Equipment upkeep and care are essential parts for most people, both at work and at home. However, as the volume of equipment increases, so does the amount of upkeep and care that are required to properly maintain them.
One solution to all this added work is the use of technology to monitor equipment, as it can make it easier to tell when something needs servicing and when something is best left alone until it begins to show signs of wear and tear. Let’s take a look at a few ways that technology can be used for this purpose.
Use Existing Resources
Many pieces of equipment will have built-in monitors, detectors, or other indicators that tell the owner that they require maintenance. This information, when checked regularly, can help make sure that upkeep isn’t neglected or forgotten.
For those that don’t, the owner’s manual or manufacturer’s website might reveal a maintenance schedule or signs to watch out for when equipment needs to be fixed. For example, if it’s running sluggish, the brakes are slightly less responsive, or something similar.
Use a Digital Calendar
Most pieces of equipment should be examined on a regular schedule to make sure that they’re in working order. Depending on how frequently the machines are used, this could be every week, every month, or every couple of months. Not only is this important for safety purposes but it also makes sure that the machine doesn’t require expensive repairs for something that could have been fixed during regular maintenance.
Once that schedule has been set, you can set the date on the digital calendar. You can also set reminders several days beforehand so that even if you forget to check, you’ll have time to schedule the maintenance before it’s too late.
Keep Digital Usage Logs
Sometimes, it may be difficult to identify when equipment needs upkeep. Imagine a company that owns heavy equipment that has a maintenance schedule based on hours of usage, from 10 to 3,000. Every time an employee uses a piece of equipment, they’re required to go to the computer or send a text message to their supervisor with the number of minutes (approximately) that the machine was in use.
That number is then added to a spreadsheet or another type of report that automatically updates with the current count. When it reaches a certain point, the program, app, or spreadsheet can issue a warning that it’s time for upkeep and care. The machine can then be serviced as soon as possible. This is a smart idea because many pieces of equipment need to be replaced based on usage so this will allow employees to keep up and properly maintain the equipment.
These are just a few of the ways that equipment owners can use technology to help monitor their machines and make sure that regular maintenance takes place before a part or even the whole thing becomes severely damaged. Not only does this make sure that the machine’s operator is protected but it’ll also save a lot of money in the long run, as routine maintenance is significantly less expensive than a repair would be under most circumstances.