Preventive maintenance can follow a time-based approach, a usage-based approach, or a combination of the two. Let’s look at examples of each.

Time-based Preventive Maintenance

Time-based preventive maintenance goes by a variety of names, a main one being "calendar-based" maintenance. No matter which term your department uses, this approach involves setting up a preventive maintenance schedule to perform regular inspections on pieces of equipment, especially those that would have a severe impact on production in the event of a breakdown. 

Time-based preventive maintenance is best used for bounded assets (such as fire/safety equipment) and critical assets (such as HVAC systems and pumps), though facility managers can use this approach for any asset that requires preventive maintenance. Here are a few examples to illustrate.

1. “Inspect parking lot for cracks once a month”

2. “Change air handling unit filters every three months”

3. “Inspect water heaters semi-annually”
   

Usage-based Preventive Maintenance

Usage-based maintenance, also called “runtime maintenance,” is an approach that triggers maintenance after a certain amount of asset runtime (such as every “X” amount of kilometers, miles, hours or production cycles). 

Usage-based preventive maintenance makes sure that equipment continues to operate as the manufacturer intended. Unlike time-based maintenance, which occurs on a more rigid schedule, usage-based maintenance occurs as often as an asset needs it, whether it’s every month or every six months — whichever comes first. Check out these examples of usage-based preventive maintenance.

1. “Inspect belts every 100 hours of production”

2. “Service motor vehicles every 5,000 miles”

3. “Lubricate pumps every 10,000 run-hours”