Industrial Equipment Lifecycle Management

It’s helpful to break the equipment lifecycle down into four phases. 

The first and second phases are planning to buy and procuring the new machinery. Correct planning considers what the manufacturer is hoping to achieve and how buying new industrial equipment fits into the business strategy. In the procurement phase, it’s necessary to budget for the equipment and determine the most cost-effective way of acquiring it. 

The third phase sees the equipment used for manufacturing and maintained. Industrial maintenance can be reactive, preventative, or predictive, and should aim to minimise machinery downtime and extend the life of the asset. Running machinery efficiently in the production phase can make a significant difference to the overall sustainability of the operation – by reducing energy usage, for example.

The final phase of the equipment lifecycle is the disposal of the asset once it has reached the end of its useful life. At this point, it’s incumbent on the manufacturer to dispose of equipment according to environmental and health and safety regulations.

When purchasing industrial equipment, look for a reliable and well-established supplier. The equipment manufacturer should take the time to understand your needs and have experience providing equipment to your sector. Bigger companies may have more prominent marketing, but are there less well-known options that provide a better deal? It’s vital you do your research.

Take the opportunity to visit the manufacturer and test the equipment before you buy. When negotiating contracts, work out an arrangement that is mutually beneficial and that considers agreement on delivery dates and times, compensation if something goes wrong, and any other obligations and risks.

Key maintenance technologies include:

• CMMS: Computerised maintenance management systems function as repositories of data and documentation, and they allow companies to automate common maintenance activities. A CMMS helps create preventative schedules, manage parts, spares and inventory, generate work orders, and assign personnel
• Thermography: Thermography reveals temperature variations that may indicate overheating and electrical faults, or insulation problems. That makes thermography particularly well-suited for the maintenance of electrical systems and motors
• Condition monitoring / vibration monitoring: Condition-monitoring sensors – vibration monitoring is commonly used – enable predictive maintenance by relaying anomalies in machine performance that may indicate a fault
• Non-destructive testing: Non-destructive testing detects faults without damaging equipment. NDT methods include ultrasonic (acoustic) testing, X-ray inspection, and magnetic particle testing. Pipelines and storage tanks are often inspected using NDT to identify structural problems, fatigue, and corrosion
• Oil analysis: Oil analysis monitors lubricants and is used to detect problems such as wear of bearings or gears. Oil analysis takes samples of oil and analyses them for viscosity, acidity, and tiny particles of metal. Oil analysis optimises maintenance schedules and can reduce costs by identifying equipment that requires changes to lubricant