Those who work in the maintenance industry know that organization is fundamental to the success of their activities. Therefore, planning represents such an important differential. All companies can benefit from it, although not all take this tool as part of the processes. You can refer more about Maintenance Planning Training in order bring best output.
It turns out that not everyone understands the real importance of efficient maintenance planning. And as much as its benefits are many, you need to know where to start. Thinking about it, we created this post with everything you need to know about it. Check out!
The main benefits of a PCM
First, it is interesting to understand how a Maintenance Planning and Control (PCM) program can bring benefits to your company. After all, it is not just an organization, but a series of actions to optimize this strategy and ensure that maintenance objectives are met.
- Increase in quality
Every production line depends on the constant operation of its equipment so that the volume and the quality of the production are within the planned. Maintenance plays a central role in this regard, but it will only achieve its best indexes with a PCM implemented. After all, it is with more preventive maintenance and less corrective that the equipment stays more time running without problems.
- Safety
A disturbing index for the whole industry is the number of accidents caused by mechanical or operational failures. Often, they could be avoided with efficient maintenance planning. Therefore, it is essential to work on the implementation of one. Not only the employees, but the whole company has to win. This includes compliance with international standards and certificates.
- Reduction of costs
You can not talk about any strategic change in a company without thinking about the financial impact that this brings. In the case of maintenance planning, they are extremely satisfactory. The cost reduction with rework, for example, is enormous. In addition, employee productivity increases as they waste less time with machine downtime.
- Increase in production
Besides the factors already mentioned here, we can highlight others that contribute to the increase of production. The definition of a troubleshooting is one of them. With the most common problems raised, it is possible to develop a plan of action to resolve them quickly.
Going beyond that, maintenance can provision resources for future services, as you get a better perspective on what will be needed. Another point to be highlighted is that the timeline of the production lines can be followed with fidelity, since the cases of unscheduled maintenance decrease drastically. Having these issues in mind, you need to know where to start. We’ll talk about this in more detail below.
Steps for implementing a PCM
Before starting, you have to understand that each company has its own internal dynamics of operation. Therefore, its specific characteristics must be taken into account, so that the maintenance planning is tailored to your needs.
In addition, assess whether the professionals involved are able to participate in this process that is typical of management, and may represent a difficulty for technicians. Be sure to give your support through meetings and trainings!
As for the steps, it is important that they do not go out of the order presented here, as this could bring about future complications.
1. Research and data collection
Raising information related to production line performance is the first and most important step. The reason is simple: it is knowing the needs of the company, the most common problems, the unwanted scenarios and the possible improvements that the maintenance team can act with greater efficiency. Analyze this data, as well as the equipment and its operating characteristics. This step allows you to visualize a panorama of what needs to be done.
2. Appointment of appeals
Also listing available resources is critical. Make a note that includes the available team, the time required to maintain each equipment, the degree of maturity and technical training of the team, etc.
Here, all equipment is registered. Most of these data are provided by manufacturers.
3.Delivery schedule
With the data collected, it is time to set the schedule for performing preventive and Predictive maintenance. All employees need to be made aware and trained to execute this schedule. By no means can it be ignored.
In it, it is necessary to describe which equipment is involved, the activities to be carried out, who is responsible, the time for execution, details of the service (mechanical or electrical, for example), etc.
4. Scheduling of plans
It is the control to be developed to carry out all the schedules. This depends on the team and available resources so that this schedule can be scheduled and executed.
5. Constant follow-up
All planning becomes effective only if it is constantly monitored. Follow-up is essential to know if the service is being done well, as well as to identify possible improvements and adapt the maintenance processes.
6. Review
A review plan is also an important strategy to ensure the quality of maintenance. All services performed must be periodically reassessed, so that failures are identified and the process optimized.
Costs and tools to optimize maintenance planning
The costs of implementing the PCM program will be reverted to benefits as they avoid various operational problems. However, it is essential that reports be drawn up to relate costs to activities performed.
Without a clear description of the expenses, it can be difficult to justify them for the management of the company. Often these people do not understand the reality of maintenance and the positive impact it has on production. That's why numbers are the manager's best friends.
With solid information in hand, it's easier to make everyone understand the real workings of maintenance, what its benefits are, what problems have been avoided, and so many other relevant issues. This leads us to a fundamental point for PCM optimization.
While this program can be implemented in many ways, the best way to ensure its performance is with maintenance planning software. This type of tool offers a series of functions that increase the manager's power of action in relation to PCM.
In the data collection phase, for example, it assists in collecting and organizing them. The analysis becomes much more reliable and the actions to be taken next will be based on more complete reports and indicators.
The result is a process that can be constantly revised and redesigned. As stated earlier, this is the foundation of efficient maintenance planning. After all, all schedule and process-related data will be available in an easily accessible digital environment.
Another point to highlight is the unification of this information. A timeline made without the help of software especially designed for this may even work, but it is subject to certain risks. Loss of information, for example, is one of them.
Lack of alignment, in turn, may impair the performance of the team. With the help of software, maintenance planning becomes a practice faithful to the reality of the company. Do yourself an analysis!