How to Use Scheduling Software to Plan Preventative Equipment Maintenance
How to Use Scheduling Software to Plan Preventative Equipment Maintenance
Often, preventative equipment maintenance gets neglected due to more pressing issues on the construction site. Managers neglect to see this as a priority and end up with larger equipment problems down the line. The truth is, preventative equipment management is extremely important if you want to avoid unexpected breakdowns and lost revenue. By investing in preventative maintenance, you’ll save money that would be spent on expensive reactive maintenance. While PM maintenance might seem like a headache to keep track of, it can actually be quite simple. With advances in technology, scheduling software can now help ease the preventative equipment maintenance process and ensure proper routine maintenance.
Implementing preventative maintenance management software will give you all the information you need in one place. Whether it’s model and serial numbers, warranty information, or O&M manuals, you’ll never have to spend time searching for equipment information ever again.
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So, how do you use scheduling software?
Most scheduling software offers various features to help you plan preventative equipment maintenance. Through the scheduling software, you can create scheduled work orders and edit them as much as you need to. Settings allow you decide on the frequency of repairs, create task checklists, and include documents and images to name a few. All of the details related to your piece of equipment is stored in one place, and when it’s time to conduct maintenance, you’ll be notified right away.
There is also various software scheduling that gives you the flexibility to choose what frequency is right for you. These options include:
1. Choosing your schedule by dates
In this scheduling option, you can specify work order frequency by specific dates such as every two months, every other Wednesday or every two weeks. While this is a popular way of scheduling preventative maintenance, you must be careful that you are conducting enough maintenance. If you schedule for preventative maintenance every two months, but you are using the equipment more than usual during certain months, this could become a problem.
2. Choosing your schedule by meter readings/equipment usage
This method keeps track of how much equipment is used and determines how much usage requires maintenance. This type of scheduling is very effective at preventing equipment breakdown, but it does take more work than other options because you have to enter meter readings.
3. Choosing your schedule by estimated meter use
This option doesn’t require quite as much work because it estimates equipment usage based on work schedules. For this to work, you must enter work times, days off, shutdown times, etc.
4. Choosing your schedule based on certain conditions
In this scheduling option, you can define certain external conditions that signify a need for maintenance. If a machine overheats, this could be one condition that signifies a specific kind of maintenance. It is important to note that external systems may need to be used in addition to scheduling software to analyze equipment data.
Conclusion
Preventative maintenance may seem like a pain, but with scheduling software, it doesn’t have to be. By implementing software into your preventative equipment maintenance program, you can extend the life of your construction equipment, avoid unnecessary costs, and maximize your profits!
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