1
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULING FOR
MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Preventive Maintenance
The main reason for setting up a preventive maintenance program is to prevent unscheduled outages from
failure of equipment. Depending on the circumstances, an unscheduled outage will be, at least, very
inconvenient and can be extremely expensive. A successful program of preventive and routine maintenance
will reduce equipment failures, extend the life of the equipment, and reduce the overall operating costs.
Due to the wide variety of equipment in use today, an all encompassing maintenance guide applicable to
every piece of equipment is not possible. This publication is intended to provide general information on the
maintenance of some of the most common equipment found in powerplants. Manufacturer's literature and
actual operating experience should be used for setting up a maintenance program.
failure of equipment. Depending on the circumstances, an unscheduled outage will be, at least, very
inconvenient and can be extremely expensive. A successful program of preventive and routine maintenance
will reduce equipment failures, extend the life of the equipment, and reduce the overall operating costs.
Due to the wide variety of equipment in use today, an all encompassing maintenance guide applicable to
every piece of equipment is not possible. This publication is intended to provide general information on the
maintenance of some of the most common equipment found in powerplants. Manufacturer's literature and
actual operating experience should be used for setting up a maintenance program.
Probably the best place to start in setting up a maintenance program is the equipment manufacturer. The
manufacturer should be the foremost authority on what is required to keep their equipment operating
properly. Normally, the manufacturer's operating manual will provide recommendations on lubricants,
spare parts, maintenance procedures, and intervals between maintenance.
manufacturer should be the foremost authority on what is required to keep their equipment operating
properly. Normally, the manufacturer's operating manual will provide recommendations on lubricants,
spare parts, maintenance procedures, and intervals between maintenance.
When preparing a maintenance schedule, keep in mind that the manufacturer's recommendations, as well as
the recommendations in this publication, are general and are to be used only as a starting point. A
particular piece of equipment may operate under much more severe conditions than the manufacturer
expected. Conversely, the equipment may experience very mild service and not require as much attention
as anticipated. This is why it is important to utilize personal experience and the equipment's history in
preparing a maintenance schedule. An effective maintenance program requires tailoring the schedule to the
equipment and the conditions under which it operates. Maintenance performed more frequently than
required can cause undue wear and tear to the equipment being serviced as well as being a waste of time,
while insufficient maintenance will cause premature equipment failure and a reduced service life. It should
be noted that some equipment, most notably cranes and elevators, must be maintained on a regular basis to
meet safety regulations.
the recommendations in this publication, are general and are to be used only as a starting point. A
particular piece of equipment may operate under much more severe conditions than the manufacturer
expected. Conversely, the equipment may experience very mild service and not require as much attention
as anticipated. This is why it is important to utilize personal experience and the equipment's history in
preparing a maintenance schedule. An effective maintenance program requires tailoring the schedule to the
equipment and the conditions under which it operates. Maintenance performed more frequently than
required can cause undue wear and tear to the equipment being serviced as well as being a waste of time,
while insufficient maintenance will cause premature equipment failure and a reduced service life. It should
be noted that some equipment, most notably cranes and elevators, must be maintained on a regular basis to
meet safety regulations.
An equipment maintenance record system is essential in establishing a successful preventive maintenance
program. The record system should contain a description of the equipment and its location; manufacturer's
data such as size, model, type, and serial number; pertinent electrical and mechanical data; schedule for
preventive maintenance and periodic inspections, and data on repairs or maintenance performed including
actual work accomplished, material used, number of hours required to accomplish the work, and the cost of
labor and materials.
program. The record system should contain a description of the equipment and its location; manufacturer's
data such as size, model, type, and serial number; pertinent electrical and mechanical data; schedule for
preventive maintenance and periodic inspections, and data on repairs or maintenance performed including
actual work accomplished, material used, number of hours required to accomplish the work, and the cost of
labor and materials.
In addition to the records for routine maintenance, a comprehensive report should be written after major
overhauls or extraordinary maintenance describing the work done and how it was accomplished. Pertinent
photographs should be included in the report. These reports, along with manufacturer's drawings and
operation and maintenance manuals, should be kept in a history file where they are readily accessible to
maintenance personnel.
overhauls or extraordinary maintenance describing the work done and how it was accomplished. Pertinent
photographs should be included in the report. These reports, along with manufacturer's drawings and
operation and maintenance manuals, should be kept in a history file where they are readily accessible to
maintenance personnel.