What is Breakdown Maintenance? A Detailed Look

What is Breakdown Maintenance? A Detailed Look

What is Breakdown Maintenance?

Breakdown Maintenance, also known as Run to Failure (RTF) maintenance, is a maintenance strategy in which maintenance is only performed when equipment has failed. Unlike proactive maintenance strategies such as preventive and predictive maintenance, breakdown maintenance is reactive - action is only taken when a failure has occurred.

Types of Breakdown Maintenance

There are primarily two types of breakdown maintenance:

Unplanned Breakdown Maintenance
This is the most common type of breakdown maintenance where the equipment can operate until it fails; at this point, corrective action is taken.
Planned Breakdown Maintenance
Contrary to its name, this involves allowing equipment to run until it fails, but with a planned strategy for managing failure when it occurs. It's commonly used for non-critical equipment or equipment with redundant counterparts that won't lead to production loss during downtime.

Examples of Breakdown Maintenance

Light bulbs in a factory are allowed to burn out before they are replaced. The failure of a light bulb doesn't halt production, making it a candidate for breakdown maintenance.

A conveyor belt in a distribution center can run until it fails. When it does, the operation is halted, the failed part is replaced, and the conveyor belt is put back into operation.

Benefits of Breakdown Maintenance

A breakdown maintenance strategy can offer the following benefits:

Lower Initial Costs
Since the equipment can run until it fails, there are no upfront costs for maintenance planning and scheduling.
Reduced Maintenance Tasks
Maintenance tasks are only performed when necessary, potentially reducing the overall number of tasks and associated labor costs.
Suitability for Non-Critical Assets
Breakdown maintenance can be an effective strategy for non-critical assets or assets that do not directly impact the production line.

However, it's important to note that while breakdown maintenance might seem cost-effective in the short term, the long-term costs associated with unexpected downtime, potential overtime labor costs, rushed parts shipping, and possible damage to other components can often exceed the costs of a more proactive maintenance strategy.

The Role of CMMS Software in Managing Breakdown Maintenance

While the idea behind breakdown maintenance is to allow equipment to run to failure, managing these failures requires careful planning and prompt response. CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) software like Cryotos can play a critical role here. CMMS can help manage work orders, track failure data, and assist in identifying parts that frequently cause breakdowns; This information can be used to switch from a breakdown maintenance strategy to a more proactive maintenance strategy like preventive or predictive maintenance.

Moving Towards Predictive Maintenance

More organizations are moving towards predictive maintenance strategies in today's technologically advanced industrial environment. By leveraging technologies like IoT, AI , and machine learning, predictive maintenance allows potential failures to be identified and corrected before they occur, significantly reducing the costs associated with equipment breakdown.

Use Case of Breakdown Maintenance

Consider an organization that runs a fleet of delivery trucks. They decide to implement a breakdown maintenance strategy for the tires on their trucks. This decision is based on the understanding that the premature replacement of tires doesn't provide any significant operational advantages, and the failures (i.e., a flat tire) do not lead to a high cost of downtime. The company maintains a stock of spare tires and the tools required for replacement. The change is performed by their in-house maintenance team, thus avoiding costly emergency repairs or outsourcing fees.

Advantages of Breakdown Maintenance

Cost Savings
When applied to the right equipment, this approach can reduce the cost of unnecessary maintenance and premature part replacements.
Simplicity
Breakdown maintenance requires no advanced planning or scheduling. Maintenance is performed only when a failure occurs.
Ideal for Non-Essential Equipment
Breakdown maintenance can be a practical approach for equipment where failure doesn't impact productivity or safety.

Disadvantages of Breakdown Maintenance

Unpredictable Downtime
The main downside of a breakdown maintenance strategy is that equipment can fail without warning, causing Unplanned Downtime and disruption to the production schedule.
Higher Repair Costs
Failures under full operational stress can often cause extensive damage, leading to more expensive repairs and longer downtime.
Risk of Secondary Damage
When a component fails, it can often cause damage to other parts of the equipment, leading to more extensive repairs.
Safety Concerns
Depending on the nature of the equipment and the failure, breakdown maintenance can potentially lead to safety risks.

It's important to note that breakdown maintenance isn't suitable for all types of equipment, especially critical equipment, where failures can lead to significant operational disruption, safety risks, and higher costs. As a result, many organizations are combining this approach with predictive or preventive maintenance strategies for different types of equipment, leveraging the benefits of each; This is often facilitated by a CMMS System like Cryotos, which can manage and track different types of maintenance strategies across a range of equipment.

Best practices for implementing Breakdown Maintenance effectively while maintaining security are as follows:

Right Equipment Selection
Not all equipment suits a breakdown maintenance strategy. It should only be used for non-critical equipment, where downtime would not significantly impact the business operation or safety.
Risk Assessment
A thorough risk assessment should be carried out for all equipment considered for a breakdown maintenance strategy, including an evaluation of the safety implications of a sudden equipment failure.
Proper Training
Maintenance staff should be trained to safely and efficiently handle emergency repairs. They should be familiar with all the equipment they are responsible for and be able to diagnose and repair problems promptly to minimize downtime.
Availability of Spare Parts
Ensure a ready stock of Spare Parts is available for equipment under a breakdown maintenance regime; This can significantly reduce the time taken to get the equipment back up and running after a failure.
Maintenance Documentation
Keep accurate and up-to-date maintenance records. These will provide valuable data on equipment failure rates, repair timesa, and costs, which can be used for future planning and decision-making.
Cybersecurity Measures
Ensuring cybersecurity is paramount with the increasing digitalization of maintenance activities and the use of CMMS software. Use secure systems, keep software up to date, regularly backup data, and train staff in cybersecurity awareness.
Emergency Procedures
Have clear procedures for handling equipment failures; This should include communication protocols to keep all relevant staff informed about the situation.
Regular Review
Regularly review and adjust the breakdown maintenance strategy based on actual failure rates, repair times, and costs.
Use of Technology
Utilize CMMS software, like Cryotos, to help manage and document breakdown maintenance tasks efficiently. With features like real-time data analysis, cloud-based accessibility, and predictive analytics, Cryotos not only helps in the effective execution of tasks but also ensures cybersecurity.

Remember, a well-managed breakdown maintenance strategy can offer cost savings for certain types of equipment. However, it should be part of a wider maintenance strategy, including preventive and predictive maintenance approaches.

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What Do Our Clients Says ?

Amrapali Exports - Esteemed Clients of cryotos
Anuraj Sharma - Maintenance Manager

The best thing about Cryotos CMMS software is that it always tells me when something needs to be fixed - before it breaks and cost me a fortune!

The software is very user-friendly, and even if I don't know how to do something, the support team is always there to help me out.

Most importantly, unlike other such software, Cryotos is editable and hence the user can modify how the software works as per their need, we made several changes in the workflow & flowchart with the help of development team.

I don't know what I would do without Cryotos! I've been using it for years, and it has saved me so much time and money. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to manage their assets efficiently.

Resil Chemicals - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Jeevan Belliappa - Head, Information Technology

Since we've been using Cryotos CMMS Software, our asset maintenance management has been running more smoothly than ever. We're able to track and optimize our preventive maintenance with ease, thanks to the customized process workflow. This has been a lifesaver for our team!

The Cryotos CMMS software has allowed us to manage our assets more effectively and efficiently. It has helped us to improve our asset utilization. The software is user-friendly and easy to navigate, and the support team is always quick to help with any questions we have. We're very happy with the results we've seen so far and we're confident that we'll continue to see improvements in our asset management as we use the Cryotos CMMS software.

Planys - Cryotos Esteemed Client
Antony Jacob Ashish - Lead, R&D

Cryotos goes above and beyond when it comes to customer satisfaction. Planys Technologies use Cryotos for preventive/ corrective maintenance of our critical systems and not once did we face a problem that was not dealt with immediately. The team is extremely professional and helpful. We can rely on Cryotos when it comes to the operations and processes.

Thanks to the whole team for the amazing performance and thought leadership. It's rare to see teams that can put themselves in the customer's shoes and think from their perspectives - Cryotos team doesthat and more.

We recommend Cryotos if you are looking to put an end to your preventive maintenance problems and sign up with them!

Thanks to the team for an awesome job.

Xpert IFM - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Siva Shankar - AGM, (Operations & BD)

On behalf of Xpert FMS we would like to express our sincere appreciation for the excellent support Cryotos team have provided us for our building and facility management. Cryotos has always provided support that is timely and meets our expectations. Professionalism and quick response are the hallmarks of this team.

Sincere appreciation for the team's brilliant performance and wish them continued success. We highly recommend Cryotos as they have executed well on all assigned tasks and continue to outperform.

Thanks to all the hard work, our lives have become easier.

ST Jude India Childcare Centers - Cryotos Esteemed Client
Mukesh J - CIO

We are able to raised the workorder and tracking of these till the closure as helped us to provide better services our beneficiaries. Workflow-based work order management has helped us to define processes for each locations separatley. System provide notification once order is raised for assignment to engineer.

Maspro - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Mr.Robert

This CMMS software is top-notch! I can't believe how much it has helped me with my facilities maintenance management. Customized reports and business intelligence have been invaluable in making better decisions.

The software offers a great deal of customization for each organization's specific needs. They are always updating the software with new features and improvements, which is great. The support team is fantastic - they are always quick to help with any questions or problems we have. This software has definitely made my life a lot easier! It's so easy to use and it's really helped me keep track of all my maintenance tasks in one place. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a CMMS platform.

Al Zain Farms LLC - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Mr. Vishnu S Nair

Since we've started using Cryotos, our team has been able to stay on top of all the various SOPs. Checklists and safety procedures are now easily accessible to everyone, and we can quickly reference them whenever we need to. The software has definitely helped to improve our team's communication and efficiency. Plus, the fact that it's cloud-based means we can access it from anywhere, which is a big plus. It has been a great help in keeping everyone on the same page and up to date with the latest procedures.

Dinex - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
B S Vijaya K. - Maintenance Engineer

At starting it felt some what difficult for scheduling but now it made to easy access.

Review from Capterra

Korrun - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Nithin G. - Maintenance Incharge

Overall: Nice Software
Pros: Scheduling, work order creation, asset inventory, records.
Reasons for Choosing Cryotos: Compared to other products it's easy to use and easy to understand the feature.

Review from Capterra

Aptiv8 IT Solutions
Hashim - Business Project Manager

This CMMS software is top-notch! I can't believe how much it has helped me with my facilities maintenance management. Customized reports and business intelligence have been invaluable in making better decisions.

The software offers a great deal of customization for each organization's specific needs. They are always updating the software with new features and improvements, which is great. The support team is fantastic - they are always quick to help with any questions or problems we have. This software has definitely made my life a lot easier! It's so easy to use and it's really helped me keep track of all my maintenance tasks in one place. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a CMMS platform.

Gurit - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Mr. Mohanmurali R

I recently purchased Cryotos CMMS Software for asset management needs at my organization and after a few months of testing and monitoring, I'm incredibly pleased with the results. The software is user friendly, accessible and the design is very intuitive. It covers all the aspects of managing maintenance and repair, starting from preventive maintenance and standardizing operation cycles, to scheduling and streamlining workflows. I am highly satisfied with the performance and the range of features offered by Cryotos. Highly recommendable!

Metro Tyres - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Mr. Sanjay Beri

Before using Cryotos, asset management and maintenance seemed like an uphill task for my team. Manual processes laden with human errors did not work for us at all. We decided to go with Cryotos after checking out similar products in the market.

The user interface of the software is intuitive and easy to use, making it simple to navigate through the different features and functionalities. I particularly appreciate the ability to track all assets in real-time, allowing me to keep a close eye on their performance and maintenance needs.

Customized work order and workflow creation has reduced the needs to always follow a particular template. Depending on our needs we can create tailor made workflows to suit our requirements.

I highly recommend Cryotos to anyone who would like to unburden themselves of maintaining and managing their critical assets.

Dinex - Esteemed Clients of Cryotos
Mr. Yuksel Aksin

As a customer of Cryotos CMMS software for asset management needs, I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with the features and functionality offered by the platform. Cryotos CMMS software has made managing my assets a breeze, and I no longer have to worry about missing maintenance or inspections.

One of the standout features of Cryotos CMMS software is the ability to generate work orders and schedule maintenance tasks. This has made it easy for me to stay on top of maintenance and repair tasks, ensuring that my assets are always in optimal condition.

The software also allows me to track inventory levels which has streamlined my inventory management process. The ability to generate reports and analyze asset performance data has also been invaluable in helping me make data-driven decisions about my assets. Overall, I would highly recommend Cryotos CMMS software to anyone looking for a reliable and efficient asset management solution.

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