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Maintenance Management

What is PM and CM in maintenance?

In maintenance, PM stands for Preventive Maintenance — a proactive approach to preventing failure through regular, scheduled care. CM stands for Corrective Maintenance — a reactive method that involves fixing equipment after failure. Both are essential to an effective asset management strategy.

Preventive Maintenance (PM)

PM involves proactively scheduling regular maintenance activities to prevent equipment failure and minimize the likelihood of unplanned downtime. These activities are typically based on time-based intervals or predefined usage metrics. PM aims to identify and address potential issues before they escalate into costly problems, thereby increasing equipment reliability and longevity.

Corrective Maintenance (CM)

CM, on the other hand, focuses on addressing equipment failures and malfunctions reactively. When a breakdown occurs, maintenance personnel respond to the issue and restore the equipment to working condition as quickly as possible. CM may involve troubleshooting, repair, or replacement of faulty components. While CM is essential for addressing unexpected failures, it is generally more costly and disruptive than preventive maintenance.

What's the Difference Between PM and CM?

What’s the Difference Between PM and CM?

FeaturePreventive Maintenance (PM) Corrective Maintenance (CM)
Approach Proactive Reactive
Timing Scheduled Unplanned
GoalPrevent issuesFix issues
Examples Lubrication, calibration Repairs after breakdown
Downtime Minimal 

Significant

Both PM and CM are integral components of a comprehensive maintenance strategy, with PM aimed at minimizing downtime and extending asset lifespan, while CM focuses on resolving issues swiftly to minimize disruptions to operations.

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