FEATURE Smart Factories
Asset tracking for planned preventative maintenance
N
o manager wants their smooth working processes ruined by unexpected equipment failure. Failures create unexpected
expenses through loss of productivity, which will grow until the machine is repaired at high cost. Planned preventative maintenance addresses this problem, becoming a commonly-adopted part of any maintenance schedule for many industries and sectors, thanks to its manifold benefi ts. Older maintenance programs are built
on the reactive model, designed around waiting for something to go wrong with the equipment, and then have it fi xed. Unfortunately, this method has drawbacks, the largest of which is that it’s reliant on a problem existing for even a short time whilst it gets fi xed. Now, these older methods are being replaced with superior, predictive models.
Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is also known as “scheduled” or “preventive care”. PPM is a proactive approach, where maintenance work is pre-emptively planned for, through monitoring the state of equipment, to prevent costly breakdowns. As a result, PPM increases effi ciency, decreases downtime, promotes health and safety, and saves costs in the long run.
Planning is an essential part of asset maintenance management, giving the benefi ts of choosing when equipment can be unavailable, and compensating accordingly by either timing the maintenance or involving alternative equipment.
24 September 2022 | Automation
Asset maintenance management The main goal of eff ective asset management is to maximise profi t from assets, enabled by six main elements: identifi cation, location, condition, specifi cation, maintenance and cost.
Identifi cation is quite a straightforward initial step: assets are recorded, so none miss regular maintenance. Challenges appear when there are hundreds of assets across several sites. Digital alternatives have substantially improved paper-and-pen record keeping, and off er sophisticated asset tracking. One reliable way to obtain data on equipment is through visual inspections, but knowing when to conduct that is much easier with digital tracking systems. These systems use alerts about maintenance schedules. Understanding the assets’ condition requires understanding of its specifi cation, capabilities and safety requirements. For example, overtaxing a machine will decrease its working life even faster. With these steps in place, creating a
preventative maintenance plan is easy. Many unique ideas are recommended for eff ective maintenance plans, but these should be customised to the asset’s individual requirements to get the most out of them. Finally, there’s the asset’s cost, which includes its initial investment and maintenance. With ageing, a machine operates less effi ciently, so by monitoring its performance and maintenance requirements and comparing them to the initial costs, a
Whether managing a manufacturing line, facility or any other business that relies on equipment to function,
unforeseen repairs and breakdowns can lead to disaster. Fortunately, preventative maintenance can help, state engineers at GSM Barcoding
decision can be made if it is still worth the price.
Asset tracking
Asset tracking is essential to eff ectively plan preventative maintenance within existing maintenance management programs. With our range of fi xed asset-tracking labels, valuable assets can be easily tagged and digitally connected to a tracking system. Combined with our software, asset numbers can be assigned and labels printed using thermal transfer printers on either fi xed or mobile printers, enabling point-of- application labelling.
Our popular G-Smart assets software can track and locate any tagged assets through a web-based program. This simple and intuitive platform compiles tracked assets within a secure system, whilst being available remotely. This fl exible application is designed to manage asset maintenance across multiple locations by providing real- time location and maintenance details. Inside the software is a PPM module that allows to create checklists. It can be connected to any type computer, so a fi eld engineer can be guided through the maintenance process, as well as check that all steps are closely followed.
CONTACT:
GSM Barcoding
www.barcoding.co.uk
automationmagazine.co.uk
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