Maintenance is essential for any business or organization that relies on equipment and machinery. Without proper maintenance, machines can break down unexpectedly, causing costly downtime and repairs. However, not all maintenance processes are the same. Planned and scheduled maintenance are two terms are often used interchangeably. While they go hand in hand with one another, they are not the same. In this blog post, we explore the difference between planned and scheduled maintenance.
What is planned maintenance?
Planned maintenance is a maintenance process that identifies the resources needed to address a specific equipment malfunction. In other words, the aim is to determine what specific tasks should be performed and how they should be carried out. What’s more, planned maintenance involves identifying potential equipment issues, determining the necessary steps for upkeep, and procuring the required tools and parts for execution. To achieve this, the planning process consists of equipment inspections, process descriptions, ordering replacement parts, and prioritizing work. A maintenance planner is responsible for overseeing these tasks to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
An example of planned maintenance
A HVAC manager assesses the various routine maintenance activities needed to help you breathe safer and healthier air, and be comfortable indoors, and creates standard operating procedures (SOPs) for HVAC technicians to follow according to standards.
What is scheduled maintenance?
Scheduled maintenance is a process that outlines who will perform maintenance tasks and when they will be performed. Essentially, the primary focus is on the timing of planned maintenance tasks and who will be responsible for them. The goal of scheduled maintenance is to ensure that all maintenance activities are carried out within a specified timeframe.
Work orders can be scheduled through paper, spreadsheets or Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software. Scheduled maintenance involves following a predetermined maintenance schedule that is based on the manufacturer’s recommendations or industry standards.
An example of scheduled maintenance
The HVAC manager arranges recurring work orders based on a combination of time and usage intervals. For example, each Spring and Fall of every year, or at least once a year HVAC systems should be serviced.
What's the difference between planned maintenance and scheduled maintenance?
Although they may sound similar, planned maintenance and scheduled maintenance have some fundamental differences. Basically, the main difference between planned maintenance and scheduled maintenance is that planned maintenance determines how and what work will be performed, while scheduled maintenance determines who performs the work and when.
There is a symbiotic relationship between planned and scheduled maintenance. Without maintenance planning, there can be a shortage of proper materials, tools, and process documentation when performing a job. Without maintenance scheduling, there can be confusion among employees regarding their job assignments, wrong employees can be assigned, and the work may not be completed in a timely manner.
However, when both maintenance planning and scheduling are executed efficiently, maintenance technicians and contractors can perform their work seamlessly without any organizational issues.
Planned vs. scheduled maintenance
The table below compares the difference bewteen planned and scheduled maintenance:
Managing equipment maintenance is easy with the LeanSuite
The LeanSuite’s maintenance management system is an incredibly useful tool for anyone looking to streamline their maintenance processes. One of the main benefits of this system is its easy-to-use interface, which makes it simple for anyone to navigate and use effectively. By using this system, you can save time and improve efficiency by automating many of the tasks associated with maintenance management, such as creating and tracking work orders, scheduling maintenance activities, and tracking maintenance history. Additionally, the system provides real-time data and analytics, allowing you to make informed decisions about maintenance activities and identify opportunities for improvement.
