When it comes to keeping your industrial equipment in good working order, there are a number of frameworks to follow. Throughout the manufacturing sector, ideas such as “preventive maintenance” and “precision maintenance” have sprung up as philosophies for enhancing upkeep and preventing downtime. They may sound like competing ideas, but in many cases they’re complementary. Take, for example, precision maintenance vs. predictive maintenance. If you’re unfamiliar with what these terms represent, you might be led to believe you have to choose one over the other. Read on to learn how these two concepts intersect and mesh to provide you with an optimized approach to maintaining your systems.
How precision maintenance and predictive maintenance work together
Predictive maintenance is a specific type of upkeep, which involves servicing equipment based on its level of usage and data about how much wear it experiences. The goal is to use information to resolve issues proactively before they have a chance to impact performance.
This idea nestles into the philosophy of precision maintenance, which is an overarching approach that influences every type of maintenance. Working within a culture of precision maintenance means every worker performs each task in the same manner to achieve dependable, predictable results. It also calls for comprehensive documentation to provide all with the most complete view into what type of work was performed, when it was done and what the results were.
Viewed in this light, it’s clear that the only differences between precision and predictive maintenance are in how they’re applied. Predictive maintenance deals with when work should be performed, while precision maintenance describes how it should be performed. Working together, these two maintenance practices can transform the way your production facility operates and reduce unplanned downtime. If you want to learn more about how you can improve your maintenance strategy, reach out to the experts at ATS.
