INTRODUCTION: WHY PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE MATTERS
In today’s competitive industrial environment, equipment reliability is no longer optional — it is essential. Organizations that rely heavily on machinery and systems must ensure that these assets perform efficiently, consistently, and safely. Yet too often, maintenance is only carried out when things break down, leading to unplanned downtime, safety risks, costly emergency repairs, and lost productivity.
Preventive Maintenance (PM) offers a proactive solution. Rather than waiting for failures to happen, PM focuses on scheduled, routine maintenance tasks to detect and correct problems before they escalate. This approach extends the lifespan of equipment, improves performance, and reduces the total cost of ownership.
This two-day course is designed to provide a solid foundation in preventive maintenance principles and practices. Participants will learn how to develop effective PM programs, schedule and perform inspections, analyze equipment history, and apply practical tools such as checklists, CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems), and key performance indicators.
More than just theory, this workshop emphasizes hands-on learning through real-world examples, simulations, and group exercises that relate directly to your workplace. Whether you are a maintenance engineer, technician, or production supervisor, this course will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to transition from a reactive to a proactive maintenance culture — one that improves uptime, reduces costs, and builds a more reliable operation.
As industries move towards Industry 4.0 and digital transformation, preventive maintenance becomes the gateway to smarter, more connected, and more predictive maintenance systems. It is the first step toward maintenance excellence.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamentals of preventive maintenance and distinguish it from other maintenance strategies such as reactive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance.
- Develop and implement effective preventive maintenance plans including schedules, checklists, standard procedures, and documentation for key equipment.
- Apply basic failure analysis techniques to identify root causes of equipment breakdowns and use this knowledge to refine preventive maintenance activities.
- Utilize maintenance performance indicators and digital tools such as CMMS to monitor PM compliance, analyze downtime trends, and improve reliability.
- Promote a proactive maintenance culture by integrating PM into daily operations, involving production teams, and driving continuous improvement across the organization.
LEARNING METHODOLOGY
This 2-days Preventive Maintenance course is designed to be highly interactive, hands-on, and practical, following a workshop-based learning approach. The focus is on bridging theory and application through active participation and real-world relevance.
Key Learning Strategies:
- Workshops & Group Exercises
- Participants work in teams to solve realistic maintenance challenges.
- Activities include creating PM schedules, developing checklists, analyzing failure modes, and setting KPIs.
- Simulations & Problem Solving
- Simulated maintenance scenarios help participants experience the impact of proactive vs. reactive strategies.
- Interactive Discussions & Knowledge Sharing
- Facilitated discussions allow sharing of experiences, challenges, and ideas among peers from various industries.
- Action Plan Development
- Each participant will leave with a customized 30-60-90 day plan to apply PM improvements at their workplace.
COURSE OUTLINE
Day 1 – Foundations of Preventive Maintenance
Introduction to Maintenance Management
- Evolution of maintenance: Breakdown → Preventive → Predictive → Proactive
- Objectives of maintenance: Safety, Availability, Reliability, Cost
- Types of maintenance: Reactive, Preventive, Predictive, CBM, TPM
- Importance of PM in OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
Activity: Group discussion – Current practices & gaps in your plant
Understanding Preventive Maintenance
- Definition and principles of PM
- Benefits of PM: Cost savings, reduced downtime, extended asset life
- PM vs. Predictive vs. Breakdown – Case comparisons
- Risks of poor PM implementation
PM Planning and Scheduling
- Creating PM schedules: Daily, weekly, monthly, annual
- Asset criticality analysis and PM prioritization
- Resource planning: manpower, parts, tools
- Using Gantt charts and calendars for planning
Workshop: Build a PM plan for 3 key assets in your plant
PM Checklists and Procedures
- Creating standard PM checklists for machines
- Lubrication schedules and wear part inspection
- Electrical, mechanical, hydraulic checks
- Work instructions and job cards
Hands-On: Develop a PM checklist for a selected equipment
PM Documentation
- Recording PM activities: logs, history, feedback
- Data to collect: runtime, faults, repairs
- Integrating PM with digital tools (IoT basics)
Day 2 – Implementing and Improving PM
Failure Modes and Equipment History
- Basics of FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
- Common failure modes in rotating, electrical, pneumatic systems
- Analyzing equipment history to improve PM
- Early warning signs and visual inspections
Exercise: FMEA of a pump or motor
PM Implementation Strategy
- Rolling out PM across departments
- Roles of production vs. maintenance in PM
- Building PM culture and operator involvement
- Change management and overcoming resistance
Role Play: Convincing production to support PM activities
KPI and Performance Measurement
- Key PM KPIs: MTBF, MTTR, PM Compliance, Downtime
- Setting targets and measuring performance
- Using Pareto analysis and RCA to refine PM
- Visual management and PM dashboards
Workshop: Define 5 PM KPIs and setup tracking format
Continuous Improvement in PM
- PM Optimization techniques
- From PM to Predictive: Vibration, Thermal, Oil Analysis
- Lean Maintenance and TPM Pillars
- Autonomous maintenance by operators
Discussion: What’s next – Roadmap from PM to TPM
Final Review and Action Planning
- Review of key learnings
- Barriers to implementation
- Action plan development: 30-60-90 days
- Commitment sharing
Output: Individual PM improvement action plan for workplace
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the key principles and benefits of preventive maintenance
- Develop and implement structured PM plans and checklists
- KPI tools to track PM performance
- Initiate a culture of proactive maintenance and reliability
