February 12, 2025

A Comprehensive Guide to Maintenance Mechanics and Maintenance Management

We use a lot of terms when we discuss maintenance. Management, technician, supervisor, etc. Some terms work fine when used for multiple concepts.

However, when you want to refine an area, then you have to use specifics. In this article, let's highlight the idea of a maintenance mechanic.

We've used the term technician before. That's appropriate. So, too maintenance worker. You can refer to a broader term: maintenance team member. It depends on the area of discussion.

Maintenance mechanic needs a narrower definition. This person primarily works on machines and equipment within a facility.

"But so does a technician," you say. True, but you can use technician for someone who deals with plumbing, painting, siding, ceiling, ductwork, etc. With a mechanic, you know they work with machinery.

What Does a Maintenance Mechanic Do in Maintenance Management?

In many ways, this mechanic performs "maintenance management."

1. Preventive maintenance (PM). Using manufacturer and any regulatory guidelines, a mechanic conducts inspections, cleaning, lubrication, replacement parts, and other PM activities. These help with the goal of keeping an asset at a baseline functionality.
2. A PM strategy depends on several factors. Age of equipment. Hours in operation. Specific readings that employees track. History of maintenance. Depreciation values. In certain companies, many PMs may wait until a scheduled shutdown rather than interrupt production.
3. A company relies on a mechanic when replacing equipment. Removal and disposal of the old machine. Installation and start-up of the new machine.
4. General repairs. As assets age, they break down and sometimes fail. While PMs seek to stave off those problems, you can't completely eliminate unplanned downtime.
5. Trainer. A supervisor might assign a mechanic to train new employees or veteran employees on new ideas or machines. This person may also train production personnel on how to track the aforementioned equipment readings.
6. Reports. A mechanic may generate reports for the assets they've serviced. The information included should cover and grow the maintenance history. Costs of repairs. Time involved. Parts used. Other mechanics involved. Doing this adds to the history for further analysis on how to adjust and refine future activities and goals. It helps with budgeting, especially if you track depreciation. With this, you judge the cost of further maintenance against purchasing a new or replacement machine.

Key Roles of Maintenance Mechanics in Maintenance Teams

1. Leader. He might oversee a team of mechanics, reporting to a supervisor or general manager. In this role, you'd expect the individual to understand the operations of the machines along with general maintenance knowledge.
2. Leaders perform many functions and "wear many hats." Read further on details of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). Read this article on leadership roles.
3. Maintenance skills. Let's discuss more details of this role. This person needs experience in handling relevant tools. He or she should understand the importance of following instructions, guidelines, and safety protocols.
Quality communications cannot be overstated. Working and adequately communicating with fellow employees can determine the success of the mechanic and the success of the company.
4. The mechanic should work with others to gather information, anticipate problems, and solve any that pop up.

Industries That Rely on Maintenance Mechanics

You might draw up an extensive list, but the following gives you a flavor of the wide array of industries needing this type of person. Within each industry and company, you may not see this specific title but the people fill the same roles.

• Aeronautics.
• Manufacturing (a wide variety of products).
• Food/beverage production.
• Trucking/Transportation.
• Resorts/Amusement parks.
• Ethanol production.

Discover how streamlined maintenance processes can elevate production. Learn more.

How CMMS Enhances Maintenance Mechanics' Efficiency

What does this software bring to the table? How does it benefit a maintenance department and the specific mechanic? The responsibilities of the mechanic may determine the amount of usage.

1. Asset management. Overseeing all aspects of the equipment. You create lists of assets with any relevant data. These records give you great oversight on each asset. Here, you'd put manufacturer information, cost, location, assign inventory, and, as you'll see, PMs.
2. Preventive maintenance. Create your list of PMs for each machine. Assign them to each asset. Note the priorities and cycles.
3. Work order. Process work requests and create work orders. Check on open/closed/backlogged work orders.
4. Reports. I mentioned these before. A CMMS offers plenty of reports for all inputted data. Refine the information for the generated report.
5. Integration. With assistance from the provider, the CMMS passes along information to other company systems.
6. Customization. If a mechanic sees a report or an extra tracking feature, talk to the system provider for custom work.
7. Organization. All in all, this benefit should top the list. The provider's developers' goals include making your work more organized.

Increase Operational Efficiency with MAPCON

Don't let confusion set in regarding the term "maintenance mechanic." Understand the role and responsibilities of this person as opposed to a "technician." This helps you choose the best-qualified person for the job.

Does this employee understand the industry? The job? The machines?

What goals would this person have for the position? Challenge him/her on problem-solving. Provide examples of issues that might arise.

Analyze the leadership qualities and communication skills. Yes, look at the mechanical knowledge, but make sure relating to others sits near the top of the skills you want.

Invest in quality CMMS software. For a world-class product and expert, U.S.-based support, call 800-922-4336. Talk to Mapcon for the best in maintenance management success.

Ready to revolutionize your maintenance department? Schedule a live demo today.