Equipment and machinery are the backbone of companies in the industrial sector.
They help keep production at a steady pace and ensure equipment safety with a clear goal: to prevent accidents that could endanger employees’ health.
That is why it is essential to properly manage the maintenance of industrial machinery.
But do you know which industrial maintenance plan is right for you?
Types of Industrial Maintenance
1- Corrective maintenance
The distinctive feature of this type of maintenance is that it involves correcting equipment malfunctions as they arise due to wear and tear. Such maintenance can be planned when that wear and tear has been anticipated and is already factored into the industrial maintenance plan.
Unplanned failures, when the defect occurs unexpectedly or earlier than anticipated.
2- Preventive Maintenance
It consists of systematic maintenance of the equipment, even if it has not yet shown signs of wear or malfunction. The vulnerabilities of the machinery and materials are taken into account, and maintenance is scheduled at the appropriate time to prevent the need for major repairs. It requires a sound industrial maintenance plan.
3- Predictive Maintenance
This is one of the types of industrial maintenance that most requires a proper industrial maintenance plan. It involves constantly analyzing the equipment to detect any changes in the machinery’s parameters and predict breakdowns and errors before they occur.
In order to implement this type of industrial maintenance, it is first necessary to take measurements of the equipment. Some variables to consider include vibration, energy consumption, temperature…
Once the normal parameters are known, variations in them can be detected that may indicate a potential problem with the equipment. This helps prevent breakdowns. It is one of the most advanced types of industrial maintenance and one of those that requires the most extensive knowledge of computer science, mathematics, physics, and other related fields.
5- Maintenance During Use
This is one of the types of industrial maintenance that requires the least intervention.
It consists of simple preventive tasks, such as proper cleaning or checking for visible defects.
Which one should I choose for my company?
The truth is that it depends entirely on the type of equipment you have. You don’t have to choose one option and ignore all other types of industrial maintenance.
In fact, the best approach is to create an industrial maintenance plan that includes several different types of maintenance tailored to the needs of your equipment. That is why industrial maintenance models have been developed, which provide a
a balancing act between the different types of industrial maintenance to meet all needs.
For example, you may be working with technologically advanced machinery that poses a high risk of accidents due to wear and tear.
In that case, you should choose a model that prioritizes predictive maintenance—to stay on top of potential issues—and zero-hour maintenance—to prevent accidents from occurring.
On the other hand, if you use simpler machinery that doesn’t require highly specialized training to maintain, you might be able to design an industrial maintenance plan focused on in-service maintenance and corrective maintenance, if necessary.
