Everything You Need to Know About Preventive Maintenance in Acetylene Plants – Part II

In the earlier post, we discussed the main differences between reactive and preventive maintenance. There are several reasons why one should opt for preventive maintenance in acetylene plants. These are explained in detail below.

Preparing for Reactive/ Breakdown Maintenance

Although there are several viable reasons to incorporate preventive maintenance, there could be some extenuating circumstances that keep you from implementing this process. It is important to note that no matter how well you plan, there could be instances where parts fail, and you need to repair them on the spot. Being prepared for such circumstances is imperative to saving time and money during emergencies. Storing of spare components depending on their reliability will be helpful in being prepared if a part fails unexpectedly. Establishing a system that helps you deal with emergencies will allow your personnel to follow a tried and tested process. This helps in reducing chances of chaos.

* This applies to components that are not part of critical operations.

As soon as a preventive maintenance program starts, a lot of reactive maintenance is still being performed. This is because the preventive work hasn’t started so parts will continue to fail. Once the program sets in, you will require lesser amount of reactive work. You can then allocate time for preventive maintenance tasks accordingly.

Why Planned Shutdowns Help Lower Losses

Planned shutdowns allow an organization to mitigate monetary and physical risk associated with equipment failure. Planning well in advance allows you to procure components and parts that have completed their service life. Information regarding the service life of a product is available from the manufacturer or supplier. It is dependent on either the time or the degree of use of the product.

Benefits of Preventive Maintenance

The following are some of the benefits to be derived from preventive maintenance:

1. Higher reliability of equipment.
2. Low production time can be coincided with preventive maintenance. This helps minimize losses associated with shutting down plan operations.
3. Spare components can be bought in advance.
4. Helps increase the service life cycle of a product.
5. Personnel will record the level of component deterioration that allows you to anticipate the remaining service life of the product.
6. Total time spent on a maintenance project when it is planned is much lower than during an emergency. The process of allocation of time and procurement of products is more streamlined allowing for lower time and costs.
7. Preventive maintenance is a proven way to increase efficiency of a plant.
8. Helps you ensure compliance with regulatory bodies.
9. Helps you avoid negligence issues.
10. Improves client perception.

In the next post, we will be providing a guideline, a sort of blueprint when opting for preventive maintenance in acetylene plants.