The Most Important Maintenance Metrics

In the realm of maintenance, understanding and harnessing key performance indicators (KPIs) is important. These metrics play a pivotal role in evaluating the performance of people, assets, projects, and overall maintenance quality. The effective use of maintenance metrics is crucial for organizations striving to attain their goals and enhance operational efficiency.

Metrics in the maintenance world encompass various aspects such as machine failures, repair times, maintenance backlogs, and costs, all measured against company objectives. Maintenance KPIs can be categorized into leading and lagging indicators, each serving a distinct purpose.

Leading indicators, foreseeing changes or trends for future success, include metrics like Preventive Maintenance (PM) compliance and estimated vs. actual performance.

Lagging indicators, measuring past performance against goals, encompass metrics like Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and Mean Time to Repair (MTTR).

The 10 Maintenance Metrics to Prioritize

Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF): Analyzing the average time between breakdowns, MTBF aids in optimizing Preventive Maintenance schedules by scrutinizing equipment design and safety. This metric, derived from the ratio of operational hours to failures, provides insights into downtime management.
Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): Vital for unplanned maintenance, MTTR reveals the average time required to diagnose and repair equipment failures. It considers factors like cooling down or resuming production, impacting an organization’s bottom line and overall objectives.
Inventory Turnover: Representing the rate of inventory flow, inventory turnover compares the cost of purchased stock to the cost of items on hand. Tracking this metric ensures efficient sales and the ability to meet customer demand.
Planned vs. Unplanned Maintenance: Evaluating the success of a maintenance program, this metric distinguishes between scheduled (planned) and unexpected (unplanned) maintenance tasks. Efficient tracking helps measure the program’s effectiveness.
Planned Maintenance Percentage: Expressing the percentage of hours spent on planned tasks, this metric identifies inefficient processes. A value above 90% is deemed “world class maintenance,” while anything over 70% is considered acceptable.
Preventive Maintenance (PM) Compliance: Evaluating the consistency of a PM program, PM compliance measures the percentage of tasks completed within a predetermined time window. Timely completion conserves resources, with a rule of thumb suggesting tasks should be done within 10% of the scheduled interval.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): A holistic measure of maintenance processes, OEE is the product of an asset’s performance, availability, and quality. Aiming for 100% ensures minimal defects, providing an informed, data-driven overview of maintenance efficiency.
Maintenance Backlog: This metric assesses the accumulation of pending maintenance tasks. It is crucial to understand the workload and ensure that the maintenance team can efficiently address outstanding issues.
Mean Time to Detection (MTTD): MTTD measures the average time it takes for the maintenance team to identify an issue. Rapid detection is essential for minimizing the impact of potential problems and optimizing maintenance response.
Energy Consumption Efficiency (ECE): This metric evaluates the energy efficiency of your equipment and facilities. It considers the ratio of energy consumed during regular operations to the actual output or productivity. Monitoring ECE helps identify areas for energy optimization, reducing operational costs and environmental impact.

Leveraging a CMMS for Optimal Insight

Modern software, such as a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) like eWorkOrders facilitates the tracking and analysis of maintenance metrics. This customizable solution empowers organizations to set and measure a range of KPIs, transforming performance data into meaningful reports and dashboards. eWorkOrders enhances both quantitative and qualitative insights into maintenance strategy, ensuring visible improvements in various areas.

Deploying CMMS solutions enables organizations to monitor crucial maintenance metrics, including MTBF, MTTR, Planned Maintenance Percentage, PM Compliance, OEE, Maintenance Backlog, MTTD, and more. This leads to increased efficiency and heightened equipment uptime across work sites, demonstrating the invaluable role of CMMS in achieving maintenance goals.

FAQs About Maintenance Metrics

What is MTBF, and why is it crucial in maintenance?

MTBF measures equipment reliability, indicating the average time between breakdowns. It aids in optimizing preventive maintenance schedules.

How does a CMMS enhance maintenance efficiency?

A CMMS streamlines tracking, analyzing, and managing maintenance metrics, providing insights for informed decision-making.

Why is the Planned Maintenance Percentage significant?

Planned Maintenance Percentage assesses the ratio of scheduled maintenance hours, identifying inefficiencies. A high value signifies world-class maintenance.

What does Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) measure?

OEE evaluates the efficiency of maintenance processes by considering an asset’s performance, availability, and quality. Aiming for 100% minimizes defects.