An effective maintenance strategy typically combines preventive and corrective maintenance, balancing proactive actions to prevent future problems with reactive actions to fix immediate problems. This allows a more efficient management of the equipment, guaranteeing its availability and reliability over time, as well as avoiding too long stops in the production lines.
Preventive and corrective maintenance are two different types of approaches to managing the maintenance of industrial equipment and systems.
Preventive maintenance consists of systematic and programmed actions aimed at avoiding equipment failures and breakdowns. These actions are performed before problems arise, based on a predetermined maintenance plan. The main objective of preventive maintenance is to maximize the reliability and service life of equipment by reducing the risk of unexpected failures. It includes activities such as periodic inspections, lubrication, replacement of worn parts, calibration and cleaning.
On the other hand, corrective maintenance takes place after a failure or malfunction of the equipment has occurred. In this case, maintenance is performed to correct the problem and return the equipment to its original functional state. Corrective maintenance is usually reactive, as it is performed in response to a failure or malfunction. It may involve parts replacement, repairs, adjustments, or other interventions to resolve the problem and allow the equipment to return to normal operation.
Both approaches have their importance in maintenance management. Preventive maintenance helps prevent breakdowns and reduce repair costs, while corrective maintenance is necessary to deal with unforeseen breakdowns and ensure that equipment is repaired correctly and as soon as possible.