Condition-based maintenance is a type of preventive maintenance that relies on monitoring the condition of equipment. Interventions are triggered when wear thresholds are exceeded. It is more proactive than systematic maintenance.
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Managing equipment maintenance is a real headache for many industrialists. Unexpected breakdowns, high repair costs, and the difficulty of predicting when and how to intervene can cause costly and even stressful interruptions.
Preventive maintenance offers a solution by reducing maintenance costs and limiting breakdowns. The goal is to find an optimal balance between timing and frequency of maintenance.
This is precisely the goal that condition-based maintenance aims to achieve.
This type of maintenance, sometimes confused with predictive maintenance, is essential for optimizing interventions. In this article, we will explain this concept, its advantages, and its functioning, while showing how HelloHouston can support you.
Condition-Based or Systematic Maintenance?
Take a minute and imagine two factories: one performs systematic maintenance on a fixed schedule, while the other uses condition-based maintenance. In the first factory, technicians intervene regularly, often without necessity. In the second, interventions are carried out when needed and based on actual data.
Which seems better to you? It’s not always obvious, and there are nuances to consider. Let me explain.
Each machine has different preventive maintenance needs to prevent failures and unexpected downtime. That’s why there are several maintenance techniques/types you can use. The ideal method depends on the criticality and type of equipment to be maintained.
Systematic Maintenance:
Based on manufacturers’ recommendations and the history of failures, this method involves periodic rounds without considering the actual condition of the assets. It is planned and configured in the HelloHouston CMMS, allowing technicians to organize their day via a calendar.
Condition-Based Maintenance:
It allows monitoring equipment in real-time and intervening only when necessary. Setting up and connecting sensors alerts you when thresholds are reached, thus facilitating team organization.
To ensure you understand the difference, here’s a simple example:
• Brake inspection: Every 15,000 km. (Systematic Maintenance)
• Brake inspection: Based on brake pad wear, measured by a thickness sensor. (Condition-Based Maintenance)
Means of Measurement for Condition-Based Maintenance
Why Perform Condition-Based Maintenance?
Condition-based maintenance offers several advantages. It optimizes costs by intervening only when sensors indicate it’s necessary, thus reducing spare parts expenses and saving resources. Moreover, this method reduces stress thanks to continuous asset monitoring.
It also minimizes unexpected downtime through regular machine monitoring by technicians, allowing for the early detection of failure signs and timely intervention. This improves equipment reliability and ensures their availability and the continuity of production.
Finally, it extends the lifespan of machines by ensuring the quick repair of functional issues, preventing excessive wear of mechanical parts and premature failure of other components.
What is the Difference Between Condition-Based and Predictive Maintenance?
You may have heard the term “I do predictive maintenance.”
It’s more accurate to say “forecasting” rather than “predictive,” but that’s not today’s topic.
Condition-based maintenance is often confused with predictive maintenance. However, these two strategies are somewhat complementary.
Condition-Based Maintenance:
This approach uses data collected during the equipment’s operation and manufacturer information. Interventions are performed under conditions and according to thresholds that do not change based on equipment degradation.
Predictive Maintenance:
A more advanced version that uses IoT technology to analyze sensor data. It determines when tools will fail by monitoring their real-time degradation. This method is more proactive, adapts to the equipment’s life, but is also more expensive and complex to implement.
The choice between these two methods depends on the specific needs of the company, its resources, and the criticality of its equipment.
How to Implement Condition-Based Maintenance in 6 Steps?
If you want to apply condition-based maintenance, follow these steps.
Step 1: Assess Needs and Critical Equipment
Use failure history to assess equipment criticality and identify those with a significant impact on production.
Typically, 20% of equipment can be responsible for 80% of failures or associated costs (Pareto principle).
Next, focus on their monitoring needs (e.g., oil level, pressure, etc.) required for your equipment.
Step 2: Select Appropriate Technologies
Choose sensors suited to critical parameters (oil level, pressure, temperature, vibrations, electrical current).
Step 3: Data Analysis and Threshold Setting
Based on technical specifications, industry standards, or your experience, define thresholds to signal anomalies.
Step 4: Determine the Delay Between Malfunction Detection and Intervention Before Failure
Set up alerts with a margin to anticipate interventions before the equipment is in trouble, allowing for efficient technician organization.
Step 5: Integration with Existing Systems (CMMS - HelloHouston)
Integrate monitoring and inspection data into HelloHouston to facilitate maintenance decision-making and automatically notify technical teams.
Step 6: Measure the ROI of Installations
Does the implementation of condition-based maintenance provide an excellent return on investment? To find out, compare maintenance costs, equipment lifespan, downtime, etc. This analysis should be performed before and after system implementation.
Advantages of Condition-Based Maintenance
Reduction of Failures and Corrective Maintenance
Like any maintenance service, the ultimate goal is to never have to work. Condition-based maintenance contributes to this goal. Detecting potential failures proactively allows technicians to act at the right time and avoid unexpected stoppages that cause chaos in the workshop and disrupt communication with production teams.
No Interruptions During Production
• Ensures quality products thanks to the efficiency of machining tools.
• More reliable and longer-lasting equipment.
Enhanced Safety
Well-maintained equipment is less likely to cause workplace accidents.
This contributes to a safer work environment and reduces the risk of injuries for production employees and technicians.
Conclusion
I believe you now understand the importance of this type of maintenance.
Condition-based maintenance is the art of taking care of your machines at the right time. It saves spare parts and reduces production interruptions. And with HelloHouston’s CMMS, everything becomes even easier: it centralizes data, schedules tasks, and automatically alerts you.
If you wish to speak with one of our engineers, contact us directly by clicking here!
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