Everything you need to know about scheduled preventive maintenance
2023-02-15T23:00:00.000Z.jpg "Everything you need to know about scheduled preventive maintenance")
To get you up to speed on one of the best things a fleet can do for successful operations, we're going to dive into planned preventive maintenance (PPM). What is planned preventive maintenance?
Before we explore the benefits of planned preventive maintenance and how to implement it, let's start by defining the term. In short, planned preventive maintenance is a proactive, scheduled approach to asset maintenance. Instead of repairing defective assets, planned preventive maintenance aims to keep assets in working order by addressing their maintenance needs before they turn into major problems. And to ensure that maintenance is performed consistently, PPM follows a fixed cadence based on counters or time intervals. For example, if a fleet performs oil changes every six months and tire replacements every 50,000 miles, these two policies are examples of planned preventive maintenance.
Benefits of preventive maintenance planning
By taking a proactive, scheduled approach to maintaining their vehicles and assets, fleets can improve their operations in multiple ways. Here are some of the most notable benefits of PPM: Extending the life of assets
As assets age, they become increasingly expensive to repair after major breakdowns. Eventually, they reach a point where it no longer makes financial sense to keep them and fleets are forced to purchase replacement parts.
But by minimizing breakdowns through PPM, fleets can continue to take advantage of their vehicles and equipment for much longer. In addition to benefiting any fleet's bottom line, this has the added benefit of protecting organizations from supply chain shortages that can make it difficult to acquire new assets.
Reducing maintenance expenses
It may be tempting for fleets to forego preventive maintenance in order to reduce operating expenses, but such approaches are not cost effective. In the long run, the costs associated with preventive maintenance pale in comparison to the expenses associated with major repairs. Oil changes are not free, but they might as well be when compared to the cost of replacing a deformed engine.
By reducing their overall maintenance spend, organizations can improve their bottom line and invest in other aspects of their fleet or overall business.
Fewer business interruptions
Beyond the cost of repair, unplanned downtime can also result in lost business. If a fleet is unable to complete a job because one or more of its vehicles is out of commission, a potential customer is almost certain to turn to a competitor for service. And for some delivery fleets, a breakdown on the road can result in the loss of thousands of dollars worth of goods.
Planned preventive maintenance offers the best defense fleets can have against such disastrous interruptions. Fewer unpleasant surprises translate directly into fewer apology calls to customers, fewer headaches for fleet employees and fewer lost opportunities.
Improving safety compliance
While drivers are the most frequent vehicle inspectors, technicians also play a critical role in maintaining safety compliance. When fleets implement a consistent preventive equipment maintenance program, their mechanics regularly examine their vehicles and assets, allowing them to detect potential signs of wear. Potential safety issues are then resolved more quickly, improving compliance and overall safety.
How to Implement PPM
Once you've determined that planned preventive maintenance is the right approach for your fleet, your first step should be to take inventory of your assets by making a list. By documenting each asset you own (including details such as year, make and model), you will be able to develop a schedule that addresses all of their maintenance needs. Because overall visibility is one of the critical components of fleet preventive maintenance, the maintenance histories of each asset should also be included in this list.
Next, you need to create a list of tasks and maintenance intervals recommended by the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for your assets. No one has more data than the manufacturers on what needs to be done to keep their products in top condition. So you would be wise to follow their recommendations on what maintenance tasks to perform and how often.
Finally, review your inventory list and maintenance task list to create a preventive maintenance schedule for each asset in your fleet. You can review an asset's meter readings to determine the order in which tasks should be performed. It's important not to have an excessive amount of overlapping downtime so you don't overload your mechanics or leave your fleet understaffed.
Why PPM is most effective for fleets
While planned preventive maintenance is beneficial for virtually any organization with assets that need to be maintained, PPM is particularly useful for fleets. Here are some of the most notable benefits for fleets:
The more vehicles, the more liability, but with PPM, liability can be reduced across the board.
Planning ensures that even large fleets can meet all maintenance needs without overloading mechanics.
By eliminating seemingly minor defects that reduce the fuel efficiency of multiple vehicles, significant savings can be realized.
The PPM system reduces the need to purchase spare parts, a major operating expense for large fleets.