Spare Parts inventory is often not given the attention it deserves by most facilities to ensure the accuracy of spare parts for breakdown or scheduled maintenance. A lack of time and knowledge on how to implement an inventory system are the contributing factors.
The lack of the availability of spare parts during an equipment breakdown can cause problems and inflict a higher cost for facilities. Therefore, having access to the correct parts during a breakdown or planned maintenance can ensure downtime reduction and increase productivity.
Every facility needs to have a criterion of spare parts needed on equipment in order to help outline and categorize parts which can be challenging if you have different type of equipment.
Spare part management is the central core for any facility operation and is vital to facility managers as they need to control which spare parts are needed to make up an operational and complete inventory system. A spare parts management system supports maintenance activities efficiently and keeps a facility running efficiently and production goals on target.
Here are ways to manage spare parts inventory more effectively:
1. Application of CMMS
With a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), parts and inventory are tracked and updated according to work orders.
2. Take care of spare parts
Spare parts must be stored in a location to keep them in their original condition and available for use. Having spare parts in your storeroom that is damaged leads to costly downtime.
3. Eliminate out of date spare parts
Spare parts that are no longer being used take up spaces in the inventory list and can lead to costly downtime when these parts are out of date that causes your maintenance team to lose time for looking for the correct spare parts.
4. Manage inventory at multiple locations
Organizations that are using an inventory system for multiple locations to track spare parts give maintenance team a huge advantage. If one of the sites have below the required stock level or does not have the critical spare part, maintenance team can access the system and get the parts sent to them.
