Maintenance – Advantages and areas of application in direct comparison

Many companies invest a lot of money in their equipment, but very few use the right maintenance strategy. Maintenance is often carried out simply because that’s how it’s always been done. But it is precisely this decision that directly influences costs, stability, and failure risks.
In practice, we encounter four basic strategies that can be used appropriately depending on the equipment, criticality, and budget.

Reactive maintenance

Maintenance only when something breaks down. Cost-effective and flexible, suitable for equipment whose failure has little impact.

Time- and meter-based maintenance

Regular maintenance at fixed intervals. Predictable and reliable, especially when maintenance requirements are easy to forecast.

Condition-based maintenance

Maintenance when the actual condition of the plant requires it. Enables early fault detection and prevents unnecessary repairs.

Predictive maintenance

Maintenance based on forecasts and analyses. Minimizes failures and increases plant availability, ideal for complex or critical plants.

Our experience shows that there is no one right strategy. The decisive factors are the actual requirements of the plant and the objectives to be achieved. The right strategy is often more individual than one might think.