While preventive maintenance depends on best practices and historical data, predictive maintenance collects data from machine operations in real-time and uses it to raise red flags when signs of a problem are detected.
Predictive maintenance has the advantage of being a proactive method, which means it can detect an issue early on and repair it before it becomes a total failure. When something goes wrong, predictive maintenance can drastically reduce unplanned downtimes. It also increases labor efficiency by lowering the number of equipment breakdowns and extending the equipment’s lifespan.
Predictive maintenance is a much more sophisticated and newer strategy for maintenance. Compared to its counterpart — preventive maintenance — predictive maintenance can help notify you when a piece of your industrial hardware requires maintenance. Schedules for preventive maintenance are set up regularly, whereas those for predictive maintenance are set up based on the state of the asset, that is when it is necessary. An organization can monitor essential precursor data through highly integrated systems to determine when a piece of industrial equipment needs servicing.
That seems like the perfect solution, doesn’t it? The oil and gas industry could particularly benefit from this since pipeline maintenance is essential for preventing leaks. By using predictive maintenance, the authorities can be notified when the pipes need to be maintained, and then they can use a double block & bleed valve to release any remaining pressure within the pipe, allowing it to be isolated for the upkeep process. Although predictive maintenance sounds great, the systems required for doing so are expensive. Fortunately, they are typically just as expensive as preventative maintenance. It is, therefore, possible for those who are into preventive maintenance to switch to this method.
If you are interested in the method of predictive maintenance, you can explore more about the options for improving your industrial equipment. Do check out the guide below for the same! It might enlighten you further and enable your business to survive and grow in this cut-throat competition.
