What Are The Challenges Of Predictive Maintenance? How Can Businesses Overcome Them?

The idea of predictive maintenance (PdM) is not new. It’s just that most facilities have started realizing their vitality in optimal building management and maintenance of extensive equipment now. The recent advancements in technology have made PdM more accurate and accessible to facilities. However, it requires an entire ecosystem of technology and a balance of other maintenance strategies to reach its full potential. Without establishing a solid foundation, the investment in PdM will be meaningless.

Why does PdM matter?

Uninformed users have this doubt – “why is there a need to implement PdM when we are ensuring scheduled maintenance?” Well, the equipment can work efficiently for a long time and can break down within the next minute. It happens because of unnecessary and ineffective maintenance. How to predict when to perform the next maintenance? The answer lies in IoT.

IoT sensors play an essential role in this process as they gather data about different parameters of the building (e.g., temperature, vibration, humidity, light, etc.) That’s how predictive maintenance allows facilities to perform the maintenance when it’s actually required, allowing them to cut down unnecessary maintenance expenses.

The common challenges faced by facilities in the implementation of PdM

Still, there are many facilities that face certain challenges while implementing PdM in their workflow. Let’s discuss them and understand how to overcome them:

1. Current building assets are incompatible with smart sensors

The main challenge the facility managers face these days is the incompatibility of the building assets with smart sensors. They need to be altered so they can work with sensors. It may seem like a hassle in the beginning, but once these assets are updated, facility managers can sensory assets efficiently.

Solution: Engineers can target specific assets and equipment that are at a high risk of failure. Based on evaluations, they can set up regular inspections and asset management checks to ensure the assets are running smoothly and remain fully compliant.

2. Staff is incompetent to work with the new technology

The employees working in a building will never know about the latest technological advancements. It’s the point where PdM falls short! Having smart sensors and new assets is not enough. While switching to PdM, the production and maintenance will also notice a significant change. That’s why it’s crucial for management to train the building staff to successfully switch to PdM. They should know how the smart sensors are implemented into the assets, how it gathers and interprets data.

Solution: PdM demands the expertise of professionals. Therefore, it’s necessary to prepare staff with in-depth knowledge and understanding to carry out the PdM safely and efficiently.

3. Difficulty while implementing predictive maintenance with IoT

Not all businesses are competent and well-informed about smart IoT technology, the reason why they find it hard to implement IoT-based PdM in their facilities. Some of them have faced issues such as a lack of technical expertise, data portability, transition risk, etc. What’s the result? Implementation of PdM takes longer than planned, impacting the return on investment.

Solution: Perform a detailed discovery stage – get an understanding of what to start with, what are the risks involved, and how to align PdM with business goals. It will help facility managers to get an in-depth picture and make informed decisions.

4. Data security and privacy issues

It’s the most specific concern of users these days. PdM gathers a lot of production and factory data. It will be sent and stored in a database. While sharing information, facilities risk exposing data to external parties as it increases the possibility of unauthorized individuals taking control of predictive maintenance systems. Facilities need to protect this information, especially when occupants’ data is involved.

Solution: In the IoT-based platform, data security is equivalent to security standards used by banks. So, if you trust banks, you should also trust IoT platforms.

5. Thinking that current equipment downtime is negligible

PdM depends on the size and production process of a facility. There are many facilities that are content with the current equipment maintenance strategy. They have no plans about adopting the PdM strategy for proactive maintenance of the equipment. What made them think like that? The baseless perception – there are negligible chances of equipment breakdown. In the end, they can’t figure out the right solution for unexpected asset breakdowns.

Solution: A proper estimate of decreased equipment failure needs to be made. It gives valuable insight into the changes in the PdM strategy.

Want to leverage predictive maintenance in your facility? Zenatix can help you do that!

Every industry faces unique challenges while using PdM for equipment. However, addressing them in a timely and efficient manner through automated technology can ease the process. Zenatix advanced IoT solutions in PdM equipment maintenance translate significant cost and time saving for businesses while ensuring the efficiency and safety of the equipment. Reach out to us today to get detailed insights into our smart IoT offerings.