Autonomous Maintenance Benefits

Autonomous maintenance is a management strategy based on the idea that all members of a workforce, not just technicians, should engage in day-to-day equipment maintenance. It is the first step to implementing Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) within a manufacturing environment.

TPM reasons that businesses can only achieve maximum production if everyone is involved in maintaining the machinery and equipment.

That’s where autonomous maintenance comes in. This technique focuses on machine operators taking responsibility for basic maintenance tasks. It aims to keep equipment in “like new” condition.

In return, technicians have more time to focus on strategic and preventive approaches. They can apply their specialized skillset to plan and prioritize more complex equipment-related issues.

If done correctly, autonomous maintenance yields numerous advantages to manufacturers. You can learn more about the benefits of autonomous maintenance as we answer the following questions:

What is the purpose of autonomous maintenance?
What are the benefits of autonomous maintenance?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of autonomous maintenance?

What is the purpose of autonomous maintenance?

To do autonomous maintenance, operators inspect and maintain every piece of their equipment, according to a checklist. This means that they are in charge of simple tasks like measuring equipment pressure and tension, regulating sensors, lubricating parts, and cleaning.

Plus, following an autonomous maintenance procedure gives operators the chance to notice any problems that may be starting to surface so that they can be fixed.

What are the benefits of autonomous maintenance?

Implementing autonomous maintenance offers numerous benefits to a business and its bottom line. These benefits include:

Ensuring equipment is cleaned and lubricated: Simple tasks like cleaning and lubrication can often get overlooked when more pressing repairs are on a maintenance technician’s mind. With autonomous maintenance, machine operators can take over and ensure those tasks are carried out.
Detecting problems before they lead to failures: When machine operators have extensive knowledge of the equipment they work with, they can troubleshoot early signs of machine deterioration and malfunction — and take action.
Freeing maintenance staff for higher-level tasks: With operators shouldering many of the routine tasks, maintenance technicians can focus their specialized skills on higher priority equipment-related problems.
Enhancing employee participation: Shared responsibility for maintaining equipment and a workplace culture that encourages worker feedback can have a positive effect on morale. It can also motivate employees to take ownership of their machinery.
Increasing productivity: Autonomous maintenance can help prevent equipment downtime, which boosts productivity directly.
Boosting workplace safety: Due to the constant upkeep of machinery and cleaner work areas, there’s less risk of injury from littered tools or machine failure.
Lowering labor costs: There is less need to hire highly trained maintenance staff to do simple cleaning, lubrication, and inspection tasks.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of autonomous maintenance?

If you’re thinking about implementing autonomous maintenance, some of the main advantages and disadvantages you should consider are listed below:

Advantages:

Reduced risk of equipment breakdowns and downtime
Increased availability of personnel to perform basic maintenance repairs
Improved safety
Enhanced worker participation and heightened morale

Disadvantages:

Risk of over-maintenance
Increased workload for operators
Time-consuming process

Augmentir is the first AI-powered connected worker software suite that helps industrial companies use autonomous maintenance and other smart factory tools to optimize the productivity and safety of their frontline workforce. Contact us today to arrange a demo.