Maintenance plans: 13 tips & tricks for building a better one
By Mark Del Franco, Editor-in-Chief
A structured approach to maintenance shows how proactive planning, condition monitoring, and process-specific strategies reduce downtime, extend equipment life, and improve operational reliability. This guide outlines how preventive and predictive maintenance— supported by data, process alignment, and disciplined execution—can minimize failures and optimize equipment performance.
In wire and cable manufacturing, unplanned maintenance is one of the most expensive disruptions a plant can face. Because these operations are high-throughput, continuous-process lines, any unexpected stop ripples through the entire production system.
According to Aberdeen Research, unplanned downtime from maintenance costs an estimated $50 billion annually across all manufacturers (not just wire and cable). Generally speaking, unplanned maintenance often costs two to five times more than proactive maintenance because it adds downtime, overtime, expedited shipping and more complex repairs. When you include lost output, idle labor, scrap wire or cable, and emergency repair costs, unplanned downtime in wire and cable plants often lands in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour.
Maintenance must be treated as a planned system, not a reaction to breakdowns. When manufacturers run mainte-
nance as an afterthought, they face unexpected downtime, costly emergency repairs, and accelerated equipment wear. When maintenance is planned, facilities gain stability, lower long-term costs, and fewer surprises.
“Maintenance is a part of the work week that has fallen by the wayside a bit, especially in smaller companies trying to compete with their larger competitors,” admits Joe Micklin of Homer Glen, IL-based JAM Industrial Services. “Today’s machines are faster, quieter, but unfortunately not as robust as were built in the past.”
Therefore, unplanned maintenance becomes a question of if, not when. Remember, for wire and cable companies, the cost of unplanned maintenance isn’t just a repair bill— it’s the production you never recover. Therefore, it’s paramount to have a plan before equipment breaks down.
What follows are best practices and practical tips to build a maintenance program that works.
1. Define your maintenance program’s parameters
A maintenance program is not “fix it when it breaks.” It is a structured approach that:
• Tracks equipment condition over time;
• Checks for wear before failure occurs;
• Records what is worked on and what is inspected; and
• Plans around the equipment life cycle.
Best practice: Build a simple checklist that covers daily, weekly and monthly inspections. Use it religiously.
Tip: Start by writing a clear definition of your maintenance program. Make sure everyone—operators, technicians, and leadership—understands that maintenance is proactive, not reactive.
2. Treat maintenance as proactive, not reactive
Many companies ignore maintenance until something fails. That approach is expensive. Deferred maintenance may seem cheaper today but leads to higher costs later through downtime and damage.
“Oil and greasing at set intervals is extremely important to the performance of your equipment,” explains Micklin. “But having a trained or knowledgeable person doing the preventive maintenance, is just as important.”
Best practice: Implement preventive maintenance (PM) for critical equipment. Set maintenance dates based on run time, cycles or calendar intervals.
Tip: Schedule maintenance tasks before failures happen. Use known wear rates and life-cycle data to set intervals.
3. Tailor maintenance to the process
Different wire-drawing processes create different wear patterns and maintenance demands. For example, lubricant type, material grade, reduction rate, die geometry and operating speed all affect how a machine wears over time.
Best practice: Build process-specific maintenance plans instead of using one schedule for every wire type or machine.
Tip: Match maintenance intervals to the material, lubricant system and line speed.
4. Use predictive tools to detect wear early
Modern sensors and AI tools can help detect wear before it becomes critical, explains Apollo Beach, Florida, consultant Gene Brown. “In the plastics industry, for example, transducers can be placed near the barrel in the extruder to detect wear in the screw and barrel assembly.”
Best practice: Combine sensor data with manual inspection. Sensors give early warnings; technicians confirm and act.
Tip: Use sensors to confirm whether wear exists. Even if the system cannot pinpoint exactly which part is worn, knowing that wear is present is valuable.
Bonus: Start with high-value equipment. Add sensors to machines where failure would cause the most downtime or cost.
5. Monitor temperature and set danger zones
Equipment entering a high-temperature zone is at risk. Devices can monitor control panels and alert operators when temperatures rise beyond safe levels.
Best practice: Implement temperature monitoring for critical motors, bearings, extruders, wire drawing, die boxes, water coolant and furnaces. Log temperature trends to spot gradual changes.
Tip: Set temperature alarms at thresholds that reflect your equipment’s safe operating range.
Bonus: When an alarm triggers, respond immediately. A small adjustment can prevent a major failure.
6. Build a program that combines people, process and technology
A strong maintenance program relies on three pillars:
• People: Technicians and operators who notice patterns and make decisions.
“I’ve been in the wire business just short of 40 years. When I’m doing maintenance on a machine, I’m listening for issues, checking the guards for safety, making sure it’s running to achieve the best quality wire, while running at a speed that will hit the targets that are needed by the office,” Micklin explains. “Having a professional that knows your drawer or straightener perform maintenance will be money saved in the long run.”
• Process: Structured inspections, records, and schedules.
• Technology: Sensors, alarms, and monitoring tools.
Best practice: Keep digital and searchable maintenance records. Use them to track life cycles and failure trends.
Tip: Train teams to interpret alarm data and sensor readings. People must understand the tools.
Bonus: Ensure leadership treats maintenance as essential, not optional. Support schedules, budgets, and training.
