Predictive maintenance software is made to automate equipment maintenance scheduling based on usage, age, and other factors. To assist you in selecting the best predictive maintenance solution for your operations, we’ve identified and ranked the top predictive maintenance software available on the market today.
- MicroMain: Best Overall
- eMaint CMMS: Best for Sensor Support
- Limble: Most Advanced Automation
- Fiix: Best Cloud-Based Solution
- Maintenance Care: Best for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses
- UpKeep: Best for Mobile Maintenance
- Equips: Most User-Centric Design
1 MicroMain - Best Overall
Why We Chose It: We named MicroMain our top pick because it uses data analytics to preempt equipment failure and fine-tune maintenance schedules. It facilitates preventive maintenance and work order management, assisting in handling maintenance requests and work order histories. MicroMain also provides asset management suitable for organizations of any scale.
With its efficient parts and inventory management system, it reduces time and expenditure on inventory searches and management, offering a rounded solution that aids organizations in streamlining their maintenance processes.
Key features:
- Real-time equipment performance monitoring.
- Advanced analytics for accurate prediction.
- Streamlined work order creation based on predictions.
2 eMaint CMMS - Best for Sensor Support
Why We Chose It: We found eMaint CMMS’s proprietary sensors made it a great pick for those trying to automate maintenance workflows. Instead of spending time manually checking equipment, the sensor system uses custom triggers and condition monitoring to automatically schedule predictive maintenance. While users can integrate eMaint with existing third-party sensors, though this can be expensive and time-consuming.
We found eMaint provides good value for its price, catering to a diverse range of industries with its flexible solutions and mobile app support.
3 Limble - Most Advanced Automation
Why We Chose It: Limble provides advanced automation features to enhance maintenance operations. The software utilizes data analysis, machine learning, and predictive modeling to anticipate potential equipment faults, drawing from both real-time and historical data. We liked that it offers automated preventive maintenance scheduling, enabling organizations to set checklists and assess performance.
Its machine-learning capabilities deliver insights into equipment failure patterns, assisting in the automatic scheduling of maintenance interventions. Limble CMMS’s workflow automation feature enables organizations to automate common tasks based on specific event triggers, reducing manual efforts.
Key features:
- Self-learning predictive maintenance algorithms.
- Integrative dashboards with real-time insights.
- Customizable alerts for varying equipment types.
4 Fiix - Best Cloud-Based Solution
Why We Chose It: Fiix enables maintenance teams to manage assets, work orders, and parts from any location with internet access. It integrates seamlessly with other platforms like ERP systems and IoT devices, optimizing workflows and automating processes. It provides a preventive maintenance module to manage and schedule tasks, potentially decreasing downtime and prolonging asset life.
Catering to various sectors, Fiix presents industry-tailored solutions. Its intuitive interface promotes ease of use, which may lead to reduced training periods and higher user adoption.
Key features:
- Cloud-based predictive analytics.
- Integration with IoT devices.
- Dynamic maintenance scheduling based on predictive data.
5 Maintenance Care - Best for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses
Why We Chose It: Maintenance Care is tailored specifically for small to mid-size businesses, considering their resource constraints. It offers a combination of affordable pricing plans and a user-friendly interface. The software includes a preventive maintenance module that aids in managing tasks, reducing downtime, and enhancing asset longevity.
We found the work order management capabilities allow comprehensive tracking of work orders. With the added convenience of a mobile app, users can access the platform from any location, benefiting on-the-go maintenance teams.
Key features:
- Intuitive equipment health monitoring.
- Predictive alerts and notifications.
- Comprehensive equipment performance reports.
6 UpKeep - Best for Mobile Maintenance
Why We Chose It: UpKeep is a mobile-first maintenance management software that, through iOS and Android apps, offers real-time work requests, inventory management, checklists, work orders, PM scheduling, and QR code scanning. This makes it a good match for companies that need to maintain equipment and assets that might not all be located in one convenient location.
7 Equips - Most User-Centric Design
Why We Chose It: Equips offers a solution that ensures equipment reliability through its predictive insights. With a user-centric design, it prioritizes ease of use without compromising on the richness of its features.
Equips involves end-users throughout the design and development stages, ensuring the software aligns with user needs and preferences. This design strategy makes it more intuitive and user-friendly. It offers ease-of-use, increased user satisfaction, and reduced training time through a tailored experience.
Key features:
- Equipment health scoring.
- Predictive analytics dashboards.
- Maintenance scheduling based on predictions.
What is Predictive Maintenance Software?
Predictive maintenance software, sometimes shortened to “PdM”, is designed to analyze performance trends based on real-time data and then use condition-based monitoring to alert the appropriate staff of any potential issues. Ideally, the goal of any predictive maintenance system is to automatically schedule maintenance services based on material or equipment usage before any problems have occurred.
Sometimes part of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), standalone predictive maintenance software is vital in those industries that cannot afford extended downtime for unexpected repairs. This method is opposed to reactive maintenance, which only occurs after equipment or assets have broken down, or preventive maintenance, which offers more routine scheduling regardless of performance. Using predictive maintenance software reduces the combined maintenance costs of lost time and expensive repair service.
Predictive Maintenance Software Features
- Maintenance scheduling: Automatically schedule maintenance services based on performance and equipment usage
- Asset management and purchasing: Stock new and spare parts based on what is needed for upcoming maintenance, ensure ideal asset performance throughout their lifecycle
- Work order management: Ensure all scheduled maintenance is performed in the correct order to cut down on downtime and streamline actionable repairs
- Real-time condition monitoring: Review the internal data collected by various pieces of equipment to see if there are any changes in performance
- Performance analytics: Analyze trends in equipment performance to determine when to order new pieces or arrange preventive maintenance
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA): Determine how reliable different machines are and the frequency of their failure
- Automated notifications and alerts: Send automated reminders to your management team to stay informed on condition-based monitoring and scheduled maintenance
Benefits of Predictive Maintenance Software
There are many benefits to implementing a predictive maintenance system at your organization:
Better Downtime Scheduling
Removing a single machine from an assembly line can cause an incredible backlog of work. The right software can predict maintenance downtime before it happens to reduce lost productivity. Automated email notifications can inform your maintenance team when work is necessary. You can then plan around your production or delivery schedule to ensure you’re not taking assets out of commission when they’re needed most.
Work order management applications further improve your scheduling capacity by prioritizing tasks. If two pieces of equipment are both scheduled for upcoming maintenance, you can arrange for which one should be taken offline first based on how big an impact it will have on the rest of your work. Or the PdM can automatically arrange for downtime based on the scope of maintenance needed. By implementing this software, you gain a more cost-effective maintenance strategy.
Fewer Unexpected Failures
Of course, the delays from scheduled maintenance are nothing compared to unexpected downtime from equipment failure. Even issues with your facility, like a damaged HVAC system, can shut down work for days or weeks. Not only do these breakdowns stop production completely, but work cannot be resumed until repairs are made or a new machine is replaced.
Predictive maintenance software schedules service to prevent these types of breakdowns from happening. Keeping your assets in good condition now reduces the possibility of failure in the future. FMEA tools measure equipment performance over time against historic machine records to determine when each asset would best benefit from service before wear and tear can take its toll. By using historical data to predict the likelihood for equipment failure in advance, you can plan for worst case scenarios.
Cut Down on Costs
Purchasing replacement parts or brand-new machinery can be cost-prohibitive in some industries. If running machines to failure simply isn’t fiscally possible, predictive maintenance software can protect your equipment from damage which leads to unplanned downtime.
PdM tools scan equipment data to see real-time changes in performance. This conditional monitoring ensures maintenance is only prompted when necessary. Triggers from sensor data can include:
- Temperature
- Time
- Light
- Pressure
- Energy
- Humidity
How is Predictive Maintenance Different from Preventative Maintenance?
Predictive maintenance is similar to preventative maintenance, though there are important distinctions. Preventive tasks are scheduled regardless of usage or performance. While there may be some analytics to determine when parts should be replaced, there’s always the possibility a fully functional part is scheduled to undergo unnecessary maintenance. Predictive software reviews the data before suggesting when work should be done.
Both predictive and preventative maintenance applications can be part of larger computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) systems. However, each can be used separately in order to reduce implementation costs and ease of use. CMMS software is recommended for companies with significant equipment assets including facilities, equipment, vehicles, machinery, and more.
There are also specific types of maintenance programs available, depending on your industry. If your business depends on vehicles, a fleet maintenance software with predictive maintenance tools may be more appropriate for your needs. However, a general PdM software may still be suitable based on your other main assets.
