Preventive Maintenance types and Importance

Preventive maintenance is a type of maintenance, in which maintenance is done before the breakdown of a machine, It is carried out time to time to reduce the any chance of failure. It is said that the key to preventive maintenance is inspection.

So friends in this topic, we will discuss all the related aspects of preventive maintenance and types of preventive maintenance, so let’s start

Objectives of Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is planned maintenance, it has got no bearing on the breakdown of the machine. It is carried on in time weather the machine is in order or not.

Preventive maintenance consists of

• Proper plans and installation of the machine/equipment
• Periodic inspection of plant, equipment and machines.
• Repetitive servicing and overhauling,
• Adequate lubrication, cleaning and painting

Stages of Preventive Maintenance

The stages of preventive maintenance are discussed below

• Installation
• Inspection
• Small Repair
• Medium Repair
• Overhauling

Installation

In the workshop and industries, different types of heavy machines are laid down.
To hold these machines and get the results or performance installation are must be compulsory. Correct installation helps the machine to run in proper condition and make it vibration free.
Installation of the machine is required for the proper operation of the machine such as electricity supply, hydraulics, pneumatics, raw material, drainage, etc.
Because after installation machine becomes operational. In machine installation first producer decides the location and after it makes foundation. The foundation of the machine can be said to be the structure that servers as a base for its installation and provides normal condition for the operation of the machine. After foundation machine are tightened by the nut and bolts to the base.

In the process of machine installation following steps are taken

• To Open Packing
• Inspection of Machine and Accessories
• Slinging
• Levelling of the Machine

To Open Packing

To open the packing of machine first of all read catalogue instructions carefully, then after according to instructions open the packing. Because it is the only way by which machine packing can be open easily and save the machine from the serious damage.

Inspection of Machine and Accessories

After opening the packing of the machine and accessories must be sorted carefully by means of inspection and after that any shortages or defects should be immediately brought to the notice of the nearest manufacturers representative.
Because damage components or accessories can affect the performance of the machine.

Slinging

To establish the machine in proper location, it is required to sling the machine from one place to another place. Which can be done by the help of catalogue instructions. If catalogue is not provided by the manufacturer, then keep the centre of graving of the machine in our mind to sling the machine.

Levelling of the Machine

By levelling the surface and allowing the concrete to harden for a sufficient time, the machine is placed in a levelling and levelling position.
Generally, levelling of the machine is done by sprit levelling, after that machine is tighten by the nut and bolts to the foundation.

Inspection

In this stage, the inspection of a machine is done externally and internally.
Inspection is done for the cracks in the machine parts, friction between the parts for further lubrication, for proper working of brakes, wedges, spindle bearing, etc.

Small Repair

It is done to keep the machine assemblies in the working order. This type of repair is done on small scale and commonly done on the machine by the workshop fitter.

Medium Repair

It is a small type of overhauling which is performed according to the record or list.
In it, a number of small repairs are made, and their damage or faulty parts are either fix or removed with new one.

Overhauling

In the overhauling, each and every unit of a machine is disassembled part wise and the damage requirement or replace by the new one. In overhauling, the whole work is estimated and the required time to repair these is also estimated.

Overhauling of the machine is the process of restoring and maintaining a machine in a serviceable condition.
Overhauling involves following steps which are given below

• Dismantling
• Washing and cleaning
• Inspecting
• Oiling
• Re – assembling

Types of Preventive Maintenance

There are some important types of Preventive maintenance, Which are mentioned here

• Routine Maintenance
• Predictive Maintenance
• Accidental Maintenance
• Corrective Maintenance
• Special Maintenance

Routine Maintenance

This type of maintenance is mainly performed by the operator himself. The routine maintenance includes daily cleaning of the machine, removal of chips from the machine and oiling/lubricating the machine properly.

Predictive Maintenance

It is new term in maintenance engineering. It is also a preventive maintenance type but involves the use of sensitive instruments and shows it to predict the trouble.

Accidental Maintenance

As the name implies, this type of maintenance is unexpected and done on the machines which are damage due to accident. This type of maintenance is done on large scale, and the causes of accident are inspected. Then, some steps are taken to prevent it in future.

Corrective Maintenance

This is most old type of maintenance work which is nothing but a repair work and this repair work is done only when a machine breakdown.
When the machine breakdown the maintenance department is informed and they inspect machine to diagonise the cause of defect and they repair it.

Special Maintenance

It is a type of maintenance in which some special type of machine instrument is used or kept in some specific condition or measuring Advantages of Preventive Maintenance.

Importance and Advantages of preventive maintenance

The importance and advantages of preventive maintenance are as follows.

• Service life and efficiency of a machine increases.
• Less production time loss.
• Less wear and tear between the machine parts.
• The machine can provide service for a long period without interrupting.
• Fewer major repair.
• Lower repair cost and minor breakdown.
• Less standby equipment needed.
• By proper preventive maintenance its increases quality and also quantity of production.
• Decrease in wastage of time and materials.
• Low cost of production.
• Greater safety of workers.

Article By Kamal Dwivedi