In general, the concept of maintenance is defined as "any human activity aimed at keeping a plant operating correctly, economically, safely, and with good quality, through both material and human techniques and means for carrying out such activities."

 

Importance of Industrial Maintenance Management

 

In general, the concept of maintenance is defined as "any human activity aimed at keeping a plant operating correctly, economically, safely, and with good quality, through both material and human techniques and means for carrying out such activities."

This is the theory, but in practice, and focusing on the importance of industrial maintenance management, it is about keeping a plant operating in perfect condition with three main objectives in mind: ensuring that production activities are carried out under optimal conditions of efficiency, economy, and safety for all.

“It is important to note that today’s concept of maintenance has evolved, and definitions from a couple of decades ago are now virtually obsolete.”

Today, maintenance is increasingly trending towards eliminating spare parts inventories, reducing the time equipment remains under repair, and implementing maintenance programs that allow manufacturing operations to always be functioning at their maximum potential.

Thus, the importance of industrial maintenance management is clear, as poor planning and consequently poor implementation can lead to equipment failures, economic losses, and even health hazards for employees.

Proper maintenance planning brings multiple benefits, such as:

• Reduced consumption of "man-hours"
• Decreased downtime of equipment for repairs
• Reduced repair costs that can be avoided
• Improved working environment for maintenance personnel
• Enhanced efficiency and productivity

Maintenance should be planned and generally divided into preventive and corrective maintenance; each has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered and evaluated before deciding on the most suitable approach for the company.

Considering this, here are the main advantages and disadvantages of these two types of industrial maintenance:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Preventive Maintenance:

Advantages:

• Significantly reduces the risk of failure or leakage, depending on the case.
• Lower cost compared to corrective maintenance.
• Reduces the occurrence of unexpected stoppages.
• Facilitates better planning and control over maintenance applied to both devices and facilities.

Disadvantages:

• Makes it difficult to precisely determine the level of depreciation or wear of the parts that make up different equipment.
• Requires that maintenance personnel have experience with the devices and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Corrective Maintenance:

Advantages:

• Increased longevity of both equipment and facilities.
• Reduced repair costs.
• Achieves uniformity in the workload for maintenance personnel, thanks to activity scheduling.
• Ensures that all personnel work under the best possible safety conditions.

Disadvantages:

• Some failures may occur during execution, leading to longer repair times.
• Repair costs can be very high, which could affect the cost of purchasing spare parts when needed.
• It is impossible to guarantee the time required to complete the repair process.

Industrial maintenance should not be taken lightly, as it encompasses important and critical issues such as the efficient use of resources and the safety of personnel.

When industrial maintenance is planned with sufficient time and appropriately in general, it is possible to schedule almost all the company’s maintenance projects for both the medium and long term.