What is Idle Time? Learn How to Manage It in Industrial Operations

Also known as a ‘profitability killer’ in industrial settings, idle time — the period of time when an asset (a machine or an employee) is available but not productive — has a significant impact on operational efficiency. Also, it’s a hidden drain that leads to lost production opportunities, higher operational costs and a bad workplace culture overall. That’s why understanding and managing it is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. While some of this ‘waiting time’ is i

Billy Cassano

What Is CMMS Software and How to Use It in Maintenance

CMMS software, or Computerized Maintenance Management Systems, are an indispensable tool when it comes to streamlining maintenance workflows and ensuring operational efficiency. In the dynamic landscape of current manufacturing plants and industrial operations, effective asset management stands as a cornerstone of success and must be seen as a priority. The evolution of technology has ushered in a new era of maintenance management, bidding farewell to outdated, paper-based systems and

Vincent Meyers

Work Orders in maintenance: Complete Guide

You must have heard about the term Work Order in the industrial environment at some point in your life, right? But do you know how they work and why they are so important? A Work Order (WO) is a document that formalizes any kind of maintenance service performed by a team.  It is fundamental in order to organize business processes, ensuring better results for both the company and its employees. Therefore, it is important to understand everything about Work Orders – what they a

Lucas Dombroysk

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Maintenance Industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming the industry. From process optimization to task automation, AI is enabling companies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase the quality of their products with much lower investments than the returns it offers. But first, we must learn what it is. What Is Artificial Intelligence? AI is simple – it’s how machines can perceive, synthesize, and infer information. Although it may seem far-fetched, artifici

Alex Vedan

Visual Management in Maintenance: Techniques to Control Your Assets

Efficient machine management is crucial for successful maintenance operations. Visual management has emerged as a method to optimize processes using techniques that emphasize visualization, taking asset efficiency and control to a new level. It’s applied in various industry segments today. What Is Visual Management in Maintenance? Visual management is a method used to improve maintenance management. It takes a macro view of the facility and uses techniques that prioritize cle

Billy Cassano

EAM vs. CMMS: Unraveling the Differences and Which is Best

Explore the key differences between EAM and CMMS systems and understand how each contributes to effective asset management in your organization. EAM vs. CMMS: Navigating Asset Management Solutions Ever found yourself puzzling over the best way to manage your assets? You’re not alone. In the quest for effective asset management, two terms often crop up: EAM vs CMMS — or Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS). While they may se

Billy Cassano

Types of Maintenance: The Complete Guide

You’ve most likely heard the term “industrial maintenance activities”, but what does that mean? In general, it refers to the processes required to take care of machines in the industry. There are four main types: corrective maintenance, preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, and proactive maintenance. Without knowing about these in detail, challenges can arise. For a maintenance plan to be as assertive as possible, the manager must master all maintenance types and subtypes. Th

TRACTIAN

What is Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) and How to Implement It

Ever had a crucial piece of equipment fail at the worst possible moment? Unexpected breakdowns can wreak havoc on production schedules and budgets. That’s where Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) steps in. Developed in the late 1960s for aviation to ensure peak performance and safety, it has become a cornerstone of maintenance strategies across industries. IRCM is no longer just about fixing equipment when it breaks; it's about integrating advanced technologies, such as AI and

Gabriel Lameirinhas

MTBF and MTTR: Reduce Failures with Maintenance KPIs

Most companies use traditional maintenance Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track management and machine operation. Two of the most common ones are MTBF and MTTR, or Mean Time Between Failures and Mean Time to Repair. Industries operate at a constant rhythm, especially in today’s fast-paced manufacturing environment – that is why avoiding equipment failures and unplanned downtime has become more crucial than ever, and that is where KPIs come into play. A single hour of downtime in

Billy Cassano

Using AI in Predictive Maintenance: The Benefits of AI-Assisted Maintenance

What is AI–Assisted Maintenance? Discover How AI is Used in Predictive Maintenance What are the maintenance headaches that keep you up at night? Have you heard of the essential technology that will erase all those nightmares? Welcome to the world of AI-assisted maintenance! This isn’t about fixing what’s already broken, it’s about getting a heads-up before things go south, and ensuring your operations continue to run smoothly. At the heart of this is Artificial intelligence (AI),

Alex Vedan

How to Achieve Maximum Industrial Asset Availability

Availability in industrial settings can be defined as the probability that a machine will produce or be available to produce in a given period of time. In other words, if the average asset availability of a machine is 80%, this means that, on average, the machine is working or available for work only 80% of the time. This KPI is important because it indicates the idle time in which the pieces of equipment are not in working order and are in fact unproductive. It’s often used when high

Marianna Musso

ROI Calculator: Maximizing Returns in the Industry

Would you make an investment without knowing what the return could be? The answer to this question may seem obvious, but it serves precisely to give an idea of the importance of an ROI calculator aimed specifically at industries and manufacturing facilities. But before we understand why calculating ROI is so crucial to industrial operations, we need to grasp the meaning of this term. ROI is an acronym for the expression “Return on Investment.” In general terms, Return on Investmen

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