Published: 2021-12-22
Written by: Linn Björklund
Written by: Linn Björklund
Preventative maintenance is all about identifying and avoiding defects and deviations before they cause problems, and subsequently continuing operations without expensive breakdowns. With RFID tags, you gain additional control as you minimise the risk of missing something important whilst performing routines. Here you can read about the four biggest advantages of connecting RFID with your digital maintenance routines.
The digitisation of preventative maintenance
Over the last few years, digitisation has enabled the automation of many elements of preventative maintenance. Today, most large companies in the industry use digital maintenance systems where guides, routines, and checklists are gathered on one platform, and where employees can easily access these through their mobile devices. These systems support both scheduled and condition-based maintenance, and send reminders for recurring routines to be done at a certain time interval. Measurable factors such as fuel levels, mileage, or operating time can be linked to the maintenance system through APIs – enabling automatic reminders that notify you when it’s time to refuel or when a vehicle has been running a certain amount of miles.
Increased control with RFID
Today, there are many smart ways to create digital checklists and routines for preventative maintenance that let your employees know what to do – and when. At the same time, several companies demand an additional level of control. Because, how can you, as a maintenance manager, be absolutely certain that your maintenance routines are being done correctly, or even at all? That is where RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enters the picture. By placing RFID tags on units or places in your facility that need to be checked, you can connect critical steps in your digital routines to specific tags. That way, the task can only be marked as completed after an employee has scanned the tag with their phone.
Here are four advantages of using RFID tags in your preventive maintenance routines:
1. Maximises availability
When preventative maintenance is done the wrong way, the risk for unplanned and costly breakdowns is increases significantly. To maximise your facility’s availability, it’s important to ensure that routines are actually being followed. By connecting checkpoints in your preventative maintenance routines to RFID tags, you can guarantee that employees conduct checks properly. This way, you minimise the risk of carelessness, negligence, or mistakes caused by human error.
2. Improves safety
Preventative maintenance is also a deciding factor when it comes to preventing accidents. For example, if someone forgets to check an important machinery function or the like, it can lead to dire consequences. Since the RFID technology guarantees that an operator has conducted the check, you can sleep soundly knowing that your facility is as safe as possible for everyone involved.
3. Saves time
If your business has a mobile fleet with many similar machines, you know how time-consuming it can be to match the right object with the right information in your digital maintenance system. You may have to manually search for a serial number or scroll through many different options before you find the information you’re looking for. The process is significantly easier if the object or unit you are to check has an RFID tag connected to your maintenance system. In that case, you only need to scan the tag with your phone to access the correct information. While on-site, you can also easily find, conduct, and complete checks for the corresponding object or unit without wasting time searching the system.
4. Improves traceability
Have you ever been in a discussion with a customer regarding who caused damage to a leased vehicle or piece of machinery? Or that colleagues blame each other when certain information has fallen through the gaps? When you connect preventative maintenance to RFID tags, each action taken can be marked with time and date, location, and operator. You can also set photo-based documentation as a mandatory stage of your routines. That way, you can retroactively double-check who has been where and when, as well as the condition of the object in question.
Want to know what CheckProof can do for you?
CheckProof's easy-to-use app makes it easier to do the right thing at the right time. Discover how you can run world-class maintenance that is both cost-effective and sustainable.
Book a demo
2023-11-22
SOP compliance: How to get your frontline teams on board
Setting up SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for crucial tasks is an effective way to ensure safe and consistent work methods across your heavy industry sites. At least if your SOPs are available, relevant, and easy to use for frontline workers – which is, unfortunately, not always the case. This article offers you eight best practices that will help improve SOP compliance by adapting your instructions to suit the people who depend most on them.
2023-10-27
Lack of documentation = lack of HSE compliance. Here’s how to fix it.
To keep your frontline workers safe – and prove HSE compliance to external auditors – you need quick access to all required documentation for hazardous tasks. Find out how switching to digital processes will help you save time and improve traceability across your heavy industry sites.
2023-09-11
Downtime reduction: 6 ways to optimize your heavy industry operations
To run a profitable business, you need to optimize the use of critical resources such as equipment, energy, and manpower. One of the most important elements of resource optimization in heavy industries is downtime reduction. The key to success? Proactivity.
2023-08-21
Resource Optimization
By optimizing the utilization of your resources, your business can increase your operational efficiency, reduce your carbon footprint, and cut costs. This comprehensive article covers various aspects of resource optimization, primarily in a heavy industry context. You’ll learn about everything from the definition of common terms to the benefits of implementing digital technology in your frontline teams. Table of contents:
2023-07-11
Skills shortage in heavy industries: how technology can help
If your business relies on skilled and experienced frontline workers, you’re probably struggling with the same challenges as many of your industry peers: How can you replace the generation of workers now reaching retirement age? And how do you ensure you don’t lose the valuable knowledge they’ve gathered through the years?
2023-06-08
How to bridge the communication gap between frontline and office
Where there’s a lack of communication between frontline workers and management in a heavy industry company, there’s also a lack of cooperation and mutual understanding. By successfully bridging this gap, your business won’t only improve workplace safety and employee engagement. You’ll also save vast amounts of money.
2023-05-02
Sustainable aggregates: challenges and solutions for a rapidly changing industry
Electrification, technological development, and tackling climate change are all top priorities for the aggregates industry. What are the main obstacles toward a more sustainable industry, and what actions must be taken to reach the climate goals going forward? Although the numbers are looking bleak, there’s a great deal of optimism among industry players and experts within sustainable technology.
2023-03-22
Unannounced inspections? With these 6 steps, your plant is always ready
All of a sudden, a government inspector walks into your plant. Before you could blink, they already noticed that one of your processing equipment is missing its guard. The next minute, you’re served a hefty fine, and your plant is ordered to shut down until it’s fixed. To prevent this from happening again: what steps can you take to ensure your plant is always ready for an inspection?
2023-02-10
Health, safety, environment, and quality (HSEQ)
Without exaggeration, health and safety in the workplace is a matter of life and death. ILO (International Labour Organization) estimates the yearly number of work-related deaths globally to be nearly 2 million. Creating and maintaining a solid HSEQ framework is crucial for protecting your employees – but also your business – from harm. This comprehensive article will walk you through the key areas of HSEQ and what you need to set up a successful strategy.
2023-01-13
Preventive Maintenance – What it is, examples, and benefits
Preventive maintenance is the practice of routinely inspecting and proactively servicing your facility’s equipment. This way, you’re able to notice minor issues and fix them before they turn into machine failure – in contrast to acting after. In this comprehensive article, we touch on everything from different types of preventive maintenance to implementing an efficient and future-proof maintenance plan.
