Businesses which rely heavily on equipment have to all the more keep track of their equipment’s health from time to time.
However, the challenge of memorizing each and every one of them is no easy feat – especially if you have countless equipment in the workplace.
Which is why inputting regular updates into a log book – be it maintenance issues, equipment’s performance or any other machine-related matter – is extremely important. Not only will you understand your equipment better, but you’ll also know when it’s time to do servicing.
Through this article, you’ll find several benefits of keeping an equipment maintenance record consistently.
Establish individualized/specialized maintenance programmes
Not every maintenance programme out there will work for all your equipment. Each one of your equipment works different, operates under different working conditions and varying imperfections.
Daily inspection and proper record keeping will help to point out these differences and determine the maintenance programme to be scheduled for a specific equipment type.
Increase safety for operators
The safety of your staff is key and by keeping track of your equipment’s condition, you are ensuring they are not subjected to danger at all times.
Especially since the fault or malfunction will happen to the equipment, the chances of the operator being affected are high as they are in direct contact with the machinery. By documenting your equipment’s maintenance history – you are letting yourself be aware of its performance. Concerns like signs which potentially refer to equipment failure will be easily spotted.
Increase the resale value of equipment
Aside from informing you of your equipment’s health, record keeping also boosts its appeal for resale. Buyers who are looking to purchase used equipment, in particular, will prefer to view past information regarding the equipment to fully understand what they’re working with.
The more thorough, the better. Buyers look forward to having a well-documented and detailed record and will be more convinced to purchase when they receive comprehensive information of the equipment.
Keep a track of who is operating which machine
Different machines are assigned to be taken care of by different operators. And at times, it’s not the machine that has worn out over time but a result of mishandling of equipment. When you note down who handles which equipment, you will be able to find out the culprit responsible for the damage inflicted.
However, the main concern here is to educate others on the importance of proper equipment care. Eventually, leading to a higher responsibility in operators and better operator care.
Spotting trends across makes, models and parts
Records also tell you about trends like components, makes, operators, models and other aspects surrounding the equipment.
Proper records of maintenance issues will inform you which equipment has incurred the lowest cost per hour of ownership. On the other hand, when you notice the same component from the model of a machine requiring repair or replacement – it would mean the same thing for other equipment of the same model as well.
Once you are able to identify the similar trends reoccurring over and over again, you will know what action to take.
Avoiding costly repairs
When you are able to identify the minor problems early on, you can fix these issues first. On the flip side, when you don’t – you are letting all these tiny problems build up into a major one – leading to a huge sum of repair costs.
Most equipment, for instance, your generator – will show signs when the equipment is failing. In other words, generator overhauling might be necessary to find out what’s the specific problem. And once you diagnose the problem, there leaves no need for any unnecessary costly repair.
Justifies warranty claims accurately
When the time comes to claim your warranty – you need to present evidence to successfully claim it.
By recording each one of your past maintenance works, along with the precise dates and facts – it will be much easier for you to get a hold of your warranty claim and make sure it goes through.
When you keep an eye of your equipment’s condition regularly, you understanding how your equipment is performing. Whether it’s underperforming or operating normally – you will figure it out by updating your records on a consistent basis.
If generator rewinding has to be done to get your generator back in shape – contact your engineer and let him take a look at the records to double confirm it. Sometimes, there really is no need for an all-rounded repair so it’s best that you get your trusted engineer down to check on the equipment’s condition.