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The Unsung Hero of Data-Driven Maintenance: Equipment Maintenance Logs
  • By: Admin
  • Oct 06, 2022

When it comes to maintenance, most things are unpredictable. Equipment maintenance logs are one of them. We all know that drill: A log is updated as a work gets done. It’s a reliable routine we always count on.

This article will show you how to take advantage of that predictability by converting the information you're already collecting into the asset data you've been looking for.

 

Why is A Maintenance Log Important for Your Business?

Keeping logs of maintenance activities are significant for several reasons. Proper maintenance and the tracking of machinery maintenance logs assist you in performing preventive maintenance to ensure your equipment is in good condition, does not undergo unplanned repairs, and runs as efficiently as possible throughout its lifetime.

A maintenance record is also a helpful reference when determining whether to replace or upgrade your assets and the best timing to do so. Data collected over time reveals trends in failure, expense, and repair. Better decisions can be made using this to cut costs and time.

 

How to Create a Great Equipment Maintenance Log?

Getting accurate, dependable data from an equipment maintenance log begins with how it is constructed. The structure of your maintenance logs will be determined by a number of factors unique to your team and facility, but any log should address three key questions:

  1. What is the most needed asset and maintenance information for your team?
  2. How detailed does the information need to be?
  3. Who will be using this information and how?

 

In general, this is divided into two sections: asset information and maintenance work information.

The best practice is to start with asset information at the top. This can include:

-Equipment name 

-Serial number

-Your facility's location

-Details about the manufacturer (name, part number, contact details, manufacture date)

-Date of purchase

-Date in Service

 

Then describe the work that was done on the equipment:

-Date of maintenance task

-Brief description of the task

-Name of the person who performed the work

-Date of the next scheduled maintenance

-Additional observations, notes, or comments

 

Simplicity is always your best friend. Make it as simple as possible for technicians to fill up the log.

 

Ways to Maintain your Maintenance Logs

The ways for you to maintain a maintenance log depends on if you’re doing it by hand or using maintenance log software. If you’re maintaining the maintenance logs in a manual way like in a spreadsheet, here are three tips that are pretty similar to the above three rules:

  1. Create a standardized template for each asset that needs to be tracked. To avoid errors and make data analysis easier, equipment should be tracked and measured from the same baseline.

  2. Designate a single place to store the records, so they can be accessed easily by all maintenance workers. Bonus points for storing them on a digital platform for easy access and reduced risk of damage or loss.

  3. Define the process for how the equipment maintenance logs should be exchanged and communicated among workers during shift changes. Keep everyone informed of completed or outstanding work, problems, safety hazards, and other pertinent information.

If you’re using software to create and maintain a maintenance schedule, you need to ensure every maintenance worker is clear with how the tool works and who they should refer to if they have questions or doubts. By creating a standardized process of data entry to ensure it is entered consistently in the same format is the best way to maintain logs in this case.

 

Equipment Maintenance Log Template

An equipment maintenance log may vary for every plant. Customize your team’s log as much as you want as long as it consists of the most important information in an easy-to-interpret way. Below is a sample template of it, made it yours!

 

Six Ways to Utilize the Data in Equipment Maintenance Logs

Well-kept equipment maintenance logs are useful for looking back in time, but they can also assist you in planning for a better future for assets, the maintenance team, and the organization as a whole.

 

#1 Maximize Equipment ROI

Equipment maintenance logs enable you to compare the track record of equipment from different suppliers and determine which one is more reliable. Thus, the time and money spent on maintenance are reduced and improve the efficacy of production when you got to choose a more reliable vendor for future equipment purchases.

An accurate log is also the primary indicator to determine whether an equipment should be replaced or repaired. For instance, you might want to replace an asset that breaks down at a high frequency as the extra maintenance cost might be more costly than a brand-new one. Moreover, a log is also a proof that an asset has been maintained properly, which increases its resale value.

 

#2 Optimize Preventive Maintenance Schedules and Tasks

Well-kept logs indicate whether a piece of equipment fails immediately after scheduled maintenance or before its next scheduled maintenance date. If this becomes a pattern, it's time to reconsider how you perform preventive maintenance on that asset and make changes to avoid breakdowns.

Maintenance logs for equipment also provide the information required to make PMs quick, easy, and effective. It tells technicians, for example, how previous issues were resolved or if changes were made and how they affected equipment. Equipment maintenance logs also make preventive maintenance more efficient by providing the information needed.

 

#3 Track Preventive Maintenance Compliance

An equipment maintenance log can ease your maintenance planning by telling you what work is already done. Thus, there will be no more guessing and searching as the maintenance history is clearly shown.

Logs serve as an early warning system for poor preventive maintenance compliance. When you can see the red flags from a mile away, it's much easier to solve the problem and avoid unplanned downtime.

 

#4 Identify Opportunities For the Upgrade of Maintenance Strategy

Equipment maintenance logs can help you in identifying opportunities to improve your maintenance strategy. For example, is the asset a good candidate for condition-based maintenance? Looking for patterns in equipment maintenance logs is a way to answer those doubts with data instead of hunches.

 

#5 Improve Accountability and Communication

Equipment maintenance logs bolster accountability and communication, two of the most essential elements in a successful maintenance program. An accurate equipment maintenance log offers an additional form of communication and accountability for the maintenance team. The record of the name of workers involved beside the work facilitates the essential interaction between employees working different shifts.

 

#6 Make Training and Onboarding Easier

Maintenance logs that are detailed and well-organized help new technicians get up to speed quickly. Working with unfamiliar machines usually entails spending a significant amount of time shadowing an experienced worker and a fair amount of trial and error. This is not only inefficient, but it can also lead to more errors and breakdowns. Equipment maintenance logs give new technicians critical information about an asset, such as age, common problems, and where to go for more information. They can learn faster, make confident decisions, and stay safe in the process.

 

How to Get Data From an Equipment Maintenance Log

Equipment maintenance logs consist of a lot of data, but that doesn’t mean that all that data is useful. Using EAM software is one effective way to check for the most valuable information in an accurate, quickly accessible, and easy layout manner.

  1. EAM software, especially in the form of an application, allows you to access equipment maintenance logs on any internet-connected device at any time, from anywhere.
  2. The software records and syncs data with other systems automatically so the information is always accurate and up-to-date.
  3. The EAM effectively display work orders in lists, which makes it easier to track who did what and how efficient the job was.
  4. Keyway EAM can automate order initiation based on preset dates and times to organize & schedule preventive work orders for technicians.
  5. Data is securely stored, so there’s no chance it’ll be lost or damaged, unlike paper records.
  6. You can attach pictures or videos to the maintenance log on EAM, making information more precise than just a written description.

Go Beyond Meets the Eyes for Your Equipment Maintenance Logs with KeyWay EAM Software

Yes, equipment maintenance logs can be tedious and time-consuming. With a small shift in thinking, they can, however, be used to unlock key insights and lead to higher asset performance through data-driven maintenance. It all starts with a well-built template, strong processes, an understanding of what is possible, and the tools to put your plan into action. When all of those elements are present, equipment maintenance logs provide a way of using the past to create a better future for your facility and its assets. Wanted to know more on Keyway EAM apps, contact us today!