Fixed Schedule or Performance-Based Maintenance?

Defining a monthly maintenance task sounds straightforward: carry out a set of actions every 30 days to prevent failure. But when it comes to real execution, the picture is more complex.

Case 1: Fixed monthly schedule – bearing lubrication

The team performs lubrication on January 31, February 1, and March 31. On paper, the rules were followed. In practice, the preventive maintenance goal was missed: there was a 60-day gap without lubrication, plus an unnecessary extra task in February.

Case 2: Performance-based schedule – same equipment

Lubrication is done on January 31, March 5, and April 4. Here, February’s task was skipped, but the interval between services was reasonable (30–33 days). In fact, with condition-based insights from AI maintenance software, the interval could be extended further—saving costs and reducing unnecessary downtime.

Case 3: Mandatory compliance – calibration under supervision

For tasks like calibration of measurement devices, there’s no flexibility. Regulatory standards demand execution exactly on schedule, and here a rigid preventive maintenance system is essential.

Why both approaches matter

Both types of tasks should be managed within the same CMMS maintenance software. Comparing case 1 and 2, performance-based scheduling is more effective and aligns with the principles of smart preventive maintenance for manufacturing. But case 3 shows where strict scheduling is unavoidable.

This raises a bigger question:

• Should your maintenance management solution prioritize operational efficiency and cost savings?

• Or should it enforce rigid, one-size-fits-all scheduling for compliance and consistency?
  

With AnyMaint CMMS, you don’t have to choose. Our AI-powered preventive maintenance system lets you combine strict scheduling where it’s required with performance-based flexibility where it saves time and money.

What do you think—should maintenance management software lean toward efficiency, or bureaucracy? We’d love to hear your perspective.