Predictive maintenance, its implementation and latest trends

Abstract

This study covers new trends and techniques in the field of predictive maintenance, which has been superseding traditional management policies, at least in part. It also presents suggestions for how to implement a predictive maintenance programme in a factory/premise and so on. Predictive maintenance primarily involves foreseeing breakdown of the system to be maintained by detecting early signs of failure in order to make maintenance work more proactive. In addition to the aim of acting before failure, it also aims to attend to any fault, even if there is no immediate danger of failure, to ensure smooth operation and reduce energy consumption. Predictive maintenance has been adopted by various sectors in manufacturing and service industries in order to improve reliability, safety, availability, efficiency and quality as well as to protect the environment. It also has created a separate sector, which specializes in developing predictive maintenance instruments, offering dedicated predictive maintenance solutions and training predictive maintenance experts. Predictive maintenance techniques are closely associated with sensor technologies but for efficient predictive maintenance applications, a comprehensive approach, which integrates sensing with subsequent maintenance activities, is needed to be adapted in accordance with the needs of the particular organization. Recent advances in information, communication and computer technologies, such as Internet of Things and radio-frequency identifications, have been enabling predictive maintenance applications to be more efficient, applicable, affordable, and consequently more common and available for all sorts of industries. Researches on remote maintenance and e-maintenance have been supporting predictive maintenance activities especially in unsafe working environments and scattered locations.