1. Run it until it breaks down (22 €/kW/year*)

Some people still use this technique although it is becoming increasingly rare, possibly as they go out of business!

2. Routine (planned) Maintenance (15 €/kW/year*)

Traditionally the method favoured by people who are still in business.

Disadvantages:

• A lot of effort is needlessly wasted on machines that are perfectly OK
• Relies on luck – and that machines don’t just randomly break down!
• Spares have to be ordered after the machine is stripped down or expensive redundant stock has to be carried
• Stripping down machines sometimes introduces faults!
• Can be very expensive if you get it wrong!

3. Condition Based (predictive) Maintenance (11 €/kW/year*)

The method used by people who intend to remain in business in future.

Advantages:

• No wasted effort, you only repair machines that need fixing
• Allows you to spot things before they break down
• Work can be planned to coincide with shut downs
• Spares can be ordered in advance of machine strip down
• Reduced down time!

Disadvantages:

• Investment in maintenance tools (e.g. vibration analyser and trending software)
• Training of maintenance personnel in the use of these tools

These tools used to be expensive and hard to use – but not any more!

* Estimated figure based on a study carried out by Swedish vibration consultants VT AB.