How to Master Trend Analysis and Preventive Maintenance Optimization

Trend Analysis and Preventive Maintenance (PM) optimization require starting simple and utilizing available resources.

Maintenance isn’t just about fixing things when they break. It's about using data to predict problems and improve performance before issues arise. That’s where trend analysis and preventive maintenance (PM) optimization come into play. At the same time, effective trend analysis is akin to a blissful state that most organizations never achieve. The key is to start simple and lean on your criticality analysis. Here's why.

What Is Trend Analysis?

Trend analysis is the process of collecting and studying data over time to see how things change. It helps you identify good and bad patterns and decide what to do next. When done right, they help reduce downtime, cut costs, and make your systems safer and more reliable.

In many ways, trend analysis is a simple concept. If a machine breaks down every three months, trend analysis may indicate that it consistently fails after 1,000 hours of use. That's a clue. You can use that info to schedule service before it breaks.

Trend analysis isn’t just for the maintenance team. Trend analysis is a valuable contribution that planners, reliability engineers, business analysts, and even database-savvy team members can make.

Start Simple and Be Practical

When starting with trend analysis, it’s tempting to go big. Software vendors will oversell their diagnostic tools. Reliability engineers may even oversell the number of analysts needed at the beginning of the effort.

The key is to start simple. Find one or two people on your current staff with good data analytics skills. Begin by examining easy-to-measure factors, such as cost per repair, work orders per month, or failures per asset. Pick failures or issues that really matter to frontline staff. You just need someone who can spot patterns, ask the right questions, and provide data that supports practical intuition.

Measures have unintended consequences, so be careful. For example, it’s common for me to find organizations that reward being under a lean maintenance budget, yet equipment performance is always lagging. Ensure that your goals align with your values.

Use Systems Thinking

The best insights often come from combining data across multiple systems, such as work orders, inventory, compliance, and customer service. That's where systems thinking and system integration help. A single trend in one system may not be significant, but trends across multiple systems often reveal the full story.

One practical example comes from Georgia. There, a client used three vendors to rebuild pumps. Overall, the infant mortality was low for all rebuilt pumps that were brought back into service. However, further examination revealed that more than 50% of the pumps that broke after being rebuilt came from a single vendor.

What Can Trend Analysis Improve?

Trend analysis isn’t just about stopping breakdowns. It can lead to a wide range of improvements, including:

• Better quality parts

• Stress reduction on equipment (de-rating)

• Acceptance testing

• Improved training and standard operating procedures (SOPs)

• User-friendly software interfaces

• Error detection and alarms

• Redundancy and backups

• Critical spare parts management

• Fast isolation and containment during failures

All of these reduce risk and save time and money.

Tips for PM Optimization

Preventive maintenance (PM) optimization is about doing the right work at the right time. Here are a few key tips from my experience:

1. Look for Gaps

Start by reviewing your current PM activities. Are some assets over-maintained? Are others neglected? Check documentation and performance data. Consider whether Predictive Maintenance (PdM) tools like vibration analysis or thermal imaging might help.

2. Focus on Critical Assets

You can’t afford downtime for your most important equipment. Invest in good practices like condition monitoring, failure analysis, and detailed PM plans.

The Solomon-Oldach Asset Prioritization (SOAP) method yields proven results and reduces costs by 70 percent compared to traditional approaches.

 

3. Consider Run-to-Failure for Low-Risk Assets

Not everything needs the same level of care. For less critical assets, it may make more sense to run them until they fail and then replace them. Run-to-failure is a cost-effective approach if the risk is low. Remember, it only makes sense if you are intentional in this approach.

4. Balance Budget and Risk

Optimization is about what you can afford with the resources you have. Ask: "How optimized can we afford to be?" The answer will help you strike a balance between cost, risk, and performance.

Successful Trend Analysis and PM Optimization

Trend analysis and PM optimization are not just buzzwords. They’re powerful tools to make your operation more efficient, reliable, and effective. Utilize the resources you have and prioritize the aspects that matter most to frontline staff. Whether you’re a planner, technician, or analyst, everyone can play a role in this effort. Start simple, but don't stop there.

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JD Solomon Inc. provides solutions for program development, asset management, and facilitation at the nexus of facilities, infrastructure, and the environment. Visit our Asset Management page for more information related to reliability, risk management, resilience, and other asset management services.