Most organizations depend on diverse and expansive asset portfolios. But for big businesses operating across multiple facilities, multiple locations, and even multiple countries, the task of equipment management can be especially costly and complex.
In global enterprises, equipment maintenance management will typically include a wide range of activities such as maintenance of heavy machinery and manufacturing equipment; corrective repairs to malfunctioning components; proactive upkeep of HVAC systems and electrical wiring; and regular updating of IT infrastructure and cybersecurity measures.
Why an equipment maintenance platform is important
Whatever the size of your equipment portfolio, your maintenance team must overcome a range of everyday challenges to ensure optimal equipment performance, minimize downtime, and extend the lifespan of your assets. This is why it’s so vital to choose a dynamic equipment maintenance software solution. Without robust equipment maintenance software, managing the data and documentation necessary for equipment maintenance can prove chaotic and organizations can easily fall victim to costly errors.
What is equipment maintenance software?
Equipment maintenance software can refer to a wide array of digital solutions designed to help your organization manage, monitor, and optimize your equipment maintenance program. The equipment maintenance platform you choose should, at a minimum, include functions such as:
- Preventive maintenance scheduling
- Work order management
- Spare parts inventory management
- Real-time equipment performance monitoring
- Advanced data analytics
- User-friendly controls
Leading-edge equipment maintenance software makes it easier to create and control access to real-time performance data, work orders, compliance checklists, maintenance logs, equipment history, and more.
Equipment maintenance software types
The combination of functions outlined above may be available through a variety of equipment software solutions. However, the right solution for your business will depend on the scope of your equipment maintenance needs as well as compatibility with existing systems.
The following are some popular types of equipment maintenance solutions:
- Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is a software solution designed to integrate and simplify all aspects of your equipment maintenance program, bringing together features like preventive maintenance scheduling, automated work order management, streamlined spare parts inventory management, detailed maintenance activity histories, and more.
- Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Software is designed to provide a more comprehensive equipment management strategy, one that includes tools for managing maintenance operations but also extends to management of the organization’s assets throughout their entire lifecycle, from procurement to disposal, including management of acquisition costs, asset tracking, vendor relations, and eventual equipment decommissioning and disposal.
- Predictive Maintenance Software uses advanced data analytics, machine learning, and IoT (Internet of Things) technology in order to better forecast the likelihood of equipment failure before it can occur, allowing you to leverage a combination of historical and real-time data in order to better understand and address equipment performance issues.
Who uses equipment maintenance software?
Equipment maintenance software is vital to a wide range of industries. Facilities managers, compliance officers, and maintenance technicians rely on these tech-enabled solutions to manage everyday challenges and maximize the lifetime value of their equipment.
The following are just a few of the industries in which equipment maintenance software is vital for tasks such as scheduling preventive maintenance tasks, optimizing asset performance, and minimizing unplanned equipment downtime:
- Manufacturing operations use equipment maintenance software for tasks such as monitoring stock levels in real time, conducting criticality assessments and prioritizing critical equipment, automating preventive maintenance scheduling based on predetermined intervals, integrating condition-monitoring sensors, and improving overall equipment uptime.
- Healthcare facilities rely on advanced equipment maintenance solutions to ensure medical equipment is routinely inspected, that all components are functioning in compliance with the most current safety standards, and that reporting on use, performance, and maintenance history is detailed and up to date.
- Transportation and logistics operations lean on advanced equipment maintenance platforms in order to track the location of vehicles, balance maintenance needs for large fleets, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and lower costs in areas such as fuel efficiency, spare parts replacements, and upkeep.
- Energy and power production companies use equipment maintenance software to provide continuous oversight and preventive maintenance to the heavy equipment constituting critical infrastructure like power plants, water treatment facilities, and pipelines. Software also promotes adherence to a wide range of stringent safety standards, compliance requirements, and environment regulations.
- Food and beverage businesses rely on equipment maintenance software for environmental control of storage and shipping facilities, for upkeep of refrigeration units, and for ensuring compliance with the FDA’s strict regulatory requirements.
Selecting equipment maintenance software
As the section above demonstrates, every industry must manage its own unique set of equipment maintenance challenges. This underscores the importance of selecting the right equipment maintenance software for your organization.
Step 1: Assessing your organization’s readiness
Before beginning what may be a costly and disruptive implementation process, be sure that your organization is ready to adopt new maintenance management software. Make this determination by taking the following preliminary steps:
- Evaluate current maintenance processes for strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
- Identify economic pain points in your maintenance operation
- Define goals and objectives for the improvement of your maintenance program
- Determine resource availability for equipment maintenance software implementation
- Involve key stakeholders including facilities managers, compliance officers, maintenance technicians, etc.
Step 2: Identifying must-have features
Determine your organization’s needs and ensure that any equipment maintenance software vendor can match them. Your list of must-have equipment maintenance features should likely include:
- Mobile app accessibility
- User-friendly interface
- Integration capabilities
- Compliance tools and checklists
- Preventive maintenance scheduling
- Work order automation and management
- Advanced data analytics and customizable reporting
- Inventory management and automated reordering notifications
- Predictive maintenance tools and condition monitoring sensors
Step 3: Narrowing your list based on key factors
Once you’ve identified vendors that carry your must-have features, you’ll want to narrow down your list of vendors based on these critical factors:
- Scalability
- Ease of use
- Customization
- Customer support
- Vendor reputation
- Cost and pricing model
- Implementation and training
- Data security and compliance
Step 4: Vetting the finalists on your list
Once you’ve identified potential software vendors, make sure you include the following questions in your vetting process:
- What are the key features of your software and how do they align with our specific maintenance needs?
- Can you provide case studies or references from other organizations in our industry?
- Does your software use cloud-based solutions to handle mobile access and facilitate remote working capabilities?
- Does your software support integration with existing systems such as ERP software, EAM systems, or IoT devices?
- How do you handle data security, and what measures are in place to protect sensitive information?
- What is the typical equipment maintenance software implementation timeline and what resources are required from your team?
- What training and support services do you offer during and after implementation?
- Can your software scale with our organization as we grow and are there additional costs associated with scaling?
- How do you handle software updates and maintenance? Are these included in the pricing model?
- What is the total cost of ownership, including hidden fees, if any?
Implementing equipment maintenance software
Implementing equipment maintenance software requires careful planning, integration with existing systems, and training to ensure successful adoption.
Common implementation challenges
- Employer resistance due to unfamiliarity with new systems, fear of job disruption, or comfort with existing processes
- Data migration issues, with duplicate items, incomplete records, and data quality issues complicating the transference of maintenance histories, equipment records, work orders and other data from legacy systems to the new software
- Integration complications, typically as a consequence of incompatible data formats, lack of API support, or outdated existing systems
Key integration considerations
- Compatibility with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, which many organizations rely on for financial management, procurement, and inventory control
- Compatibility with IoT devices and sensors, which enable real-time equipment performance monitoring, facilitate predictive maintenance, and reduce the risk of unexpected failures
- Transitioning from existing CMMS software or EAM system, which requires transference of data between systems while ensuring continuity of existing maintenance operations and preservation of historical maintenance data
Implementation best practices include:
- Developing a detailed implementation plan that identifies key milestones, outlines resource allocation needs, and designates roles and responsibilities
- Engaging key stakeholders from different departments, including IT, finance, and operations throughout the process
- Conducting a thorough audit of existing data to identify any inconsistencies, errors, or missing information and to ensure a smooth migration process
- Providing a comprehensive, hands-on training program tailored to different user groups, including maintenance technicians, managers, and IT staff
- Establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in order to monitor software performance, make adjustments, optimize processes, and ensure the software is delivering on expectations
Getting the most from your equipment maintenance software
Implementing your new equipment maintenance software is just the first step in evolving your program. Below, we also offer best practices for getting the most out of your equipment maintenance software in the long term with tips for ensuring continuous improvement.
- Regularly review and update your preventive maintenance schedules based on equipment performance data and changing operational needs.
- Provide ongoing training to ensure that your technicians are up to date on compliance requirements, safety regulations, and internal standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Ensure integration between your equipment maintenance software and other business systems to create a seamless flow of information across the organization.
- Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of your maintenance program and identify areas for improvement.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing maintenance processes, gathering feedback, and making data-driven adjustments.
See the best asset and equipment maintenance software in action
Limble is a leading asset and equipment maintenance software designed to help organizations streamline their maintenance operations, reduce downtime, and maximize the useful lifespan of their assets. With a robust set of features and an intuitive design, Limble provides everything you need to manage your equipment maintenance tasks more efficiently and effectively.
Key Limble features
- Comprehensive work order management, allowing you to create work orders, assign tasks, and manage workflows with ease
- Preventive maintenance (PM) scheduling, so you can streamline maintenance tasks based on calendar dates, usage metrics, or condition-based triggers
- Real-time asset management, including asset location, condition, and maintenance history, in one easy-to-use platform
- Inventory management and spare parts tracking, so you track inventory levels, set reorder triggers, and automate purchasing in order to minimize stockouts, overstocking, and waste
- Customizable reporting and advanced data analytics on maintenance costs, equipment performance, downtime, and more so you can identify trends, optimize maintenance strategies, and improve overall efficiency
- Mobile cloud-based accessibility so that field technicians can access Limble from any device, reduce incident response times, and increase productivity
- Predictive maintenance capabilities so that you can minimize unexpected breakdowns, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the life of your assets
- User-friendly interface, with an intuitive, easy-to-navigate dashboard that flattens the learning curve for new users and contains the cost of implementation for new clients.
Curious what an industry-leading equipment maintenance platform can do for your business? Take the Limble CMMS Product Tour any time you’re ready! And for the guided experience, reach out to our experts and schedule a personalized demo today!
