Planned Maintenance Definition

Planned maintenance is the planning, documenting, and scheduling of any maintenance activity. Essentially, it is a maintenance approach that aims to reduce unplanned equipment downtime and instead, promotes planned downtime. So, scheduling this kind of maintenance extends the lifespans of your assets and keeps them in working order.

Two Types of Planned Maintenance
1. Planned Preventive Maintenance

Planned preventive maintenance is the first type of planned maintenance and it involves putting in place a maintenance schedule that prevents problems from occurring. For example, manufacturers recommend servicing your vehicles every 8,000 kilometres. As a result, this ensures vehicles run smoothly. 

2. Planned Breakdown Maintenance

Planned breakdown maintenance is the second type of planned maintenance and it involves having a strategy in place to repair or replace an asset after a failure has already occurred. In essence, the goal here is to get the equipment up and running again as quickly as possible without jeopardizing safety. For example, you might purchase a spare battery just in case your current one dies.

Planned Maintenance Workflow

Planned Maintenance Workflow - 5 Steps
1. Identify the problem

The first step of planned maintenance is to identify the problem and gather all the relevant information required to complete the work. For instance, which asset needs work, what is wrong with the asset, and any additional problems that may be related to it.

2. Inspect the asset and the location of the asset

After collecting all the relevant information and identifying the exact problem, you need to outline the details of the work to be performed. In essence, you need you to determine the scope of the work, what tools are required to do the work, and whether you need replacement parts or other specific materials. Additionally, you need to inspect the worksite. That is to say, there might be temporary equipment, materials, and scaffolding in the way and could affect how work is conducted. So, you need to remove any obstructions and keep the area clear. 

3. Order parts and create a work order

If you need replacement parts or other specific materials, place an order for them. Once that’s done, create a work order that includes all of the information pertaining to the maintenance activity and outlines the process for completing that activity successfully. For instance, you may include shutdown procedures, access requirements, and safety precautions. 

4. Select work order priority level and due date

Once the work is outlined, it needs to be prioritized. The priority levels assigned may be as simple as low, medium, or high:

  • — Low Priority: activities that aren’t time sensitive or that don’t involve important equipment 
  • — Medium Priority: time-sensitive preventive maintenance tasks that involve important equipment
  • — High Priority: critical and urgent activities

Next, you should identify a due date to ensure completion of the work is done in a timely manner to get the asset operating again as soon as possible. 

5. Schedule and complete planned maintenance

The scheduling phase begins after the planning process is complete. It is important to note that scheduling maintenance is an entirely different process than maintenance planning. However, both of them heavily rely on each other to ensure preventive maintenance is completed successfully.

The Benefits of Planning Maintenance Activities

In addition to reduced unplanned downtime, planned maintenance offers several other benefits to companies. These benefits include:

  1. 1. Reduced Maintenance Costs: Planned maintenance programs enables your team to handle breakdowns more efficiently by not having to spend additional capital on for example, the expedited delivery of replacement parts or outsourced maintenance services. Essentially, it prevents small problems and easy repairs from becoming big problems and causing costly repairs. 
  2. 2. Increased Asset Lifespan: By regularly servicing equipment and keeping it operating in good condition, this helps it last longer. So, it won’t need to be replaced as often. 
  3. 3. Improved Workplace Safety: By regularly servicing equipment and keeping it operating in good condition, this helps it last longer. So, it won’t need to be replaced as often. 
  4. 4. Enhanced Company Culture: Planning out maintenance activities relieves the stress of unexpected equipment breakdowns and failures. Therefore, keeping your employees active, collaborating, and overall more content. 

Plan Your Maintenance Activities with TheLeanSuite

Planned maintenance is a key component of any organization’s maintenance process. When you have the right tools and resources to properly execute it, it can improve the quality of your maintenance work significantly. 

TheLeanSuite is a cloud-based, all-in-one lean manufacturing software that is designed to help enhance your entire manufacturing operations. One of the apps TheLeanSuite offers is the  CILR Management system, a CMMS software that helps you and your workforce plan, track, and collaborate on equipment maintenance activities, all in one central place. By integrating the CILR Management system into your daily operations, this ensures you effectively and efficiently schedule planned maintenance activities. 

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