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Most people would prevent an illness from becoming dire by heading to the doctor while they're experiencing minor symptoms for a professional diagnosis and monitoring of their body to recuperate. So why do most current telematics and maintenance tracking solutions fail to monitor before the situation becomes dire?

Factory-installed alert systems at time of manufacture only let users know after a problem has already occurred and repairs are immediately required. That’s the dire way of addressing maintenance. In response, fleet managers try to prevent this type of unplanned downtime by adopting time-based maintenance plans. Although this has some benefits for busy fleet managers, there’s a difference between being able to plan necessary downtime in advance versus having to schedule routine downtime for potentially unnecessary maintenance.

While time is a key factor, conditions are also equally, if not more, important. Enter the latest “smart engine” technology.

Condition-based maintenance will be the key to fleet management

Fleet management objectives include coordinating all equipment under a company, reducing operational costs and maintaining each piece of equipment properly and regularly, along with the abundance of detailed paperwork necessary to keep construction businesses running smoothly. Many managers look to digital assistance when it comes to completing these rigorous responsibilities, of which there are many solutions (especially from OEMs). One of the most likely tools that managers will use is maintenance management software that assists them in maintaining equipment while reducing costs of downtime or accidents.

With a variety of differences between each solution, there is a certain type of maintenance monitoring that hasn’t become industry standard despite its efficient and effective capabilities: condition-based maintenance monitoring services (CMMS). The construction market is heating up, with innovative technologies pushing businesses to the next level. Maintenance management should be pushing to be predictive as another avenue to remain competitive.

Although technologies are ever-expanding to give owners better alerts or even provide them with their very own self-driving vehicles, the next step in the evolution in heavy-duty equipment is predicting problems before they occur—a responsibility CMMS tech is well equipped to handle. By providing a continual and comprehensive overview of each piece of equipment in the fleet, whether it be engine analytics or location services, CMMS tech’s predictive analytics lead to better preventative maintenance models, but on a minute-by-minute basis—similar to having a doctor with you every step of the way.

In addition to increasing the useful life of assets by preventing irreversible damage, fleet owners reap several big benefits from investing in CMMS technology, including the following:

• Reduced maintenance costs: Solely financing maintenance services when needed instead of by schedule is cost-effective and increases a business’ return on investment.

• Increased production capacity: CMMS gives managers regular updates on engine health, allowing them to better plan maintenance and rotations of equipment in the fleet. In effect, it boosts the availability of equipment that is working and ready for site deployment.

• Saved time spent on repair and maintenance: With maintenance and repairs demanding valuable time, knowing when service is needed is proactive toward investing time in more important business endeavors.

• 24/7 remote monitoring: Most CMMS solutions allow for 24/7 equipment monitoring from a user’s phone or web browser, increasing fleet efficiency by providing a centralized overview and status for all vehicles.

Act in alignment with the supply chain

Those in the industry are well acquainted with the ongoing supply-chain issues and increased material costs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. With high demand for raw materials, local manufacturers have lacked the supply to fill demand, resulting in shipping delays as well as project postponement—which can provide additional costs when paying construction workers over an extended period.

Faced with ever-increasing costs, fleet owners must adopt new and innovative methods for maintaining the health of their vehicles and equipment. Condition-based monitoring can help by cutting back on the amount of maintenance and repair materials wasted on unnecessary scheduled maintenance and saving equipment owners the finances needed to run their fleets properly.

Adopting a predictive approach not only assists operators in completing their tasks on time but also allows business administrators to raise their operations to the next level.

Predictive maintenance elevates a business to the next level

As synonymous terms, “predictive maintenance monitoring” and “condition-based maintenance monitoring” provide rapid growth in fleet utilization and management. Features such as equipment engine monitoring, real-time fleet visibility, driver workflows and reporting all drive businesses to a competitive advantage over their counterparts. Predictive maintenance leads to predictive operations—a proactive stance in getting tasks done more quickly than businesses without a digital advantage.

By providing fleet owners a complete overview of the health of their equipment through a preventive lens, construction technology has never looked brighter for the future. With upcoming improvements involving CMMS integration into electric equipment and autonomous vehicles, the effectiveness of investing in a predictive maintenance monitoring solution is astounding. Minimize equipment downtime and unnecessary repairs and avoid overpaying on materials and parts by supporting recent and future technological advancements in construction operations.