Due to the cost of downtime, an emphasis on proactive pump maintenance has taken over from the ‘run-till-failure’ approach.
That is the view of Atlantic Pumps, which provides dewatering pumps for use in quarrying and recycling applications.
The manufacturer says the fact that pumps are often out-of-sight means they are easily forgotten until they fail. “Beware the pump that works ‘OK-ish’ but has diminishing cost efficiency as it wears,” it adds.
Setting out the benefits of proactive maintenance, Atlantic Pumps highlights:
• Optimised energy usage
• Increased plant uptime and resilience
• Less emergency work helps shift planning and Health & Safety management
• Earlier rectification of incorrectly specified or ill-fitted equipment.
• Forecast replacement part needs and save on airfreight/same-day delivery costs
• Improved outcomes for stakeholders and ‘downstream’ processes
Methods of mainaining pumps include PPM (planned preventative maintenance). This involves scheduled maintenance tasks, determined by knowledge of the pump’s MTBF and its duty. The idea is to replace parts before the MTBF is reached, resulting in set servicing schedules.
PPM’s defining feature is a consistent, routine program of standardised maintenance tasks.
There is also CBM (condition-based monitoring). Whereas PPM follows a fixed-interval, CBM uses live data to predict when a part will need replacement.
This approach can extend asset lifetime, save unnecessary interventions, and catch issues earlier.
Atlantic Pumps says: “Condition data can come from a mix of periodic measurements and continuous monitoring. CBM requires accurate sensors and records to reveal trends before they become problematic.”
