Author: Ethan Wilke

FTMaintenance Select v.4.6.1.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.4.6.1.0, which incorporates the following:

Solutions

  • Dashboard
    • Improved Widget cost reporting.
  • Service Request Management
    • Improved button text and validation messages on Service Request functionality.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improved tracking of Work Orders associated with multiple Customers.
    • Improved Work Order Part cost tracking.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Work Order functionality.

FTMaintenance Select v.4.6.0.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.4.6.0.0, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • Dashboard
    • Added a Widget that displays Work Order cost history by Customer.
  • User Management
    • Added Recurring Work Order permissions.

Solutions

  • Dashboard
    • Improved Dashboard performance.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Widgets.
  • Inventory Management
    • Improved Inventory Item Catalog page performance.
  • Invoicing
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Invoicing functionality.
  • Purchasing
    • Improved clarity of button text in the Purchasing area user interface.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Purchasing functionality.
  • Service Request Management
    • Improved button text and validation messages on Service Request functionality.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improved Task completion time recording.
    • Improved Task completion process.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Work Order functionality.

FTMaintenance Select v.4.5.0.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.4.5.0.0, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • Asset Management
    • Expanded the available columns in the Meter Reading Definitions grids.
  • Dashboard
    • Added a customizable KPI dashboard.
    • Added ability to create user-defined Widget groups.
    • Added Widget permissions.
  • Globalization
    • Expanded support for data entry using non-Latin alphabets.
    • Added support for foreign languages in the FTMaintenance Select interface.
  • Inventory Management
    • Improved Inventory Item Location identification on Inventory Item records and from Work Order Tracked Parts selection screens.
  • Work Order Management
    • Added the ability to assign a meaning to a Work Order Approval signature.
    • Added the ability to track Work Order activity on open, closed, and deleted Work Orders on a change log.
    • Added the ability to automatically calculate downtime based on Work Order activity.
    • Added ability to view deleted Work Orders.
    • Added the ability to designate Approvers for Work Order activations from Recurring Work Orders.
    • Added the ability for administrators to disable reactivation of closed Work Orders.
    • Improved design of Work Order History and Work Order Configuration pages.
  • Notifications
    • Expanded Notification Tags list.
  • General
    • Improved speed and performance of Work Order and Asset areas.

Solutions

  • Asset Management
    • Improved display of Asset Location information.
    • Improved editing of Manufacturer records.
    • Improved Downtime Type declarations.
    • Improved retention of Meter Readings.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented Work Orders from displaying on the Equipment Under Maintenance page.
    • The Barcode functionality has been deprecated.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Asset functionality.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Location functionality.
  • Configuration
    • The ability to use multiple Inventories has been deprecated.
    • Improved retention of Wok Order Labor Resource settings.
    • Improved selection and deselection of permissions with dependencies.
    • Expanded support for accented characters.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Configuration functionality.
  • Inventory Management
    • Improved accuracy of Unit Cost when created via a Part record.
    • Corrected an issue related to creating Inventory Items when its associated Part Asset contains a custom field.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Inventory functionality.
  • Labor Management
    • Corrected an issue that allowed negative Hourly Rates.
  • Notifications
    • Improved delivery of notifications to role-based email addresses.
    • Improved performance of Tags in Service Request Notifications.
    • Improved Service Request Notification Template Tags.
    • Improved Service Request Notification Tag functionality for Service Requests submitted by guests.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Notification functionality.
  • Reporting
    • Improved Open Work Order Listing Report.
  • Scheduling
    • Improved display of Recurring Work Order numbers.
  • Service Request Management
    • Improved management of rejected Service Requests.
    • Corrected an issue that prevented certain Users from logging in to the request portal.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Service Request functionality.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improved the display of Labor Resources in the Labor tab.
    • Improved column configuration on Work Order History page.
    • Corrected an issue that caused an active Work Order’s Issue Date field to be blank.
    • Improved closed Work Order print functionality.
    • Improved Recurring Work Order scheduling.
    • Improved retention of Labor Costs on closed Work Orders.
    • Improved field validation for Work Order Description field.
    • Improved Labor Log time recording.
    • Improved calculation of next activation date following manual activations for non-floating calendar schedules.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Work Order functionality.
    • Minor defect fixes and improvements to Recurring Work Order functionality.
  • General
    • Improved session timeout.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.76.0.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.3.76.0.0, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • General
    • The search bar on major grids now automatically clears after navigating away from the page.
  • Notifications
    • Added support for Service Request Notifications based on when Location data is added or removed.

Solutions

  • Service Request Management
    • Improved performance of the Assets grid on the Service Request form.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improved the automatic restocking of Parts when removed from Work Orders.
    • Improved Task deletion.

The Ripple Effect of Poor-Quality CMMS Data – and How to Fix It

Frustrated young male maintenance technicians on an overlay of hands typing and randomized characters representing CMMS data.

Industrial organizations continue to invest in computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software in pursuit of greater efficiency to increase asset reliability and reduce maintenance costs. However, the urgency of CMMS implementation often leads to organizations overlooking the importance of maintenance data quality.

As a result, bad data is entered into the CMMS from the start, disrupting maintenance operations and setting your team up for failure. In this article, we’ll examine the consequences of poor quality CMMS data and what you can do to ensure your CMMS delivers value to your organization.

What is Data Quality?

Data quality generally refers to the extent to which information is fit for its intended purpose and correctly reflects the real-world entities it represents. In a maintenance management context, this means ensuring that maintenance records accurately document and reflect the true state of assets, inventory levels, and resource availability.

The quality of your maintenance data is critical for making decisions related to asset lifecycle management, maintenance scheduling, resource allocation, and other maintenance management processes. Therefore, you must ensure that you are working with high quality data. Poor-quality data makes these decisions more difficult and leads to real-world consequences. For example, a Gartner report estimates that organizations lose an average of $12.9 million (USD) each year due to poor quality data.

What Makes Data High-Quality?

Recognizing poor-quality data is easier said than done. Within a dataset containing hundreds to hundreds of thousands of CMMS records, it can be difficult to distinguish the “bad” data from the “good” data. So, what is meant by “high-quality” data after all?

Data quality is measured by comparing your data to a desirable state. High-quality data is commonly defined by the following characteristics:

  • Accuracy: The data correctly represents what it is intended to represent.
  • Completeness: All necessary data is available.
  • Consistency: The data exactly matches across all places where the data is stored and used.
  • Currency: The data was recently collected and/or reflects the most up-to-date information.
  • Relevancy: The data serves a meaningful purpose.
  • Timeliness: The data is available within the expected timeframe.
  • Uniqueness: The datum is not duplicated within the set of data and is uniquely identified.
  • Validity: The data is properly structured according to defined rules and parameters.

Maintenance data that meets these criteria provides a strong foundation for informed decision-making, ensuring maintenance teams can rely on facts rather than gut feel. This data-driven approach helps you make better recommendations and strengthens your credibility within the organization.

Types of CMMS Data

CMMS solutions allow you to manage several types of data, each playing a role in effective maintenance management. Understanding the types of data in your CMMS and what the data represents is essential for evaluating data quality. This knowledge helps you become familiar with what maintenance records should look like, and makes it easier to identify poor-quality data. The primary types of CMMS data include:

Asset Data

Asset data refers to information about your physical assets and equipment. This includes:

  • Asset identification numbers: Unique identifiers that are used to track assets.
  • Current condition: The asset’s operational status and overall health.
  • Location: Where the asset is physically located within the organization.
  • Operating specifications: Operating parameters, such as capacity, power requirements, safety standards, and other performance requirements.
  • Downtime, meter readings, and other performance data: Relevant metrics related to the asset’s availability and reliability.

Work Order Data

Work order data captures the performance of maintenance activities, including what was done, who did it, and what resources were used, among other information. Work order data typically includes:

  • Details: Essential data about the work order such as its unique number, completion status, priority, assignment, and relevant life cycle dates.
  • Tasks: The specific actions taken to perform the work outlined by the work order.
  • Parts and tools: The materials and supplies, and quantities of such, required to carry out the maintenance tasks.
  • Labor resources: The people or organizations that performed the work and their labor hours.

MRO Inventory Data

MRO inventory data is the information related to your inventoried assets and consumables. Inventory data can include:

  • Inventory identification numbers: Unique identifiers used to track MRO items.
  • Stocking location: The exact location within a stockroom or other inventory location where parts are stored.
  • Quantities: The level of stock on hand, allocated to work orders, and available to use.
  • Procurement information: Information related to replenishing stock, such as reorder point, economic order quantity, and supplier information.

Labor Resource Data

Labor resources are parties that provide labor for an organization, whether it is an employee, vendor, contractor, or other service provider. Examples of labor data include:

  • Labor resource information: The names of the labor resources.
  • Role and skills: The job title, department, labor craft, type of services provided, and other applicable skill information.
  • Certifications: Documentation of any formal training or certifications held by the labor resource.
  • Labor costs: The hourly rate for work performed by a labor resource.

Maintenance History

Maintenance history is a record of all past maintenance activities. CMMS solutions automatically create a maintenance history using closed work order records.

Other Management Data

Management data provides essential insights that help maintenance managers and other decision-makers assess performance, control costs, and optimize operations. This data includes:

  • Key performance indicators (KPIs): Measures of performance. Common KPIs include Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), and maintenance backlog.
  • Cost information: Information related to the overall expenses incurred by the maintenance team. For example, costs related to labor, parts and materials, and operations.
  • Scheduling data: Information that outlines planned maintenance activities including task frequency, labor availability, and stock replenishment.

The Ripple Effect: How Poor-Quality CMMS Data Impacts Maintenance Operations

On the surface, a little compromised data in your CMMS may seem like a minor issue. After all, could a little bad data really be that bad? To put it simply, yes. Even small errors and inconsistencies can have big implications and lead to costly consequences. Let’s look at a few examples of this ripple effect in the real world.

Example 1: Asset Record Duplication

Suppose an asset is entered into the CMMS multiple times under different record IDs. When users encounter the duplicated records, they choose one using their best judgment or out of convenience, which results in maintenance activities for the same asset being tracked across multiple records.

This split results in incomplete asset data, redundant maintenance events being scheduled for the same asset which wastes time and resources, and difficulty in generating maintenance reports that track asset management KPIs.

Example 2: Inaccurate Inventory Data

It is safe to assume that nearly every maintenance department has dealt with the consequences of inaccurate inventory data. Outdated or inaccurate stock levels can lead to too much or too little inventory, both of which present challenges for maintenance teams.

When the CMMS incorrectly shows low stock for a part, it can trigger unnecessary purchasing activity. Even though the part is actually available, reordering it results in overstock, which ties up money and takes up physical space in the stockroom. Worse yet, these excess parts may become obsolete before they are used.

On the other hand, stockouts can occur when the CMMS indicates that a part is available when, in reality, it is not. This mismatch can lead technicians to proceed with maintenance work under the impression that parts are available, only to discover they are not actually in stock. As a result, costs are incurred due to excess downtime and emergency orders with premium shipping fees. Stockouts are especially problematic for highly specialized parts, which may have long lead times for replenishment.

Example 3: Failure to Meet Compliance Requirements due to Incomplete Records

Organizations in highly regulated industries like food and beverage and pharmaceuticals face rigorous maintenance audits to ensure compliance with safety protocols and regulatory standards. When a CMMS contains poor-quality maintenance data, the consequences can be severe.

For example, if task information related to critical equipment maintenance is incomplete or missing, auditors cannot verify that necessary inspections or repairs took place. This lack of verification can lead to costly fines, product recalls, or even shutdowns by regulatory bodies.

Additionally, poor-quality data makes it challenging to address violations promptly, as valuable maintenance resources must be dedicated to tracking down the correct information. This delay can expose organizations to additional penalties and heightened scrutiny in the future. Continued non-compliance can increase liability, damage the organization’s credibility, and undermine its ability to do business.

As you can see, the effects of poor-quality data are far-reaching, disrupt maintenance operations, and negatively impact maintenance efficiency.

Common Causes of Poor-Quality CMMS Data

Bad data comes from various sources, but a handful of factors are responsible for most CMMS data quality issues. Understanding these sources is essential for preventing poor-quality data in the first place. Here are the top causes of poor-quality data:

Human Error

People make mistakes. When data is entered by hand, there is a risk of typos, skipped fields, and other data entry errors. One study found that as much as 4% of manually entered data contains errors. Other studies have found that up to 5% of data contains errors, depending on its complexity.

While this number may seem small, consider that CMMS systems contain hundreds or thousands of records, meaning that dozens of critical maintenance records may contain inaccuracies. Not only can this poor quality data lead to misinformed decisions, it also raises doubts about the reliability of other data in the system.

Lack of Standardization

Standardization refers to entering data consistently based on pre-defined rules and formats. Without standardization, CMMS data may be entered in various formats, spelling, or abbreviations, which leads to further errors and confusion. For example, one user may enter an asset number as “Pump 1,” while another user enters “Pump 001” or “P-1”. These inconsistencies make it harder to track the asset because multiple naming conventions prevent accurate search results and may cause the asset to be left out of valuable maintenance reports.

Read More: What is an Asset Naming Convention?

Duplication

Whether created out of convenience or in error, duplicate records cause big problems in a CMMS. Duplication splits maintenance history across multiple records, making it difficult to track performance and costs, identify failure patterns, or schedule preventive maintenance. Because one user might be unaware of the duplicated record, maintenance activities may be scheduled more frequently than is necessary, resulting in over-maintenance and wasting precious resources.

In the context of MRO inventory management, duplicate records can cause serious overstock, as multiple records may trigger unnecessary orders for the same part. Not only does this cost money, the excess parts take up valuable space in the stockroom.

CMMS Software-related Issues

Sometimes, a CMMS solution’s design or lacking configuration options can lead to poor-quality data. For example, when essential fields for capturing maintenance data are missing, users will enter information into any other available fields, even if they weren’t intended for that purpose. Systems that lack sufficient field validation allow users to enter data in non-standard formats, creating inconsistencies.

Additionally, systems that don’t include configuration options such as mandatory fields and dropdown field customization leave the system susceptible for errors. The reliance on manual data entry without automation also significantly increases the risk of human error.

How to Fix – or Prevent – CMMS Data Quality Issues

Poor-quality CMMS data can be a widespread problem, but the good news is that there are effective ways to fix or prevent these data quality issues. Ideally, bad data is caught before being entered into the CMMS. However, if poor-quality data does make its way into the system, either through direct import of legacy data or through manual entry, there are ways to address it. Below are some strategies to consider.

Clean Your Data

As the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.” When it comes to data quality, this means that entering poor-quality data into your CMMS will lead to poor-quality results. Therefore, organizations should prioritize data cleaning. Data cleaning is the process of identifying and fixing errors within a dataset so that it is accurate and usable. Common steps include resolving duplicate records, updating outdated information, and removing irrelevant data. For best practices on preparing maintenance data for import, check out our article Best Practices for Preparing Maintenance Data for CMMS Import.

Data cleaning is particularly important for organizations transferring data from a legacy CMMS, spreadsheet, or other in-house solution into a modern CMMS. Too often, organizations focus solely on migrating data into the new system without analyzing their existing data. As a result, maintenance teams struggle to derive value from the new system because they continue to work with flawed data.

Establish Data Entry Standards

Creating and enforcing data entry standards is vital for ensuring consistent data across the CMMS. This includes designing an asset naming convention, setting required fields, and defining appropriate formats for data, such as dates or numerical values. To help users adhere to these standards, the CMMS can be configured with required fields and field validation rules. Additionally, offering users pre-selected values instead of allowing free-form entry can further minimize errors.

Regularly Audit Maintenance Data

Resolving data quality issues is an ongoing process. Humans are prone to make mistakes from time to time, and the software can’t realistically prevent every error. Therefore, it is important that administrators regularly audit CMMS data to ensure that standards are being followed.

Schedule periodic reviews to ensure that all assets are tracked in the system, all required data is being entered, and that users are following a consistent format. Depending on the size of your dataset, consider spot checks that randomly assess a subset of records for accuracy.

Provide Regular Training

Proper training ensures that technicians can effectively utilize the CMMS and maintain high data quality. Since technicians are primarily responsible for data entry, it is critical that they are well-equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to enter good data.

Training sessions should emphasize the value of accurate data by helping them understand how their data entry responsibilities impact maintenance operations. In addition, technicians should receive thorough instructions on how to navigate the CMMS and input data correctly. Vendor-provided training, user manuals, and step-by-step guides for common tasks are valuable resources for reinforcing best practices and minimizing errors.

Learn more about FTMaintenance Select training

Maximize the Value of Your Maintenance Data with FTMaintenance Select

High-quality CMMS data is the backbone of effective maintenance management. Accurate, consistent information empowers you to make strategic maintenance management decisions that minimize downtime, improve performance, and control costs. Though maintaining data quality is challenging, the costly and widespread consequences of poor data are worth avoiding.

Implementing a CMMS, like FTMaintenance Select, presents the perfect opportunity to establish strong data quality management practices. FTMaintenance Select provides a centralized platform that helps you organize your maintenance data, making it easier to track, manage, and maintain data quality. By bringing together all of your critical asset, work order, inventory, and resource information in one place, you can ensure consistency across your data and reduce errors. With accurate, reliable data at your fingertips, you can make informed decisions that optimize maintenance operations.

Request a demo today to learn how FTMaintenance Select can provide the insights you need for successful maintenance management.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.4.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.4.0, which incorporates the following:

Solutions

  • Asset Management
    • Improved Asset grid performance.
  • Configuration
    • Improved filtering Assets selected in the Asset Visibility Restriction configuration settings.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improve restocking Tracked Parts from a Work Order.
  • Notifications
    • Corrected an issue related to Insert Tags in certain Service Request Notification Event Templates.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.3.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.3.0, which incorporates the following:

Solutions

  • Asset Management
    • Increased flexibility of Part names to include certain special characters.
  • User Management
    • Improved filtering of Assets by a User’s set Location.

 

 

FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.2.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.2.0, which incorporates the following:

Solutions

  • Inventory Management
    • Improved display of Inventory Items with stock in multiple Locations within the Inventory Items Catalog.
  • User Management
    • Improved filtering of Assets by a User’s set Location.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.0.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.3.74.0.0, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • Service Request Management
    • Added support for configuring Guest Requester fields, such as name, email, and phone number, as optional.

Solutions

  • Scheduling
    • Improved display of Schedule grid on a Recurring Work Order record.

 

Making Repair vs. Replace Decisions with a CMMS

Technician inspecting a lathe in a machine shop to determine whether to repair or replace it.

Maintenance management professionals constantly face the critical question of whether to repair or replace an asset. This decision isn’t a simple routine task; each situation presents a unique case that requires careful consideration of the costs and benefits of each option. Making this decision without thorough analysis can lead to significant financial and operational risks.

In this article, we’ll explore what to consider when making repair vs. replace decisions, walk through a typical analysis, and discuss how a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) can help you make an informed, data-driven decision.

Importance of Repair vs. Replace Decision

At its core, the goal of a repair vs. replace decision is to minimize an asset’s total cost of ownership to your organization. Rushing into a decision without proper evaluation can be costly and have other long-term effects. Each option – repair or replace – comes with its own benefits and drawbacks, which makes the decision challenging.

Repairing equipment is often a cost-effective option, at least in the short term. Repairs are typically less expensive than purchasing new equipment, can be completed more quickly than sourcing and installing new equipment, and when done correctly, may extend the life of the asset. However, if you don’t address the underlying causes of failure, ongoing repairs will inevitably increase maintenance costs, lower productivity, and cause costly unplanned downtime.

On the other hand, replacing problematic equipment sometimes proves more beneficial in the long run. New equipment typically needs less maintenance in the early stages of life, offers new features that enhance productivity, and is more reliable, but requires a significant upfront investment.

Beyond the direct costs to repair or replace, one must also consider factors including:

  • Estimated useful life
  • Equipment age and condition
  • Costs of lost production due to downtime for repairs or new equipment installation
  • Budget constraints
  • Warranty coverage
  • Safety or health risks
  • Historical and current performance
  • Energy efficiency
  • Availability of maintenance resources
  • Time required for installation and training
  • Costs of supporting spare parts and inventory

As you can see, balancing the costs and benefits of equipment repair versus replacement is a strategic choice requiring thorough analysis. By evaluating these factors, you can make informed asset management decisions.

Repair vs. Replace Analysis

Many sources encourage you to start your repair vs. replace analysis using depreciation, specifically straight-line depreciation, as a rule of thumb. Straight-line depreciation spreads the cost of an asset evenly over its estimated useful life. For example, imagine a forklift truck costs $30,000 and is expected to last 15 years. It depreciates in value by $2,000 every years ($30,000 ÷ 15 years = $2,000 per year), so in year 1 the forklift is worth $30,000, in year 2 it is worth $28,000, and so on.

Warning: It’s important to remember that accounting depreciation, including straight-line depreciation, is designed for tax and financial reporting purposes, as outlined by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines. These guidelines are meant to standardize how assets are depreciated for tax compliance purposes, but do not necessarily reflect actual equipment performance. As a result, accounting depreciation and the depreciation estimated by the maintenance team may not match.

Suppose there is a transmission failure in year 12. By year 12, the forklift has lost $24,000 in value (12 years × $2,000 per year = $24,000) and now has a value of $6,000 ($30,000 original cost – $24,000 depreciation = $6,000 remaining value), and is expected to last just 3 more years. A vendor quotes you $4,000 to rebuild the transmission, and you discover that a new forklift costs $35,000.

Using straight-line depreciation as your guide, you can see that the forklift’s value is relatively low, and that the cost to repair is a significant portion of that remaining value. Now comes the critical question: do you repair it or replace it? To answer that question, further analysis is needed.

Analyzing the Repair vs. Replacement Dilemma

Let’s explore the business case for both the repair and replace options using our forklift example from earlier. To recap, the forklift is worth $6,000 and has an estimated 3 years of useful life remaining. A transmission rebuild is quoted at $4,000 and the forklift costs $35,000 to replace.

Option 1: Repair the Forklift

Depending on the nature of a given repair, you must determine whether value will be added back to the asset in terms of performance and useful life. In this case, we must determine whether the repair will extend the forklift’s useful life.

For example, suppose you determine that rebuilding the transmission allows the forklift to fulfill its remaining 3 years of useful life. Your $4,000 in maintenance costs allows you to maintain the forklift’s operation, but does not add any new value or increase performance.

Alternatively, if you estimate that the transmission rebuild will enhance performance and extend the forklift’s useful life by an additional 3 years, the situation changes. The $4,000 repair allows the forklift to operate for another 6 years total (3 remaining useful years + 3 extended years) and you avoid the significant cost of replacement.

Applying a Rule of Thumb to Repair Decisions

A common rule of thumb in repair vs. replace decisions is the “50% rule.” This guideline suggests that if a repair costs more than 50% of the cost of replacement, it is more cost-effective to replace the asset. Some organizations use a different threshold, such as the United States Marine Corps, which uses a threshold of 65%. In our example, the cost of replacement is $35,000, and 50% of that is $17,500. The repair cost is only $4,000, suggesting that repair might be a good option.

Further Considerations

It is important to recognize that the forklift may require other significant repairs (and as a result, downtime) as it approaches the end of its lifecycle. Future maintenance and operational costs will impact your total cost of ownership and should be weighed in your repair vs. replace decision.

For example, assume that the forklift’s annual maintenance cost under normal operation is $800, and costs are expected to increase by 10% each year. By the end of its 3 remaining years of useful life, you’ll incur another $2,648 in routine maintenance costs ($800 in the third-to-last year + $880 in the second-to-last year + $968 in the last year = $2,648), barring any additional major repairs. These standard repairs do not add new value to the forklift truck, and now the remaining total cost of maintenance over the 3 years is $6,648 ($4,000 + $2,648 = $6,648), compared to its current value of $6,000.

If the lifespan is extended to 6 years, the ongoing maintenance cost becomes $6,172 ($800 + $880 + $968 + $1,064 + $1,171 + $1,288 = $6,172), again barring any major repairs. Add this to the cost of the transmission rebuild, and you’re in for $10,172 ($4,000 + $6,172 = $10,172), which is about 30% of the cost to replace.

Option 2: Replace the Forklift

Replacing the forklift requires an upfront capital investment of $35,000, which is more than 8 times as much as the repair. However, the new forklift is expected to last for 15 years, which is an additional 9 – 12 years compared to the repaired one. Newer equipment typically has lower maintenance costs in their first few years, leading to lower maintenance costs. Additionally, any new technology, improved design, and advanced capabilities may make the new lift more productive compared to the current one.

Using CMMS Data to Build a Better Business Case

Gaining buy-in for your repair vs. replacement recommendation can be challenging without solid evidence to back you up. A CMMS provides you with the data you need to build a strong business case and justify your decision. Here’s how a CMMS can help:

  • Asset Tracking: CMMS software stores critical data about your assets throughout their lifecycle, including original cost, age, condition, warranty status, service history, and performance metrics. This comprehensive data provides context for making repair vs. replace decisions.
  • Historical Maintenance Data: A CMMS tracks your maintenance activities over time, allowing you to identify trends and evaluate whether assets are undergoing more frequent repairs and becoming more costly to maintain. This historical reference helps support whether to make ongoing repairs or invest in a replacement.
  • Performance Reports: Maintenance management reports allow you to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics such as Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). These reports help evaluate how well an asset is performing and how it compares to similar assets.
  • Spare Parts Management: By tracking inventory data – such as stock levels, usage history, and replenishment costs – a CMMS provides a more comprehensive picture of the total cost of maintaining your assets. This includes understanding the costs associated with managing an asset’s related spare parts and supplies, which may affect your decision to repair or replace.
  • Work Requests: Work requests provide visibility into how an asset’s performance affects others within your facility. By analyzing these requests, you can gauge how often assets require attention, the types of issues users are experiencing, and their level of frustration. This information helps you better understand whether the asset is meeting operational expectations.

Make Better, Data-Driven Decisions with FTMaintenance Select

The decision to repair or replace an asset directly impacts your organization’s operational efficiency and financial performance. Making these decisions without a thorough analysis can lead to costly mistakes that strain your budget and jeopardize plant productivity. A CMMS solution, like FTMaintenance Select, provides you with critical maintenance data needed to make these decisions with confidence.

FTMaintenance Select is a centralized platform for managing all aspects of your maintenance operations including work orders, equipment and facility assets, spare parts and inventory, preventive maintenance, and more. Request a demo today to learn more.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.72.0.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v.3.72.0.0, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • Purchasing
    • Added support for automatic Purchase Order numbering.
    • Added support for automatic closure of Purchase Orders when all Purchase Order Items are received.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.70.3.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v3.70.3.0, which incorporates the following:

Solutions

  • Asset Management
    • Improved ability to view Asset details pages.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improved User authentication for on-premise FTMaintenance Select deployments.

FTMaintenance Select v.3.70.2.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v3.70.2.0, which incorporates the following:

Solutions

  • Asset Management
    • Improved loading of Assets, Parts, and Tools lists on the View All Assets page.
  • Work Order Management
    • Improved calculation of Work Order Labor Log Hours.

Shaping Success: CMMS in Plastics Manufacturing Maintenance

Blue plastic granules being measured in a glass measuring cup

Key Takeaways

  • The high demand for plastic products requires organizations to invest in modern maintenance strategies and technologies.
  • The plastics industry at large faces numerous maintenance management challenges that threaten production timelines and quotes, product quality, and overall profitability.
  • CMMS software, like FTMaintenance Select, helps plastics manufacturers effectively manage assets, maintenance planning and scheduling, and more.

Plastic products play a critical role in our daily lives, ranging from simple household items like toothbrushes and combs, to cutting-edge technology like 3D printing. With an estimated global market value of $712 billion (USD), the high demand for plastic products highlights their importance across various consumer and industrial markets.

To keep pace with current demand and expected growth, plastics manufacturers must invest in effective maintenance strategies and technologies such as computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software. In this article, we will explore maintenance management challenges in the plastics industry and how a CMMS helps ensure efficient maintenance operations.

Common Maintenance Management Challenges in Plastic Manufacturing

Maintenance management is a critical component of plastics manufacturing, ensuring that equipment remains productive and profitable. However, there are several maintenance challenges that characterize the plastics industry. The sections below discuss some of the most common.

Mold Maintenance

Injection molding machine that manufacturers plastic products

Maintaining injection molds is challenging due to their strict durability requirements and the precision of care needed to manage them effectively. These molds can be incredibly costly, often $80,000 or more, in addition to the cost of the injection molding machines themselves. Organizations must minimize mold wear and tear through targeted maintenance while working within the constraints of the production schedule and tool and die team.

Coordination with the Tool and Die Team

Coordination with the tool and die team adds another layer of complexity to maintenance in plastics manufacturing. The tool and die team is responsible for designing, building, and repairing the molds, and has specialized knowledge and skills critical for maintaining production quality. The overlap in responsibilities between the general maintenance team and tool and die team often leads to challenges in balancing competing priorities and coordinating access to maintenance resources.

Further, miscommunication between maintenance and the tool and die teams may influence the production team’s operations. If maintenance tasks are scheduled during critical production runs or repairs aren’t completed on time, there may be unnecessary downtime, higher maintenance costs, or quality issues.

Quality Control

Close-up of plastic bag on roller of plastic sheeting production machine

Given the high volume of products produced in plastics manufacturing, even minor equipment issues can lead to significant quality control issues. The maintenance team plays a critical role in ensuring plastic products meet stringent requirements and customer expectations.

Equipment must be kept in good working condition to eliminate defects such as surface imperfections, warping, cracking, or other inaccuracies. This requires the maintenance team to implement process control measures that include regular calibrations, condition monitoring, and preventive maintenance, which is challenging with limited resources.

Maintaining consistent quality control also becomes difficult when investigating the origin of product defects. Conducting thorough root cause analysis (RCA) is essential, but can be complex, time-consuming, and must be balanced against other immediate needs.

Environmental Factors

Environmental conditions within the plastics manufacturing facility also pose significant maintenance challenges. The high temperatures and pressures from plastic molding and extrusion processes put considerable wear on equipment, increasing the risk of failure. Avoiding these outcomes requires tight control of asset lifecycles and maintenance practices to ensure optimal performance.

Depending on your geographic location, humidity may also play a role in equipment maintenance. Excessive moisture can be absorbed by plastic materials and result in defects. Moisture that sits on equipment surfaces can corrode molds and metal components, compromising their integrity. Maintenance teams must take measures to control the temperature and humidity levels in manufacturing spaces.

Additionally, equipment is vulnerable to damage from fine plastic particles created during production. These particulates can enter machinery, causing abrasions and damaging sensitive components. While machine operators typically handle routine cleanings, maintenance teams are responsible for disassembly and deep cleaning during scheduled downtime periods.

Communication Between Maintenance and Production

Just as in other manufacturing environments, the degree of communication between maintenance and production teams can present considerable challenges. Production teams expect equipment to run at peak performance and support smooth, continuous operation in order to meet production goals and deadlines. The maintenance team is often blamed if equipment fails or experiences unplanned downtime.

On the other hand, maintenance teams can struggle to gain access to equipment for repairs. Tight production schedules leave small windows open for maintenance, and any downtime can be seen as jeopardizing production quotas. This lack of access makes it difficult to perform necessary preventive maintenance, leading to the risk of more sever breakdowns and extended downtime.

How a CMMS Helps Plastics Manufacturers Overcome Common Maintenance Challenges

Overcoming the maintenance challenges of plastics manufacturing requires a robust maintenance strategy. Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software provides the tools needed to meet these challenges head-on and better manage your maintenance operations. Below are some ways that a CMMS benefits the plastics industry.

Comprehensive Asset Tracking

A CMMS provides robust asset management features essential for tracking molds and plastic manufacturing equipment. It allows you to keep detailed records on all maintenance assets, including their specification, condition, availability, usage, and maintenance history. Using this information, you can manage asset lifecycles more effectively and ensure each piece of equipment receives the attention it needs.

Improved Maintenance Planning and Scheduling

In industries with high production volumes like plastics manufacturing, time is money. The consequences of downtime make reactive maintenance strategies unsustainable. The maintenance planning and scheduling features of a CMMS empower you to be more proactive about maintenance management.

CMMS software allows you to create a master preventive maintenance plan for all of your production assets, ensuring that routine maintenance is performed on time. Tasks lists allow you to define exactly what needs to be done, what materials and supplies should be used, and approximately how long routine tasks should take, leading to more consistent, quality maintenance. Work orders can then be triggered using time-based or runtime-based intervals, ensuring maintenance occurs when needed.

Some CMMS systems take proactive maintenance a step further and connect with condition-monitoring sensors. This integration supports advanced maintenance strategies like condition-based maintenance (CbM), which triggers work orders based on real-time equipment conditions, and predictive maintenance (PdM) which forecasts when equipment is expected to fail. These strategies allow you to perform maintenance only when it is needed, unlike with time-based maintenance practices.

Better Communication and Collaboration

Maintenance workers in hard hats having a conversation about plastic manufacturing equipment maintenance

Successful maintenance management in the plastics industry relies on effective communication and collaboration between the maintenance, tool and die, and productions teams. A CMMS ensures that the general maintenance team and tool and die team have access to the same maintenance information about production equipment and can work together to prioritize repairs and coordinate resources.

CMMS solutions also include a work request portal that allows non-maintenance employees to submit service requests directly to the maintenance team. With this feature, the production team can submit requests, check request status, and be automatically notified when requests change status or are completed. This level of transparency makes everyone aware of when maintenance will occur and creates a more collaborative relationship between maintenance and production.

Enhanced Failure Analysis

Using a maintenance tracking system enables you to leverage historical maintenance data in order to diagnose why equipment failed. CMMS solutions automatically create a service history for each asset, providing you with a wealth of data that can be used to identify failure trends, track reliability following repairs, and generate maintenance management reports that reveal key insights about asset performance. This allows you to move beyond treating symptoms and address the root causes of breakdowns, thereby preventing the likelihood of the problem recurring.

Read Also: What is a Failure Code?, What is a Cause Code?, and What is a Remedy Code?

Stay In Production with FTMaintenance Select

The plastics manufacturing industry faces many maintenance management challenges that significantly impact production, product quality, and overall profitability. Given the importance of plastics in our lives, organizations that fail to tackle these challenges may find it difficult to maintain consistent production.

Now is the time to modernize your maintenance operations and invest in a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) like FTMaintenance Select. FTMaintenance Select provides robust tools for managing assets, inventory, preventive maintenance, and work requests. Leveraging this platform, you can implement proactive maintenance strategies that will reduce downtime, ensure consistent production, and set you up for long-term success. Request a demo today to learn more.

Read More about FTMainenance Select benefits for the plastics industry

FTMaintenance Select v.3.67.1.0 Release Notes

FasTrak SoftWorks, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of FTMaintenance Select v3.67.1.0, which incorporates the following:

Features

  • Work Order Management
    • Enhanced Recurring Work Order copy functionality.
    • Added the ability to copy relevant data from a Work Order to a Recurring Work Order.

Solutions

  • Work Order Management
    • Improved Work Order list date sorting functionality.