A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a smart way to collect data from around your facility. The data it collects and stores can give you valuable insight into how your assets are used and how much time and money you should devote to maintenance.
There are many types of information you can take in and analyze to make your operation more efficient. Here are three of the most valuable kinds:
1. Usage patterns
Facility managers all want to ensure their fleets are as helpful to their companies as possible, and usage patterns are integral to productivity and efficiency. You may be surprised to find that a certain asset frequently goes overlooked while another receives a lot of attention.
Your technician may want to inspect that infrequently used asset to find out if there's an issue with it, or if there simply isn't a great need for it. As for the one that's used all the time, it may be worth considering investing in additional assets or a replacement asset. If a lot of workers are, say, using a specific model of forklift, that may signal a greater need for the unique features that the brand offers.
2. Maintenance request history
When you use equipment on a daily or weekly basis over the course of years, there will inevitably be issues that need to be addressed. What might seem like random incidents, however, may actually be a part of a larger pattern. If you're just mapping out maintenance trends in your head or on paper logs, it's easy to miss the connection.
So when you identify a pattern, such as a failure that happens after so many hours, during a certain time of year or after a particular action, your technician will be able to predict the event with the right data. This way, you can be prepared for it when it happens, perform preventive maintenance or choose to replace the asset altogether.
3. Total cost of ownership
The total cost of ownership is defined as the purchase price of an asset plus the cost of maintenance over time. When you're trying to keep expenses low, it's is an important metric to track. A CMMS can make this much easier than tallying up expenses on paper. How much are you paying to keep that outdated forklift up and running? What about the dock leveler that needs to be manually adjusted each time it opens? Total cost of ownership shows you how much time and money is being devoted to a certain piece of equipment.
Working with National Maintenance Services can, through your own CMMS, give you easy access to these types of data and more. Your facility's on-site embedded technician will be able to interpret the data and use it to benefit your company. To learn more about working with a dedicated technician on your site, reach out to NMS.