When it comes to system maintenance, preventative maintenance often comes to mind. However, another type of maintenance, corrective maintenance, also plays a role in the process.
When it comes to system maintenance,
preventative maintenance often comes to mind. However, another type of maintenance, corrective maintenance, also plays a role in the process. In some cases, such as when preventative maintenance costs are excessive and worker safety isn't compromised, it may even be preferred.
The Differences between Preventative and Corrective Maintenance
Unlike preventative maintenance which is done with the goal of preventing a problem, corrective maintenance is done to correct a problem or fault once it has been detected. Its goal is to restore operability.
Another difference between preventative and corrective maintenance involves the procedures. For example, with a preventative service order, the technician knows exactly what needs to be done such as change the oil, inspect belts, or lubricate moving parts. With a corrective maintenance service order, the tasks depend on what's found. Corrective maintenance often requires extensive diagnosis before any repairs can be made or parts replaced.
For example, a technician may need to speak with workers who witnessed a malfunction to gain a better understanding of what happened before inspecting the equipment. By understanding the symptoms and potential causes, the technician can make a better diagnosis.
Because of the unknowns associated with corrective maintenance, the process typically takes much longer than a preventative task. For example, when creating a service order for a routine tune-up, you'll know exactly how long the tune-up should take as well as the typical parts that might be needed. With a corrective service call, the time and parts required are unknown variables.
When is Corrective Maintenance Appropriate?
While preventing breakdowns is desirable, corrective maintenance can't be avoided completely. There's no way to predict an unexpected breakdown, defect, or fault. Even perfectly maintained equipment could be vulnerable to defects or external factors such as power surges or even intentional sabotage from a disgruntled employee. Careless operation of the equipment could also require corrective measures.
In addition, some preventative measures could be cost-prohibitive with little benefit. If the equipment is nearing the end of its useful life or on schedule to be replaced soon, it may make more sense to postpone costly preventative repairs and take a wait-and-see approach.
Another consideration involves how the equipment is used and what would happen if it experienced a major breakdown. For example, if a ski resort's ski lift relies on parts that are impossible to get and a breakdown would mean closing the resort for the season, preventing breakdowns from happening would be a top priority. On the other hand, it doesn't make sense to replace the LCD screen on an older laptop running on an obsolete operating system.
Maintenance or asset management software can help you decide the best approach – especially on older equipment. For example, you could use the software to evaluate the equipment's service records and reliability over time. If you have other identical pieces of equipment, using aggregate data from the entire fleet could help you predict potential faults and breakdowns. From there, you could compare the cost of likely corrective repairs against the cost of preventative maintenance to determine if it makes sense to wait. Should a breakdown occur with older equipment, software is also useful in determining if it makes sense to move forward with repairs or replace the equipment outright.
Preventative and corrective maintenance each have their place. Knowing the differences and using software tools can help you make the best choice.
