What is predictive maintenance for steam traps?
Predictive maintenance (PdM) monitors the performance and condition of equipment during regular operation to decrease the chance of failure. Predictive maintenance, also known as condition-based maintenance, has been used in industry since the 1990s.
However, predictive maintenance is far older, albeit its history is not fully documented. According to Control Engineering, “the beginning of predictive maintenance (PdM) may have been when a mechanic first put his ear to the handle of a screwdriver, touched the other end to a machine, and stated that it sounded like a bearing was going bad.” (maintenance for steam traps)
Predictive maintenance aims to forecast when equipment will fail (based on specific characteristics) and then prevent the failure through regularly planned and corrective maintenance.
Condition monitoring is defined as the continuous monitoring of machines throughout process conditions to guarantee the best usage of machinery, which is required for predictive maintenance to existing. Condition monitoring has three facets: online, periodic, and remote. Online condition monitoring is described as the continuous monitoring of machines or production processes, with data collected on critical speeds and changing spindle locations (“Condition Monitoring of Rotating Machines,” Istec International).
Periodic condition monitoring, accomplished by vibration analysis, “provides insight into changing vibration behaviour of installations” through trend analysis (“Condition Monitoring of Rotating Machines,” Istec International). Finally, as the name implies, remote condition monitoring allows the equipment to be observed remotely, with data supplied for analysis. (maintenance for steam traps)
What is Preventive maintenance for steam traps?
Preventive maintenance entails a systematic assessment of equipment during which possible faults are identified and repaired to avoid equipment failure before it occurs. In reality, a preventative maintenance plan may involve regularly scheduled cleaning, lubrication, oil changes, adjustments, repairs, examining and replacing parts, and partial or total overhauls. (maintenance for steam traps)
The precise preventative maintenance required will differ depending on the operation and kind of equipment. The American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) recommended standards are used to assist define the sort of inspections and maintenance required and how frequently they should be conducted. ANSI contributes to consumer health and safety by developing and supervising the implementation of hundreds of recommendations and standards for practically every industry. ANSI standards may be utilised as a preventative maintenance checklist to specify criteria and procedures for maintaining equipment. (maintenance for steam traps)
Preventive maintenance entails far more than simply completing regular equipment maintenance. It also entails keeping precise records of every inspection and service and understanding the lifespan of each item to determine the frequency of replacement. These records can assist maintenance staff in anticipating the optimum time to change parts and diagnose issues when they occur. Preventive maintenance software assists in collecting and organising this information so that it is easily accessible to maintenance professionals.
The Difference Between Predictive Maintenance and Preventive Maintenance for steam traps
While many maintenance plans combine the two, several key differences exist between predictive and preventative maintenance. Preventive maintenance has always entailed checking and maintaining machinery regardless of whether the equipment needed repair. This maintenance schedule is based on either a use or a time trigger. For example, a heating unit should be repaired every year before winter, and a car should be serviced every 5,000 miles.
Furthermore, preventive maintenance does not need the condition monitoring component that predictive maintenance requires. A preventative maintenance programme requires less capital in technology and training since it does not need condition monitoring. Finally, many preventative maintenance methods require manual data collection and analysis. (maintenance for steam traps)
While preventive maintenance is established by using an asset’s typical life cycle, predictive maintenance is identified based on various technologies’ preset and predetermined circumstances of specific pieces of equipment. Predictive maintenance likewise necessitates higher personnel, training, and equipment investments than preventive maintenance, but the time and cost savings will be bigger in the long run.