face when equipment fails. If a business has a lot of equipment failures, it can damage its reputation and make it difficult to attract new customers.

How to avoid Equipment Failure

Equipment failures can be prevented with proper maintenance.

  • Corrective maintenance is used to fix equipment that has already failed.
  • Preventive maintenance is used to prevent equipment from failing in the first place.
  • Condition-based maintenance is used to monitor equipment and perform maintenance only when it is needed.
  • Predictive maintenance predicts when equipment will fail and schedules maintenance accordingly.
  • Routine maintenance is the most basic type of maintenance and should be performed on all equipment on a regular basis.
  • Avoiding Maintenance Backlogs as they are a common cause of equipment failures. They can be prevented by scheduling maintenance properly and maintaining accurate records.

How to avoid Equipment Failures with an Effective CMMS

One of the best ways to avoid equipment failures is to use an effective CMMS. As mentioned earlier, CMMS software provides businesses with a central database for storing information about their equipment, maintenance history, and maintenance plans. Another benefit of CMMS software is that it helps businesses to track and manage their maintenance backlogs. By tracking maintenance backlogs, businesses can ensure that all of their equipment is properly maintained. Finally, CMMS software can help businesses to schedule preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is a type of maintenance that is performed on equipment before it breaks down. By scheduling preventive maintenance, businesses can ensure that their equipment is always in good working condition.

In Conclusion

Equipment failures can cause businesses to suffer a number of negative consequences, including production downtime, financial losses, safety risks, and reputational damage. In some cases, equipment failures can even lead to catastrophic accidents. To avoid these negative outcomes, it is important for businesses to have an effective maintenance management system in place. A good maintenance management system will help businesses to identify potential risks, schedule preventive maintenance, and track the condition of their equipment. One of the most effective ways to manage maintenance is to use a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).

CMMS software provides businesses with a central database for storing information about their equipment, maintenance history, and maintenance plans. It also helps businesses to track and manage their maintenance backlogs, schedule preventive maintenance, and generate maintenance reports.

If you are looking for a CMMS Software to help you manage your maintenance, then look no further! We offer a free trial of our software, so you can try it out and see how it can benefit your business.

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