Condition-based maintenance (CBM)
Condition-based maintenance (CBM) is a maintenance strategy that emphasizes performing maintenance on equipment based on its actual condition rather than predetermined schedules or only after failures occur. This approach aims to optimize the balance between operational efficiency and cost, helping organizations avoid both excessive maintenance costs and the financial losses associated with equipment failures. CBM typically employs monitoring systems, such as sensors, to assess the wear and performance of equipment, providing alerts when maintenance is necessary. This method allows businesses to extend the lifespan of their assets by servicing them only when needed, which can lead to significant cost savings.
However, the implementation of CBM does come with challenges, including the initial costs associated with monitoring technology and the need for ongoing maintenance of these systems. Additionally, the unpredictable nature of repair timing may lead organizations to stockpile parts to avoid downtime. Despite these drawbacks, CBM is increasingly popular as companies strive to enhance productivity and minimize disruptions by ensuring their equipment operates efficiently and effectively.
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Condition-based maintenance (CBM)
Condition-based maintenance, or CBM, is a strategy used by companies that have equipment and tools that need to be cared for and maintained. It is based on the idea that taking care of maintenance issues at the right time is the most efficient way to do business. CBM usually involves the use of some type of monitoring software or system that determines the status of a piece of equipment and provides notification when it needs maintenance. The goal of CBM is to help companies find the balance between incurring financial losses resulting from equipment failure and spending too much money on parts and maintenance by servicing equipment too frequently.
Background
The word maintenance refers to keeping something in working order. Depending on usage, it can mean the work that is done to keep a piece of equipment in good condition, the department or the employees responsible for tending to the equipment, or the state of being maintained. Any responsible company or entity that owns property or equipment will take steps to maintain these assets.
Many types of items can require maintenance. The building a company is housed in needs maintenance; for example, siding needs to be cleaned and/or painted, roofs need repairing or replacing, parking lots and sidewalks need patching and periodic replacement. Maintenance can also apply to the internal structure of the building, such as the heating, electrical, and plumbing systems as well as specialized equipment such as refrigeration units, elevators, and pools. Other equipment that is used in the course of business can also require maintenance. Examples of this include: computers, copiers, vehicles, and specialized items unique to certain types of business such as construction equipment, lawnmowers, and farming equipment.
Maintenance may require different approaches. One approach is known as reactive or break-down maintenance. In this form, servicing is only done when an item fails; for instance, the furnace stops providing heat, the elevator remains stuck between floors, or the tire blows out on the company truck. Breakdown maintenance is the original form of maintenance. It was the only kind done before companies began to look to increase productivity by keeping equipment working as much as possible. It is still sometimes used by companies that are short on cash, or when the equipment in question is easily and quickly repaired (such as a blown tire) or when the company's operation is not significantly affected if equipment is out of service.
Many companies will engage in preventive maintenance and routinely tend to their equipment. Changing filters on a heating and air conditioning system on a seasonal schedule, changing motor oil in a vehicle every five thousand miles, and vacuuming coils on refrigeration units are examples of preventive maintenance. In some industries, preventive maintenance is a routine part of every use of the equipment. For instance, pilots inspect their planes before each flight.
Preventive maintenance sometimes includes aspects of another form of maintenance, known as time-based maintenance. This is maintenance that is conducted on a regular schedule, regardless of whether the item appears to need it. Time-based and preventive maintenance are often used when failure would result in significant problems (such as a plane crash) or when experience indicates most equipment will need the maintenance (such as changing a car's motor oil every five thousand miles). Preventive maintenance has its origins in the 1950s.
Corrective maintenance is another form of preventive maintenance. This type of service involves updating parts of a piece of equipment to prevent failure. When a manufacturer issues a recall on a piece of equipment, such as a car or appliance, it is engaging in corrective maintenance.
Overview
Condition-based maintenance avoids the extremes of breakdown maintenance and time-based maintenance. It has grown increasingly popular as companies seek to minimize the time and financial costs of having equipment out of service, while also avoiding excessive maintenance expenses. The development of new ways to monitor equipment makes it easier for companies to better determine its condition and predict the optimal time to conduct maintenance to get the longest life out of each component of the equipment.
For instance, a company can rely on sensors that determine when a component is reaching the end of its useful life. The wear indicator in vehicle brake pads is an example of such a sensor; when the brake pads wear down enough to expose these metal pieces, they cause a squealing noise that warns the driver the brake pads need replacing. Many other types of equipment, such as heating and air conditioning systems, include sensors that warn of imminent failure.
CBM can save a company money by not replacing parts or whole units of equipment too soon or too late. By utilizing this method of maintenance, the company can get the full life out of the item without having it break down or end up completely out of service for a long stretch of time. For instance, if the vehicle brakes did not have the wear indicators, a company relying on preventive maintenance might replace brakes that could still be used. While another company, might not change the pad in time and may lose time, money, and potentially lives if the brakes fail and the vehicle crashes.
While CBM has many advantages, it also has a few drawbacks. The monitoring equipment adds to the cost of the initial setup of the equipment. The monitoring equipment itself may fail or need maintenance to keep it functioning properly. Because equipment and component replacement does not operate on a set schedule, the timing of repair or replacement may be unpredictable. This may cause some over-purchasing and redundancy to avoid being caught without something that is needed. For instance, a company that relies on its vehicles may expend more funds than normal stockpiling brake pads, or feel it necessary to have a back-up vehicle. It may also require extra training and diligence for maintenance staff.
Bibliography
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