The maintenance workflow plans the intervention activities ensuring a better performance of the process. Find out what is it and what the benefits are.
If you are a professional in the AECO sector, you know that planning is the first essential step for the success of each process.
The maintenance phase is no different and organizing maintenance interventions through specific facility management software. Beside, graphic workflows gives advantages for operators and for the entire maintenance phase of the asset.
Let’s see together and in more detail what is a maintenance workflow and what are the 6 main benefits it entails.
What is the maintenance workflow?
The maintenance workflow is the process that plans the activities flow that constitute the maintenance intervention.
There are multiple reason for which it is preferable to draw up a maintenance workflow, for example:
- allow all maintenance operators to prepare adequately in relation to they role in the process;
- check that all the equipment and replacements necessary for the intervention are available;
- study the activities to caring out and create an accurate time schedule and the analysis of the necessary/available budget;
- ensure the shortest possible downtime of the asset.
The typical maintenance workflow process is represented in the following image:
Maintenance Workflow
For example, suppose that the reliability engineer receives the results of some sampling. studying these sample become clear that is necessary a maintenance intervention. At this point, the workflow start:
- the professional in charge of maintenance starts the intervention, establishing times and executive details;
- He checks the availability of the equipment and the stock of the pieces necessary to carry out the intervention. He also verify the minimum downtime necessary and the availability of technicians;
- the maintenance manager entitle a technician for the intervention;
- the technician analyzes the intervention in detail, checking the necessary replacements and equipment;
- after the intervention the technician give an account of the replacements used, fill in and signs the relative documentation;
- the supervisor examines the work, countersigns the documentation and returns the work order to the maintenance planner;
- the maintenance planner updates the activity in the maintenance system and restores the frequency of the intervention in question.
Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)
What are the 6 main benefits of maintenance workflow?
The maintenance workflows and the consequent production of flowcharts is clearly important but let’s see together what are the 6 main advantages:
- business process optimization, over time maintenance approaches change because the evolution of technologies, materials and so on. Therefore, monitoring and mapping maintenance interventions allows you to:
- determine how and which activities to perfect ;
- create a graphic representation making the process less abstract and highlighting unnecessary activities and steps;
- identify malfunctions and bottlenecks in the maintenance workflow.
- workflow clarify: the realization of the maintenance workflow in the form of diagrams helps to understand the sequence of events, their purpose and the duration;
- roles clarity: understanding perfectly the role in the maintenance process is essential for its correct execution. Mapping the maintenance workflows helps precisely in the correct interpretation of tasks and responsibilities;
- internal audit: checking the correctness of processes and compliance with regulations is simpler and more effective when representing the maintenance processes as diagrams;
- identification of discrepancies and liability: thanks to the mapping of the maintenance workflow it will be faster to determine if there is a regulatory violation. Moreover, it is possible to identify stage of the process and those responsible for the issue;
- staff training improvement: maintenance workflow diagrams help to identify where the intervention has not reached the required performance. Based on this analysis is it possible to provide better staff training.
How does a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) help optimize the maintenance process?
Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) means the management of the maintenance process through specific facility management software, but how can this system enhance the maintenance process?
The advantages of its application are various, including:
- assists in maintenance planning, property tracking and problem management;
- allows for fast and efficient communication;
- guarantees time and costs savings related to management;
- allows the management of both scheduled and extraordinary maintenance;
- integrates a ticket system;
- prepares the documentation and the personal data sheets;
- geolocate assets;
- monitors and reports on the various activities.
My advice is therefore to adopt a computer-based maintenance process and try the professional facility management software that will allow you to optimize and make dynamic the maintenance of your assets.
