The utilization of computerized maintenance management systems is becoming more of a standard than an exception. A recent industry study found that 50% of facilities now manage their maintenance-related tasks through a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). Fewer than half of today’s manufacturing facilities rely on simple spreadsheet management or continue to manage their maintenance through manual processes like clipboards and paper files.
What is CMMS software?
Computerized maintenance management systems combine several maintenance processes in one system, improving productivity and equipment performance by removing manual elements from the suite of maintenance responsibilities. CMMS incorporates and automates processes such as:
- Preventive maintenance scheduling and record keeping
- Unscheduled maintenance tracking
- Work requests and work orders
- Inventory management
- Maintenance expense record keeping
- Audit and compliance record keeping
The benefits of maintenance management
A CMMS offers a range of benefits that aren’t available when using simple spreadsheets or other manual maintenance tracking processes. The centralized nature of a CMMS and the automation it provides yield efficiencies in scheduling, record keeping, data collection and management, and overall productivity. These include:
- Increased reliability: With a CMMS, you no longer need to keep track of preventive maintenance schedules by memory or by ad hoc record keeping. The CMMS schedules the maintenance on a recurring basis and helps you ensure that the proper resources are available when needed, so maintenance PMs occur when they should.
- Work request processing: A CMMS can enable a work request portal that allows your maintenance manager and their team to receive and process maintenance requests 24/7, even when they are occupied with other jobs. The request portal allows managers to prioritize jobs and create work orders, streamlining the process across the board.
- Simplified record keeping: If you use a CMMS for inventory management, you’ll be able to easily track the cost of spare parts used in maintenance and can run reports to analyze this data further. This optimizes part ordering and usage. Maintenance and repair tracking via CMMS also simplifies the record keeping process for compliance audits, keeping these critical materials in one, easily accessible place.
- Facilitating predictive maintenance through data collection: As your CMMS collects data about maintenance, repairs and inventory usage, it will use this information to predict when maintenance projects should occur. This practice is favored by data-driven manufacturers because it alerts maintenance teams to impending issues before they occur. The result is less unplanned downtime and maintenance that addresses actual issues instead of simply occurring on a set schedule, whether or not it’s required.
- Reduce repair costs: The CMMS benefits described above enable a more effective maintenance practice for your equipment. This means fewer breakdowns, more time between repairs, a lower likelihood of major equipment or component malfunctions, and longer overall life for machines, all of which add up to less-expensive repair costs.
- Reduce downtime: By making certain that maintenance occurs when it should, using data to help ensure productive, efficient maintenance tasking and scheduling — and assuring that the right personnel and parts are available at the right time — a computerized maintenance management system reduces downtime for your equipment. CMMS software allows you to avoid unexpected downtime on account of equipment failure and facilitates effective scheduling of preventive maintenance so that expected downtime occurs at low-impact times.
- Increased safety and reduced risk: Equipment in disrepair is dangerous, posing a higher risk to the safety of operators and other staff. A CMMS maintenance system mitigates risk and increases operator safety by confirming that equipment operates within acceptable boundaries and that all safety features and components are operational. In addition, CMMS software facilitates work permit management, risk management, safety procedure management, legislative compliance and more.
- Mobile accessibility: When using a CMMS, the benefits include being able to access it from virtually anywhere using mobile devices. This means technicians can access and update information on the go, enhancing their flexibility and responsiveness.
- Enhanced compliance management: One of the key advantages of a CMMS is how it can help with regulatory compliance by keeping accurate and up-to-date records of all maintenance activities. This technology provides regulators and inspectors with all the information they need so there’s no confusion or risk of error.
- Integration with other systems: A CMMS can integrate with other technology such as enterprise resource planning software and Internet of Things devices to create a comprehensive maintenance solution. Working together seamlessly, these technologies make it possible for technicians to achieve greater efficiencies and better results overall. They’ll have real-time data that helps them allocate their resources as effectively as possible to reduce downtime and improve productivity.
Maintenance with ATS
As a global leader in industrial maintenance and MRO services, ATS uses interactive technologies like Computerized Maintenance Management Systems to increase your reliability, create production efficiencies and improve productivity. This enables you to realize the above benefits and more.
Through our decades of experience, we have the right people and processes in place to handle maintenance operations as you focus on your core competencies. In order to provide the best service to our customers, we continue to innovate and provide value with technologies like our proprietary eFactory Pro CMMS. To discuss if utilizing a CMMS through ATS’ comprehensive maintenance solution is right for you, contact us today.
