When it comes to industrial automation, you have to ensure reliability, efficiency and uptime. And this is ensured by maintenance strategies. This can minimise costly downtime in your facility. Reactive maintenance is when you address issues after they occur but this will lead to a lot of expensive downtime. But when you have a system of proactive maintenance, this will prevent failures through systematic planning and monitoring.
You can look for an automation company Perth that prioritises proactive maintenance. There is complex equipment, interconnected systems and machinery when it comes to industrial automation systems and these tend to operate in demanding environments. As they are integral to your manufacturing processes, any malfunction or downtime can lead to losses in production and disrupt your operations. When you implement proactive maintenance strategies, you can increase reliability of the automation systems. This can be done by carrying out preventative measures, regular inspections and carrying out repairs on time. This way, the risk of unexpected breakdowns is significantly reduced. With scheduled maintenance and proactive repairs, the lifespan of critical equipment and components can be extended. This will maximise the return on investment.
As proactive maintenance can prevent major failures
And emergency repairs, the overall maintenance costs will be reduced as well. This will lead to minimised production losses. A safer working environment can be created when you maintain the automation systems. This reduces the risk of accidents and failure of equipment. You need to have a regular schedule for inspecting the automation equipment and maintaining them. This includes the controllers, actuators, sensors and communication networks. This can include daily, weekly, monthly or annual checks. The frequency will depend on the criticality of the equipment. Sensors can be implemented along with monitoring devices to assess the condition and performance of critical parts continuously. With real time data analytics, you will be able to detect anomalies and deviation from normal operation. This can help you identify potential failures. Predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms can be used to forecast failures in equipment. This is done based in historical data, operating conditions and performance trends. This will enable you to schedule repairs and replacements proactively so that downtime can be minimised.
RCM or reliability centred maintenance
Allows you to identify the most critical components and failure modes within the automation systems. Maintenance tasks will be prioritised based on risk assessment and criticality. This will ensure that resources are efficiently allocated to prevent failures. You have to conduct comprehensive investigations and root cause analyses of equipment failures or incidents. This allows you to address underlying issues and corrective actions can then be implemented so that you can prevent the incidents from recurring. There should be training programmes provided to maintenance personnel so that their technical skills can be improved when it comes to troubleshooting automation systems. When you have well-trained staff, they will be able to diagnose issues with a high level of accuracy and perform maintenance tasks. You have to maintain comprehensive records of maintenance history of equipment, equipment specifications and service schedules as well.
