#1 Way to Identify Equipment Defects Before the Manufacturer

Maintenance software can help you identify equipment defects before the manufacturer does.

Yes, that’s right!

Industry experts that we know, and that use maintenance software inclusive of preventive maintenance, have shared stories about their abilities to catch equipment defects.

They can consistently manage and track equipment using preventive maintenance.

This allows them to keep a tight schedule and a focused eye on their stuff.

In some cases, even identify a defect before the equipment’s manufacturer.

Can you imagine the reduction in downtime and money savings?

We can.

All it takes is discipline, time, and effort to get your preventive maintenance activities and tasks in order.

Then, once you are up and running, automation of these activities can begin.

Scheduled events allow you to focus on running a smooth operation while keeping your equipment up to date.

Preventive maintenance measures let you:

• Quickly identify faulty equipment
• Reduce downtime
• Cut costs

How does that sound?

Keep reading; we’re going to show you how you can catch defects and all of the above, before your manufacturers.

A Defect in Your Process

‘Forecasting’ can be a practice often overlooked by busy maintenance leaders, especially when you feel like you’re guessing.

You stress over equipment failures.

You’re firing problem employees.

It makes sense, because who has time to ‘maximize efficiency’ when your whole process is broken, right?

All you’re doing is cleaning up messes, putting out fires, and fixing broken equipment.

• Are you still waiting for the next piece of equipment to break?
• Are you tired of using additional resources when these problems are identifiable beforehand?

Proactive Operations does not end at your customer-facing operations.

Your maintenance operation must be proactive too!

Let us move your cost center to a profit center.

Let’s catch any defects way before your manufacturers do.

That way you eliminate downtime, money wasted, and major headaches.

Are you ready?

We’re going to cut to the chase.

Check out seven ways to identify equipment defects, reduce downtime, and maximize your proactive operation.

1. Outline and prioritize. Focus on eliminating operational waste.
2. Define vital activities and tasks. Then, develop digital checklists with steps for executing.
3. Give your team the necessary equipment and materials to perform and complete work assigned to them. Give them what they need to be active “detectives.”
4. Schedule equipment inspections, so nothing gets overlooked.
5. Verify completed work.
6. Inspect equipment for the possibility of additional maintenance to be conducted. It’s how you identify defects and prevent equipment failure.
7. Document details in your solution for long-term analysis to determine if an error is more severe than expected. A simple fix might not always be enough.

Use preventive maintenance to get the best results, steering clear from the dreaded woes of being a cost center.

Reduce inefficiency to ensure more uptime throughout your property.

Always sending staff to fix faulty or even broken equipment means your resources are being exhausted.

It is an expense you cannot afford.

Agree?

Preventive Maintenance Done Correctly Exposes Equipment Defects

You have seven ways to catch potential flaws.

Act quickly and implement them today.

Use your preventive maintenance software as the solution to accomplish the ultimate goal of reducing waste and increasing profits.

• Execute your plan to reduce downtime and save money.
• Use your solution to catch problems before anyone else – before they become significant

You do not have to wait for failed equipment.

You have options for preventing these deficiencies before they occur.

Counteracting the problems associated with faulty equipment can be accomplished with preventive maintenance.

Consider your current situation.

Your property is an ever-changing environment with existing and new staff, vendors, and equipment.

Changes require additional attention to detail.

Maintaining code and achieving proper safety standards ensure that you stay compliant.

You could be replaced if you don’t.

Your property could suffer.

If you do not currently have a solution in place, now is the best time to fix your own operational “defect.”

Strategy, infrastructure, and technology will move you to where you need to be.

Use these three actions with your preventive maintenance software.

They’re a substantial step in the right direction for identifying possible defects, reducing downtime, and cutting costs.

1. Identify
2. Prioritize
3. Complete

Frequency is the key here.

You know how often you need these activities done.

Do this, and defective equipment is a problem of your past.

Proactive Maintenance Prevents Downtime

Be a proactive operation, not a reactive one.

Execute your plans using preventive maintenance.

It’ll result in the efficiency required to catch defects before they slip through the cracks and your equipment breaks.

This is how you maximize your performance:

1. Centrally organize and manage preventive maintenance activities. The details of maintenance can be recorded, tracked, and maintained from a central place. Picture this: managing your preventive maintenance from one activity detail record.
2. All tasks, materials, labor, and equipment are described in detail in one place. Easy for you to access. It is also simple for you to understand. Less time is spent on the computer and more time is being spent in the field ensuring your property looks good and is running smoothly.
3. Create and view activity schedules in a calendar. Have a bird’s-eye view of your maintenance operation. Add activities to the specific date and make changes as needed. Let’s say you did find a defect, fix it, but now you want to change the schedule to track it frequently. You can do that with ease.

As the maintenance leader, you’ll have a complete understanding of what’s occurring throughout your operation.

Defects will not get past you and your team.

It makes grasping what work has been completed and when work is scheduled a whole lot easier for you too.

Maintaining successful implementation of these changes, improvements, and reduction in downtime requires you to know your tools and use them.

Use them to analyze your current state.

Measure it against where you want to be.

Over to You

Now you have some valuable tools to increase your chances of catching equipment defects before the manufacturer.

Using maintenance software that provides preventive maintenance capabilities affords you the resources to manage your property so nothing, especially faulty equipment, slips through the cracks.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness and freshness.