Contributor: Talmage Wagstaff

Any person working in maintenance or plant engineering for at least ten years can tell you about the “old days.” Sense of smell and manual vibration checks were only part of the struggle mechanics faced day today.

In the past, pumps didn’t have sensors reading pressure, temperature, vibration levels, or particulates. CMMS solutions have brought equipment into the current century, ensuring full reads on related output. This means you don’t need to see or hear evidence of a problem to take action. Instead, pressure sensors tell you to troubleshoot the issue.

Equipment Replacement? Not Necessarily. 

Instead of just throwing parts at the problem, CMMS solutions take maintenance from reactive to proactive. You can track past breakdowns, repairs performed, and any parts replaced. This helps mechanics and engineers pinpoint the problem and tackle it knowing what repairs and parts they need. Instead of replacing parts, you can trace issues to things like the rebuild kit failing or the life cycle of the pump.

Tracing the root of the problem instead of wasting manpower, parts, and time leads to visible cost savings. Time once dedicated to reactive maintenance can be spent on other repairs. Before you know it, you’ll save money, downtime, and parts wasted on repairing the symptom instead of the cause.

Rework and Customer Turnover

If your equipment isn’t running how it’s supposed to, your product isn’t manufactured as advertised. This can easily lead to returns, customer complaints, and reworks. In the worst-case scenario, scrap off of the production line occurs. It can leave your reputation in tatters, and the related costs are enormous.

Instead of letting bad product get out, a CMMS solution warns you the moment your pump detects an issue. It’s much easier and cheaper to catch these scenarios before they result in returns and complaints. 

Reduce Overall Breakdown and Maintenance Time

Equipment downtime is costly for everyone involved. When it comes to production, you can’t be expected to meet your goals when your machines aren’t running at peak performance. With a well-designed CMMS in place, your machines are running the way they were meant to. With less stress on your machinery from worn-out parts, you can ensure top-quality products with minimum downtime. 

With maintenance time, the clock starts the moment the maintenance team starts a job and goes until the last wrench is turned. Instead of letting products spoil, maintenance is scheduled at times that don’t affect your manufacturing or packaging. 

Maximizing Equipment Life Span

By getting an extra six months out of every pump on your production floor, how much money would you save in a year’s time? Routine preventative maintenance keeps your machinery from compensating for poorly-working parts. With a CMMS solution in place, you get the maximum life span out of all of your equipment. 

CMMS solutions let you get every last dollar out of your asset use without sacrificing product quality. By reducing repair labor dollars replacement costs, your CMMS pays for itself over and over again.

Talmage Wagstaff

Talmage Wagstaff: Co-Founder and CEO of REDLIST. Raised in a construction environment, Talmage has been involved in heavy equipment since he was a toddler. He has degrees and extensive experience in civil, mechanical and industrial engineering. Talmage worked for several years as a field engineer with ExxonMobil servicing many of the largest industrial production facilities in the Country.