Introduction

In recent years organisations have come to recognise the value of developing a system that can operate as a maintenance and performance improvement tool. Such tools are known as Maintenance Management Systems (MMS) and are used to control planned maintenance carried out across plant and facilities. MMS assure that assets (i.e. production equipment) are properly maintained and operating within specifications. These systems also help to prevent breakdowns, save on downtime and are generally designed to support the document control requirements of ISO 9002.

So what is maintenance? Maintenance is the work performed on assets to ensure their day-to-day functionality. In general, maintenance can be classified into the following categories:

• Routine: Ongoing maintenance.
• Preventive: Calibrations, lubrication and inspection of assets and equipment facilities to ensure continuing working condition.
• Major projects: i.e. floor replacement or complete re-painting.
• Emergency: Unexpected breakdowns of assets or equipment.