Published: August 26, 2024  Updated: December 31, 2024

Understanding Maintenance And Repair

No matter the industry maintenance, in one form, exists. You use assets and they need to be in the best condition possible. A proper maintenance strategy helps ensure continued effective and efficient operations for your business.

However, when we use the word maintenance, sometimes we mean repair. Is there a difference in the words? This week, let’s delve deeper for a better understanding of maintenance and repair.

People use the terms interchangeably, but repair and maintenance do have distinct meanings.

Repair

Repair refers to restoring an asset to proper operations. Assets and equipment breakdown, suffer damage, or fail. Repairing the assets means returning them to their original function.

In general, maintenance can entail a wide range of activities, many in the realm of preventive maintenance.

Repair Let’s go further and look at different types of repairs.

• Corrective - In this instance, you have partial or complete failure. The goal: To solve a problem with asset operation. This covers replacement parts, an overhaul, adjustments, etc. Another form of corrective repair may not necessarily affect the productivity of the asset. Or it may not have an impact at the present time. A simple example: Tightening a bolt or replacing a cracked knob.
• Restorative – This type of repair parallels corrective in that the asset has lost partial or complete functionality. This also could mean upgrading parts or programming to restore it to a baseline operation.
• Safety – This type of repair covers fixing a hanging light fixture to repairing/replacing a cracked shield on a piece of equipment. These repairs tend to fall into the urgent/ important category because they relate to safety matters.
• Emergency – Breakdowns and failure occur. With this type of repair, the problem may affect worker safety or production.

As you’ll see later, you can reduce these instances with preventive maintenance.

Maintenance

Shift the focus and look at various maintenance issues. Again, remember, a lot of what this term means relates to preventive activities. It also covers predictive measures.

• Cleaning – Either general cleaning or complete cleaning. Trash pickup. Hosing walkways. Removing built-up mold on siding, and many more.
• Inspections – These routine PMs seek to catch potential problems before they become serious. From these inspections, you could then make general or specific repairs.
• Lubrication – Many PMs are for replacing lubrication to assets, once again, to forestall unplanned downtime.
• Scheduled Maintenance – You might schedule many PMs and non-emergency repairs for certain times. For instance, you give it to a third shift when few or no assets operate. Otherwise, you also could execute these during a planned company-wide shutdown.

Understanding maintenance and repair doesn't have to involve complex concepts. If you want to use one term for another, you won't commit a grievous error. However, knowing the differences may help in developing a successful maintenance management program.

CMMS

This one "tool" has benefited numerous industries and companies. A CMMS helps organize your existing program and shows you areas for improvement.

Within the CMMS, you list your assets and create preventive maintenance schedules. You create work orders using the above types of repairs. In fact, you'll want to utilize various types of work orders for clarification.

That way, your technicians better understand the job, the estimated time, and the parts needed. For instance, a regular inspection may not require too many spare parts. Perhaps, the technician completes a checklist that accompanies the work order.

Other types may involve more time and resources. With a CMMS, you can dispatch work orders to crews and specialized crafts for more intricate and/or lengthy jobs

Conclusion

For a successful maintenance program, you’ll need the best information you can obtain and the best tools. A skilled and trained staff, excellent leadership, and the determination to always look for improvement. Practicing proper maintenance helps reduce the amount of repairs, thereby lowering costs and unplanned downtime.

For a superior CMMS to help you in your maintenance success, call Mapcon Technologies. Ask for a free demonstration. 800-922-4336