Digital Maintenance: Winning the Race Against Aging Equipment

Maintenance Matters, Yet Aging Equipment Strains Operations

Modern maintenance strategies are increasingly digital, harnessing technology to assess machine health and build proactive repair schedules. Yet the clock is ticking. The 2019 Plant Engineering Maintenance Report, sponsored by Advanced Technology Services (ATS), identifies aging equipment as the leading cause of unscheduled downtime, with equipment failure close behind.

The report surveyed maintenance professionals across process, discrete and hybrid sectors, revealing current practices and future expectations.

Courtesy: CFE Media, ATS

Plant leaders employ a mix of tactics to keep operations safe and productive. Preventive maintenance remains the most common approach, used by 78% of respondents. However, a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) has surged to second place, overtaking both reactive (run‑to‑failure) and predictive maintenance. At least 40% of respondents combine multiple strategies.

Each method offers distinct advantages:

• Preventive maintenance reduces downtime, enhances safety, supports energy management, and offers flexibility.
• Reactive maintenance is cost‑effective and straightforward.
• Predictive maintenance has a lower upfront cost.
• A CMMS lowers failure probability, cuts downtime, and boosts overall equipment effectiveness.

Despite technology’s growing influence, adoption faces hurdles. Nearly half (48%) of maintenance managers report limited resources or staffing as barriers, while 38% lack clarity on new tech options. Other challenges—training, employee buy‑in, funding, and management support—affect at least 25% of respondents.

Courtesy: CFE Media, ATS

“Even in a robust economy, many manufacturers defer investments in new factory equipment,” says Jeff Owens, CEO of ATS. “Extending legacy asset life pushes maintenance to the forefront of production efficiency, yet it also pressures technology integrators tasked with modernizing machinery.”

Owens adds, “This underscores the need for skilled professionals who can sustain or elevate efficiency across the equipment lifecycle.”

Another trend is outsourcing maintenance. On average, about 20% of maintenance functions are delegated to third parties, primarily due to a lack of internal expertise—a figure that grew from 40% in 2017 to over 50% in 2019.

Courtesy: CFE Media, ATS

“The future is bright for technicians, reliability engineers, programmers, and system integrators—especially those versed in common manufacturing technologies and power systems,” says Owens. “The industrial skills gap and continuous digital evolution create significant opportunities for young, growth‑oriented talent.”

Technology in maintenance is diverse and not always highly technical. While CMMS and in‑house spreadsheets dominate, 39% of plants still rely on paper and clipboards. In‑house tools fell from 55% in 2018 to 45% in 2019.

Courtesy: CFE Media, ATS

Key findings from the 2019 Maintenance Study:

• Scheduled maintenance: Facilities average 20 hours per week on scheduled tasks. 53% allocate up to 10% of annual operating costs to maintenance, while 30% spend more than 10%.
• System focus: Rotating equipment, fluid power systems, and plant automation receive the most attention, followed by internal electrical distribution and material handling.
• Training: Teams receive basic mechanical (73%) and electrical (72%) training, plus safety (72%). Additional training includes lubrication and motors (55%) and gearboxes & bearings (52%).

Whether seen as a cost center (59%) or a profit center (34%), maintenance remains pivotal to uptime, productivity and operational excellence.

Discover more about maintenance trends and challenges in manufacturing by exploring our infographic, or contact us today for a tailored discussion of your plant’s maintenance needs.