Software solutions for maintenance
Software solutions make maintenance cheaper and more efficient. The Menger Group explains how to find the right software for maintenance.
This makes maintenance more efficient and less expensive
With software solutions that are precisely adapted to the requirements of your company, you can make the maintenance of machines and plants even more efficient, reduce costs and increase productivity. The Menger Group explains what maintenance software must be able to do and how you can find the right software solution for maintenance in your company.
Customized software solutions optimize maintenance
Maintenance includes all measures that maintain the functionality of machinery and equipment in a company, either through preventive maintenance or through repairs after a malfunction has occurred.
Special software for maintenance in industry, also known as a maintenance planning system (IPS), supports your company in planning and performing these tasks. In this way, preventive maintenance in particular, which is designed to prevent the occurrence of damage and malfunctions from the outset, is made more efficient. In the long term, this reduces maintenance costs and increases the availability of plant and machinery. In addition, good maintenance software also has the option of documenting measures that have been carried out, thus creating legal certainty.
What does good maintenance software do?
How comprehensive the maintenance software should be always depends on the company. For example, a company in plant engineering needs different software for the maintenance of its machines than an energy producer. There are compact, cost-effective software solutions that offer only basic functions for planning maintenance measures, as well as comprehensive special solutions that are precisely adapted to the requirements of your company. The latter usually have a significantly wider range of services. These include, for example:
- the storage of master data on machines and plants (plans, manuals, etc.)
- an overview of availability and qualifications of maintenance employees
- an overview of available material and tools
- a data and weak point analysis
- the recording of company activities in order to plan the timing of maintenance measures accordingly
- the linking of information
- Legally compliant documentation of performed measures
In addition, high-quality maintenance software usually has a large number of interfaces to external systems, including ERP systems, office applications, databases and more. Connecting to systems that directly monitor the machinery and equipment being maintained (e.g., using sensors) also enables the software to detect problems early and automatically initiate the appropriate maintenance actions.
Special requirements of your company can often be realized as individual case solutions. In addition, mobile access to the software is usually also possible, so that all important information is available to maintenance staff directly on site.
How to find the right maintenance software for your company
The decision for a certain software solution for maintenance should depend on the respective requirements of your company. After all, not every software is equally suitable for every company. For small companies with only a few employees and a manageable number of machines, a standard solution that offers the most important functions and is often available in a low-cost subscription model for a monthly fee is often sufficient.
Larger companies should first determine their exact needs and determine what features the software must have. You can then compare software solutions from different providers and select the one that suits you best.
Record your individual needs
To determine your company’s needs, first determine what exactly you want to achieve by using the software: For example, do you want to reduce the time spent on maintenance? Or their costs? Or do you want to use the software to increase plant availability and thus the company’s productivity? If you know exactly for what purpose you want to use the software, you can select its scope of services accordingly.
Also, answer the following questions to narrow down your needs:
- Which interfaces to existing software must be available so that the maintenance software can be optimally integrated into the company’s processes?
- Should the software also be available on the move, e.g. via smartphone or tablet?
- Should the software be installed on a company-owned server or do you prefer a cloud-based solution?
Also, decide how many employees will use the software and whether it will be used at multiple locations? This determines whether you only need individual licenses, a site license or an enterprise license, which has an influence on the costs.
Define what the software should do
Of course, a good software for maintenance should have the basic functions already mentioned. However, numerous other services can often be integrated. Software solutions that are specifically tailored to the needs of your company can also offer the following functions, for example:
- Automatic scheduling of recurring maintenance appointments
- Reminder function (e.g. one month before scheduled maintenance is due)
- Automatic recording and reporting of faults
- Automatic initiation of maintenance measures when malfunctions are detected
- Management of relevant documents (e.g. maintenance contracts, checklists)
- Personnel planning and spare parts management directly in the maintenance software
- Overview of measures implemented
- Legally compliant documentation of the measures carried out
In addition, there are services provided by the software provider, such as:
- Accessibility around the clock
- On-site support
- Training your employees to use the software
Determine which functions you expect from your maintenance software, which additional services should be included if possible, and which service you want. Now you can compare the software solutions from different providers and choose the one that fits best.
If you have additional wishes that are not included in the standard offer, it is best to address these directly with the provider. It is often possible to customize the software for an additional charge. If you would also like to keep the option open to expand the system at a later date, it is best to opt for software with a modular structure, as this can usually be flexibly expanded to include additional functions.
Integrate the software into the company
Once you have found a suitable software for maintenance in your company and, if necessary, it has been adapted to your requirements by the manufacturer, the final step is the introduction of the software in your company. Training for your employees should be part of the service package so that they get to know all the functions of the software and how to use it. The easier it is for your employees to use the maintenance software, the better it will be accepted and the greater its benefit for the company.
The Menger Group offers you maintenance software that is precisely adapted to the individual requirements of your company. Contact us! We will be happy to advise you.