Preventive maintenance PDF helping facilities avoid downtime Posted on July 9, 2018October 18, 2019 by Border States Unplanned downtime caused by equipment failures costs manufacturers millions every year, which is why facility operators are turning to this preventive maintenance PDF to become more cost-effective and efficient: DOWNLOAD: Applying handheld test tools to preventive maintenance NOTE: In addition to downloading the PDF, be sure to read the following for helpful information on best tool implementation. 6 tools for forecasting impending failures Time is money for manufacturers, which is why it’s important they foresee impending equipment failures. Using test tools to regularly measure key indicators on critical equipment helps technicians uncover the root causes of emerging failures, and in turn helps them minimize downtime, deploy key personnel and store the right spare parts. The following test tools are crucial for diagnosing equipment: Digital multimeters Clamp meters Infrared thermometers Insulation resistance testers Thermal imagers Vibration testers Preventive maintenance PDF helps improve cost savings Monitoring tools vary in complexity, and many facilities mix and match depending on their equipment and scale of operations. What’s unique is technicians are repurposing preventive tools that have traditionally been used for proactive troubleshooting. Preventive maintenance measurements aren’t that different from proactive tests. You’re essentially looking for signs of potential failures. But when it comes to taking preventive measurements related to failure modes, the following actions become important: Identify potential failures and related key indicators. Determine what measurements reduce the likelihood of problems. Find out how often equipment needs to be measured. Track the results, watch for trends and initiate repairs as needed. Use one data analysis system, such as Fluke Connect, so technicians and managers share the same equipment lists, histories, reports and work orders. Quick tips for preventive maintenance Before you start using test tools for preventive maintenance, make sure you understand the limitations of each tool and the safety precautions that go along with it. Choose a digital multimeter rated for 1000 V CAT III/600 V CAT IV and a clamp meter rated for 600 V CAT III. Choose an insulation resistance tester with a minimum of 500 V output and resistance measurements to several gigaohms. Consider wireless test tools that let you take measurements from a safe distance. Make sure the voltage rating on your test probes matches your test environment. Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). This blog post was drafted in partnership with Fluke. Check out Fluke’s original article, “Applying handheld test tools to preventive maintenance.” Related posts Infrared preventive maintenance monitors critical equipment temperature Detecting energy waste to avoid premature equipment failure
