WHAT IS PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE?
There are three types of equipment maintenance:

1. Run-to-failure or better known as fix it when it breaks.

2. Preventative maintenance which is time based (quarterly or monthly, for example) and often leads to unnecessary component replacement and added expenditures.

3. Predictive maintenance (PDM) is based on the operating health of your equipment. Problems are predicted and corrected before they become critical failures. PDM utilizes technologies such as vibration analysis, infrared thermography, tribology (oil analysis) and expert softwares.

IS PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE COST EFFECTIVE?
Studies by some of the largest and most technologically advanced companies such as General Motors and 3M have shown that average rate of return ranges from 7 to 1 to as high as 35 to 1, depending on the industry. In other words, for every dollar spent on a predictive maintenance program, a company will save anywhere from 7 to 35 dollars. This is real money that would have been spent on lost production, added inventory, labor, parts duplication and equipment redundancy, etc. In addition to saving money, you will be able to utilize your plant equipment and personnel more efficiently, your equipment will last longer and second and third shift or weekend breakdowns can become non-existent.