Common maintenance management and CMMS-related terms and definitions. Follow the links under each term’s description to learn about each concept in depth.
Acoustic analysis, sometimes known as noise and vibration analysis, is the process of studying sound waves. Sound waves exist in all environments, from homes to offices to factory floors.
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Advanced inventory management is a process that uses data to make better decisions about inventory. It helps you manage levels and costs, often in conjunction with demand planning.
An asset hierarchy is an important part of asset management. It helps you organize your assets and keep them working properly.
Asset lifecycle management (ALM) aims to maximize the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of assets throughout their lifespan to maximize the return on investment (ROI).
An asset management policy is an essential component of having a solid and comprehensive asset management strategy.
An asset naming convention also referred to as an asset numbering system, defines how your assets will be referenced in a system.
Asset performance management (APM) is a decision-making process to manage assets and improve asset efficiency, availability, reliability, maintainability, and overall lifecycle value while reducing downtime.
Asset tracking is the process of documenting all information about a piece of equipment or other assets for easy access should the need arise.
Asset turnover is a measure of the use of assets in a business. It’s used to determine how efficiently a company uses its assets, and to measure the financial performance of a business.
Maintenance triggers are used to alert technicians that maintenance is required on an asset. Planning, acting on and recording maintenance triggers is key to keeping equipment at its best and available when you need it, while avoiding extra work.
A bill of materials is a centralized source of information that includes a list of raw materials, asset parts, tools, instructions, documents, drawings, and any other materials needed to build, manufacture, or repair a product or service.
Breakdown maintenance is maintenance performed on equipment that has broken down and is unusable. It is based on a breakdown maintenance trigger.
Capacity utilization is a measure of how much of an organization’s resources it is using. It’s calculated by taking the total amount of available capacity and dividing it by the maximum possible output for that resource.
Computer aided facility management (CAFM) software helps businesses manage and monitor the various aspects of a facility.
Continuous improvement is a lean improvement technique that helps to streamline workflows, resulting in saved time and money for organizations.
Corrective maintenance is any task that corrects a problem with an asset and returns it to proper working order. Corrective maintenance tasks can be both planned and unplanned.
Cycle time is the time it takes to complete a project or process from start to finish. It can be measured in hours, days, weeks, months, or years.
Data collection standardization is the act of using consistent methods to collect data. It’s important because it makes it much easier to compare different sets of information and make better business decisions.
Defect density is the number of defects per square inch of product. It can be a valuable measurement for manufacturers, especially when tracking down problems in their manufacturing lines.
Also referred to as backlog maintenance or demand maintenance, deferred maintenance is planned or unplanned maintenance that has been postponed.
The Deming cycle is a methodology for continuous improvement. It was created by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who believed organizations could improve their processes if they focused on four key steps: plan, do, check, and act (PDCA).
Design failure mode and effects analysis (DFMEA) is a tool to help identify potential failures in a design. It’s used in the design and development stages and helps to identify possible failure modes and effects and possible solutions.
A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical asset or system that mirrors its real-time behavior, performance, and condition.
A distribution control system (DCS) is a computerized device that monitors and controls physical processes. A DCS uses a network of sensors to collect data about the state of machines, such as temperature or pressure.
Downtime tracking is the process of recording and analyzing downtime to improve your machinery and service.
Electrical engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing electrical equipment. This can include anything from motors to generators and transformers.
Emergency maintenance (also known as breakdown maintenance) is maintenance required when an asset or piece of equipment suffers an unexpected breakdown.
Equipment depreciation is the method of accounting for the loss in value of a piece of equipment over its useful life.
Equipment maintenance is the process of keeping equipment in good working order. It’s required for all types of equipment, including computers, vehicles, and machinery.
An equipment maintenance log is a document where maintenance activities performed on an asset are recorded for easy reference. The process is simple: Work gets done, and a log gets updated.
ERP (enterprise resource planning) is software that manages all the major functions of a company, including financials, supply chain, operations, commerce, reporting, manufacturing, and human resource activities, all in one system.
A facility manager is a person who manages the maintenance and operations of a facility. They are responsible for the planning, organization, directing, and controlling of all activities necessary to provide the facility with efficient operation.
Facility maintenance keeps facilities (and all of their assets) in good working order. The goal is to reduce the amount of unscheduled downtime for facility assets.
A failure code is a short and simple way of cross-referencing against a list of reasons for failure. This allows maintenance workers to figure out why an asset or system failed during production.
FMEA stands for failure mode and effects analysis and is a step-by-step risk management, process analysis tool for identifying where and how failures might occur in a design, manufacturing, or assembly process for a product or service.
Failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) is a technique used to identify potential failures in systems and equipment.
Failure modes effects and diagnostic analysis (FMEDA) is a systematic methodology to identify potential failure modes within a system, component, or process to analyze the effects.
FRACAS stands for failure reporting, analysis, and corrective action system. It’s a closed-loop system designed to help maintenance teams find, respond to, and fix the root cause of asset failure.
Fault tree analysis, sometimes known as event tree analysis, is a method of identifying the possible causes of a system failure. A fault tree is used to graphically illustrate the different potential causes of a failure in the form of a diagram.
Field service management (FSM) software is a system accessible through mobile maintenance devices that helps managers and supervisors manage and monitor off-site workers and optimize the time and resources needed for each job.
First pass yield is a measure of quality and productivity. It’s calculated by dividing the acceptable parts by the total number of parts produced during manufacturing.
First time fix (FTF), sometimes referred to as a ‘rework’ or ‘resolution’ level, is a metric that’s commonly used to measure the amount of times a technician is able to fix an issue the first time, without the need for additional expertise, information, or parts.
Fixed asset management is the process of managing fixed assets at your facility. Fixed assets are tangible assets with more than one year of useful life, such as buildings, land, machinery, and equipment.
Fleet maintenance refers to maintaining and repairing company vehicles to ensure they are safe, reliable, and durable. It entails regular inspections and repairs to ensure no component malfunctions or fails that might endanger drivers or passengers.
Functional failure mode and effects analysis (FFMEA) is used to identify potential failure modes and their effects on product performance.
The word gemba (sometimes spelled as genba) is a Japanese term literally translated as “the real place.”
Grounds (or sometimes called ground) maintenance is the process of caring for your building or facility’s exterior and keeping it maintained. This can include lawn care, but it’s not limited to grass.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a systematic approach to food safety management that helps identify and prevent potential hazards in the food production and processing industry.
Heavy equipment maintenance tracking software is any software tool or platform that helps companies track and manage the upkeep and repairs of any heavy equipment they own or use.
Idle time, sometimes referred to as waiting time, is the time lost due to work stoppages in which machines and/or employees are ready and available but can not be productive.
Infrared thermography is a non-contact method of measuring temperature differences. It uses infrared radiation to detect heat emitted from objects and materials.
Inventory control, sometimes known as stock control, is the control of the spare parts inventory that your maintenance team has on hand.
Inventory valuation is the process of determining the value of your inventory. It’s done by comparing your inventory to its replacement cost and determining how much it would cost to replace everything in your store at once.
The term kaizen is a combination of two Japanese words that, when combined, roughly translate to “good change.” Over the years, however, the term has evolved to mean “continuous improvement” and is frequently used in manufacturing and maintenance processes.
Leak detection and repair (LDAR) is a process that maintenance teams use to identify and fix air, water, gas and other types of leaks in gas and oil pipelines, tanks, and other equipment.
Lean maintenance is the process of identifying and removing waste from maintenance operations. It is a continuous improvement process intended to gradually eliminate any factors that reduce asset reliability, increase costs, or negatively impact productivity.
Lean manufacturing, also known as lean production or just lean, is a manufacturing system based on continuous improvement.
Lockout tagout (LOTO) is a safety protocol designed to prevent accidental injuries during equipment service and maintenance.
Machine availability, also referred to as uptime, is the total amount of time a machine actually runs versus the time it was scheduled to run. Availability is a key figure to monitor when it comes to production planning.
Machine maintenance is the work that keeps mechanical assets running with minimal downtime. Machine maintenance can include regularly scheduled service, routine checks, both scheduled and emergency repairs.
A maintenance budget helps you plan, manage, and prioritize your maintenance activities and objectives, so you can be as effective as possible with the limited amount of money you have.
Maintenance costs are the costs associated with keeping a business running. These include the physical parts of your business and all the people and systems that keep it running.
Maintenance engineers are responsible for maintaining the equipment and processes that allow a business to run.
A maintenance inventory system is a software platform or tool that helps organizations manage their maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) inventory.
Maintenance management is the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the activities required to keep equipment and facilities in a state of readiness for their intended use.
Maintenance managers are responsible for all activities related to the repair and replacement of equipment and facilities that support an organization’s operations.
A maintenance planner is a job title for an individual who is responsible for planning and scheduling maintenance activities in an organization.
Maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) is the process of maintaining and repairing equipment. MRO is also known as maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
Preventive maintenance scheduling can be classified into two distinct methods: Fixed PMs and floating PMs. Both methods can be used to track assets and determine when they should be inspected, repaired, recalibrated, or replaced.
A maintenance SOP (standard operating procedure) is a detailed document that describes all the steps maintenance workers need to follow while performing a task.
A maintenance technician is a skilled professional who works with machinery, equipment and tools to keep them in good working order. Maintenance technicians work in many different industries.
A manufacturing execution system (MES) is a software system that automates production. It can be used to track and monitor the progress of each process step, plan and manage production, inventory management, and other areas.
A master equipment list is a document that lists all of the equipment used by a maintenance team. It may also include the names of people with access to said equipment.
Material safety data sheets (MSDS) are a type of document that provides information about the composition and health hazards of a chemical. MSDS are used by manufacturers, distributors, and users of chemicals to ensure safe handling practices.
Mean time to recovery (MTTR) is the average time a system takes to recover from an outage. The mean time to recovery average is calculated by adding the downtime duration for each incident and dividing it by the number of incidents.
Mean time to resolve is also known as mean time to recovery (MTTR) and it is the average time a system takes to resolve from an outage. The mean time to resolve average is calculated by adding the downtime duration for each incident and dividing it by the number of incidents.
Message queuing telemetry transport is a lightweight open-source messaging protocol for devices and low-bandwidth, high-latency, or unreliable networks. It has become a crucial component of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA).
Meter-based maintenance is maintenance performed as a result of a meter reading trigger. The meter might measure, for example, the number of hours the equipment has been in use, the kilometers it has been driven, the number of parts that have been produced, etc.
In the past, if you had multiple PM cycles for a given piece of equipment that landed on the same date, you would have had to create multiple scheduled maintenance triggers in the CMMS to handle the cumulative tasks.
Oil analysis is one of the most critical aspects of asset maintenance. Oil analysis allows you to determine the condition of an engine or motor and how it can be maintained.
On-time delivery (OTD) is an important measure of the performance of your manufacturing operation. On-time delivery refers to how many orders are completed in a specified time frame.
An operations and maintenance program (also known as an O&M) is a combination of general maintenance, management, training, budgeting, and business processes that are used collectively for the proper functioning of a facility.
Operational performance measures how well a company performs its core business activities. It’s measured using key performance indicators (KPIs), usually quantifiable measures of a process, process step, or program.
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. It refers to a company that produces parts or equipment that are then marketed and sold by another company that’s known as a value-added reseller (VAR).
OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It was created out of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
Parts management software, also known as inventory management software, is used by maintenance departments to purchase, organize, track, and manage MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) inventory and spare parts at their facility.
PDCA, which stands for plan do check act, is a four-step project management tool for implementing continuous improvement. It involves systematically testing possible solutions, assessing the results, and implementing the ones that work.
Planned downtime is scheduled time when production equipment is limited or shut down to allow for planned maintenance, repairs, upgrades or testing.
Pre-startup safety review (PSSR) is a process used in industries that handle hazardous chemicals or complex equipment to ensure that everything is safe and ready for operation before starting a new or modified process.
Precision maintenance is a method of performing maintenance tasks so they are always done with consistency, accuracy, and in line with industry best practices.
Process control systems are used to monitor and control industrial processes, including manufacturing processes, chemical processes, oil and gas production facilities, water treatment plants, and power generation facilities.
Process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA) is part of the larger failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) family.
Production costs are the costs associated with manufacturing a product. These include direct and indirect costs.
Production downtime is when a machine or system isn’t working. It can be caused by various things, like an outage, human error, or a software issue.
Production efficiency, sometimes referred to as productive efficiency, is a measure of how well a company uses its resources to produce a good or service.
Production volume is the number of products a company makes. Measuring production volume is important because it can help you know what your company can produce.
PLC is the nervous system of an organization’s computer system that allows management and technicians to work better. It continuously makes decisions based on system inputs that increase equipment efficiency, production lines, and manufacturing processes.
Property maintenance is the process of keeping your property in good condition. This includes routine tasks such as cleaning, fixing leaks, and replacing worn-out items. It also has more complex jobs like painting and landscaping.
The rate of return (ROR) is the percentage of profit you make on an investment. It’s a measure of the profitability of an investment.
A remote terminal unit (RTU) is an industrial device that can be used to collect and process data from sensors, actuators, and other devices.
Repair and maintenance are used hand-in-hand, but they refer to different things in the asset management space. Repairs are restoration work for when an asset breaks, gets damaged, or stops working.
The term repair tracking software, when used in an industrial or manufacturing context, refers to a software platform that manages the process of maintaining and repairing complex, industrial machinery.
Return on assets is a ratio that measures how well a company uses its assets to generate profit. Return on assets is calculated by dividing the company’s net income by its total asset base.
Revenue per employee (RPE) is a way to measure how productive an organization’s employees are. By tracking this metric on an ongoing basis, you’ll be able to keep tabs on how each person contributes financially and improve collaboration within groups and departments.
Right first time (RFT) is a manufacturing process used to reduce waste and improve quality. RFT aims to ensure that the first product that comes off the production line meets quality standards and is sent to customers on time.
Root cause analysis is the process of identifying the systemic cause of a failure incident. This is critical in maintenance for finding and resolving the true cause of mechanical problems, instead of just fixing the symptoms.
Routine maintenance refers to any maintenance task that is done on a planned and ongoing basis to identify and prevent problems before they result in equipment failure.
Scheduled maintenance is any task that is given a deadline and assigned to a technician. It can either be a recurring task done at regular intervals or a one-time task.
Scrap rate is the percentage of goods or materials that can be recycled. Scrap rate is calculated by dividing the amount of scrap produced in a given time period by the total amount of output in that same time period.
The Shewhart cycle, which is sometimes known as the plan do check act (PDCA) methodology, is a four-step project management tool for implementing continuous improvement.
Six sigma is a set of methods and tools that help businesses improve product quality and production efficiency. This is done by finding defects in processes, determining their cause, and making improvements.
Smart manufacturing, also known as Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), is a subset of lean manufacturing, which manages the factory floor to improve quality, efficiency, and flexibility.
Stockout is when a product is out of stock. It can be caused by many factors, such as a supplier’s inability to deliver the products on time or the demand for the product being higher than expected.
A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system is used to monitor and control an industrial facility’s operational processes from a central location.
System adoption rate is a metric that measures how many people are using a system. The system could range from being a software program to new software that manages equipment on a factory floor.
System availability is a metric that measures the probability that a system is not failed or undergoing a repair action when it needs to be used.
Throughput can be thought of as the rate at which work moves through a given system. It is important to measure throughput because it allows you to identify bottlenecks in your process and optimize them accordingly.
Time-based maintenance (TBM) is maintenance performed on equipment based on a calendar schedule. This means that time is the maintenance trigger for this type of maintenance.
Technician scheduling software is a software tool or platform that helps maintenance teams organize their technicians’ work assignments.
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the total cost of a product or service over its lifetime. It includes all direct and indirect costs incurred for the product or service during its life cycle.
Ultrasonic testing is a non-destructive test that can be used to examine materials, and to determine their characteristics and flaws.
Unit cost is a method of calculating the cost of producing one unit of a product or service. It can be used in various industries, including manufacturing and retail.
Vibration analysis is part of the acoustic analysis family. It is a commonly used method of examining the condition of equipment and machinery.
A vibration sensor is a device that detects mechanical vibrations. It measures the vibration levels in your machine and alerts you to any potential problems, like equipment failure or worn parts that need replacement.
A voltage sensor is a device that measures voltage. Voltage sensors can measure the voltage in various ways, from measuring high voltages to detecting low current levels.
Warranty tracking software or warranty management software is a tool to help maintenance teams organize and access information about the warranties of industrial equipment and inventory.
Wear and tear refer to the gradual loss of function or efficiency in equipment due to regular use.
Work order completion is the process of documenting the result of a job that is performed. Work order completion records are used to track what needs to be done and who did it, so they can verify that they have completed all their tasks before leaving work.
Work order risk reduction is a process that reduces the amount of risk in a work order. It’s also a way to minimize the risk as a part of the work order management process.
Work order scheduling software is a stand-alone solution for creating, managing, and scheduling work orders. It’s also commonly referred to as work order software or job scheduling software.
A work request is a formal, written request for an employee to perform a task or service. There are many types of work requests, and they can be used for different purposes.