By Rob McCann, head of Service Products Portfolio, Bobst North America, Inc.

In today’s world of constant production demands, combined with shorter turnaround times and fewer resources, the significance of equipment maintenance often gets overshadowed. However, machine maintenance is not an optional task; it is required for operational success. From preventing costly and untimely breakdowns to optimizing performance and ensuring safety, the role of equipment maintenance cannot be overstated. This article takes a look at the various maintenance models and their benefits, along with tools to help measure the effectiveness of a company’s maintenance approach.

Industrial preventative maintenance is a strategy that aims to prevent equipment failure and reduce downtime by performing scheduled maintenance activities on machinery and other industrial assets. This type of maintenance involves identifying potential problems before they occur and taking corrective action to ensure that equipment continues to efficiently operate.

Preventative maintenance can involve a variety of activities, such as:

• Inspections: Regular inspections can identify potential issues before they become serious problems. This can include visual inspections, tests and measurements to identify signs of wear and tear, damage or deterioration.
• Lubrication: Proper lubrication can help prevent equipment failure by reducing friction and wear. Lubrication schedules often are based on OEM recommendations and can involve using specific types of lubricants, greases or oils.
• Cleaning: Regular cleaning of equipment can help prevent issues caused by dirt, dust and moisture. This includes cleaning air filters, removing buildup from moving parts and ensuring that equipment is free from other debris.
• Calibration: Some equipment may require regular calibration to assure that it is operating within specified tolerances. This can involve adjusting sensors, instruments and other components to ensure that they are providing accurate readings.
• Replacement of worn parts: Over time, equipment may wear down or become damaged. Replacing worn or damaged parts can help prevent equipment failure and extend the life of the machine. It is far better to replace two worn bearings than wait until they fail and damage the driveshaft riding in them.

Benefits of Preventative Maintenance

• Increased equipment reliability: By performing regular maintenance activities, industrial operations can minimize the risk of equipment failure and unplanned downtime. This will help make sure that equipment efficiently and consistently operates over time.
• Improved safety: Regular maintenance can help identify and address potential safety hazards associated with equipment, such as malfunctioning sensors, worn-out parts or leaking fluids. Addressing these hazards can reduce the risk of accidents and injuries in the workplace.
• Reduced repair costs: Addressing issues before they become serious problems can help minimize repair costs. Preventative maintenance can help identify and address potential issues early on, reducing the need for expensive repairs or equipment replacements.
• Longer equipment lifespan: By maintaining equipment in good condition, businesses can extend the useful lifespan of their equipment. This can help reduce the need for frequent equipment replacements, which can be costly and disruptive.
• Improved productivity: When equipment consistently and reliably operates, it can help improve overall productivity by reducing the risk of unexpected downtime or interruptions to production schedules.

Time-Based Maintenance

This type of maintenance involves performing maintenance activities at regular intervals. For example, changing filters, lubricating moving parts or replacing worn-out components based on predetermined schedules defined by the OEM.

Condition-Based Maintenance

This approach involves performing maintenance activities based on the actual condition of the equipment. This can involve using sensors or other monitoring systems to track performance and identify potential issues. Maintenance then is performed as needed, rather than on a fixed schedule.

In the packaging industry, condition-based maintenance involves monitoring equipment condition and scheduling maintenance activities based on the equipment’s actual condition, such as impressions, vibration, temperature or pressure.

Predictive Maintenance

This type of maintenance involves using data and analytics to predict when equipment likely is to fail based off historical information. Predictive maintenance uses tools such as vibration analysis, thermography and oil analysis to identify potential issues before they become serious problems.

Predictive maintenance can use machine-learning algorithms to predict when maintenance is needed and schedule maintenance activities accordingly if enough data is available.

Run to Fail

“Run to fail” maintenance is a reactive maintenance strategy that involves running equipment until it fails and then replacing or repairing it as needed. This approach sometimes is used in situations where the cost of maintaining equipment is higher than the cost of replacing it when it fails.

In a run to fail maintenance strategy, maintenance activities are not performed on a regular schedule, but only when the equipment already has failed. This can result in unexpected downtime and disruptions to production schedules, as well as potentially higher repair costs.

If equipment unexpectedly fails, it can lead to extended unplanned downtime, production delays and increased costs associated with emergency repairs or equipment replacement. Additionally, if a critical piece of equipment fails, it could impact other parts of the production process, leading to a cascade of failures that can be difficult to recover from.

Run to fail maintenance may be appropriate for equipment that is not critical to the production process and easily can be replaced or repaired. However, for more complex or critical equipment, preventative maintenance strategies typically are a better option. Overall, the decision to use a run to fail maintenance strategy should be based on a careful analysis of risk.

Choosing the Appropriate Maintenance Strategy

• Assess equipment criticality: The first step is to assess the criticality of each piece of equipment to the production process. Equipment that is essential to the production process or that has a high cost of failure may require a more comprehensive maintenance strategy, such as a predictive or condition-based maintenance model.
• Evaluate maintenance costs: The company should evaluate the costs associated with each maintenance model, including the cost of labor, parts and equipment needed to implement the maintenance program. This will help to determine which model is most cost-effective for the company.
• Consider available resources: The company should consider the availability of resources, such as skilled labor, equipment and software, needed to implement each maintenance model. If the company does not have the necessary resources, it may need to invest in additional training, hire outside resources or buy equipment to support the maintenance program.
• Determine the level of automation: Depending on the size of the company and the available resources, the level of automation in the maintenance model should be considered. Automated systems and sensors can provide real-time data on equipment performance, which can be used to implement a condition-based or predictive maintenance model.
• Implement a pilot program: Once the maintenance model that best suits the needs has been determined, a pilot program can be implemented to test the effectiveness of the program. The pilot program can help to identify any areas of improvement and refine the model before it is implemented on a larger scale.

By following these steps, a manufacturing company can determine the best equipment maintenance approach for their needs, helping to reduce downtime, extend equipment life and improve overall efficiency and safety.

The more organized the strategy, the more effective it becomes. Online tools, such as Maintenance Management Software (MMS), can provide detailed and structured plans.

Maintenance Management Software is a computerized system designed to help organizations manage their maintenance operations more efficiently. MMS is a type of Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software that’s used to track and manage maintenance activities for a range of equipment, including manufacturing equipment, vehicles, buildings and other assets.

MMS software typically includes a variety of features and functionalities, such as:

• Work order management
• Asset management
• Inventory management
• Reporting and analysis

Measuring the Effectiveness of Preventative Maintenance

The success of preventative maintenance can be measured in several ways, depending on the specific goals and objectives. Common metrics that can be used to measure the success of preventative maintenance include:

• Equipment uptime: One of the most basic metrics for measuring the success of preventative maintenance is equipment uptime. By tracking the amount of time that equipment is available for production, the company can assess the impact of its maintenance program on overall equipment availability.
• Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): MTBF is a measure of the average time between equipment failures. By tracking MTBF, the company can assess whether its maintenance program is improving equipment reliability and reducing the frequency of failures.
• Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): MTTR is a measure of the average time it takes to repair equipment after a failure. By tracking MTTR, the company can assess whether its maintenance program is improving the speed of repairs and reducing downtime.
• Cost savings: A company also can measure the success of preventative maintenance by tracking cost savings. This could include savings from reduced downtime, fewer repairs and longer equipment life.
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): OEE is standard industry KPI. It’s a ratio of uptime, performance and quality. By tracking OEE, the company can compare against past “scores” and will signify the impact of its maintenance program on overall equipment performance.
• Maintenance backlog: Maintenance backlog is the amount of maintenance work that needs to be completed but has not yet been scheduled or completed. By tracking maintenance backlog, the company can assess the effectiveness of its maintenance program in prioritizing and completing maintenance activities.

Implementation

With all of the available options, how does a company choose the best fit? Where should it begin?

Here are some steps a company can take to begin implementing a preventative maintenance strategy:

• Evaluate existing maintenance practices: The first step in implementing a preventative maintenance strategy is to evaluate existing maintenance practices. This includes reviewing maintenance records and analyzing equipment performance data to identify common problems and areas for improvement.
• Define maintenance goals and objectives: Once the company has identified areas for improvement, it should define the maintenance goals and objectives. This includes identifying the equipment that is critical to production and setting maintenance targets for uptime, reliability and performance.
• Develop a maintenance plan: With the maintenance goals and objectives in place, the company should develop a comprehensive maintenance plan. This plan should include a schedule for preventive maintenance activities, such as inspections, lubrication and replacement of wear parts.
• Implement a maintenance management system: To manage the maintenance plan, the company should implement a maintenance management system (MMS). This software can help to automate maintenance activities, track equipment performance and generate reports on maintenance activities.
• Train personnel: To ensure that the maintenance plan is effectively carried out, the company should provide training to maintenance personnel. This includes training on equipment maintenance procedures, safety protocols and the use of the maintenance management system.
• Monitor and adjust the maintenance plan: Once the maintenance plan is implemented, the company should monitor equipment performance data and adjust the maintenance plan as needed. This includes identifying areas for improvement and making changes to the maintenance schedule or procedures to improve equipment reliability and performance.

Conclusion

As noted earlier, equipment maintenance is not an option – it is a vital requirement. It can make or break a production center. As seen, there are many factors to consider and numerous ways to achieve safe, reliable, productive and efficient machine performance. Choosing the best method calls for detailed analysis and careful planning. But in doing so, the benefits are clear. A successful preventative maintenance program additionally can lead to increased equipment uptime, improved product quality and reduced maintenance costs. 

Rob McCann is the head of Service Products Portfolio at Bobst North America, Inc. He may be reached at 973.226.8000 or by email at [email protected]. For more information, visit www.bobst.com.

This article is reproduced with permission from the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking’s monthly magazine, The Cutting Edge, June 2024.

The IADD is an international trade association serving diecutters, diemakers and industry suppliers worldwide. IADD provides conferences, education and training programs, a monthly magazine, online resource library of 750+ technical articles, industry experts to answer technical questions, publications and training manuals, recommended specifications, videos and more. IADD also presents Odyssey Expo, a bi-annual tradeshow and innovative concept in technical training featuring a hands-on Techshop where training programs come alive in an actual working diemaking and diecutting facility inside the exhibit area. Visit www.iadd.org or call 815.455.7519 for more information.