Software system assists with maintenance schedules

19th August 2016 By: Kimberley Smuts - Creamer Media Reporter

Software system assists with maintenance schedules

OVERCOMING LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES The company notes that the RPM software is not only designed for heavy vehicles but is geared for all types of maintenance

With logistics companies having to deal with breakdowns and repairs of buses and trucks, loss of income from fees being docked at major ports because of delays in collections, penalties incurred for late deliveries or their simply not being able to service a given route, asset management consultants Safe RPM says its RPM software automates the entire maintenance schedule for any given fleet system.

Safe RPM is a preventive maintenance specialist and software development house that not only manages the maintenance schedule for a company’s fleet but also automates the inventory, financial and resourcing costs, as well as the projected downtime for any given asset using complex algorithms.

“RPM’s launch this year is a revamp of its predecessor, Enterprise Asset Management, known as EAM, released in 2009, and has more than 50 new additions in functionality, mobile capability and integration capability,” says Safe RPM sales director Alex Lubbe.

“More than 85% of the freight in South Africa is transported by road and, owing to economic circumstances, more than 60% of all commuters use mass transport facilities. Heavy vehicles and passenger carriers are often targeted by authorities in road blocks as a result of equipment failure that results in road damage and loss of life.”

Further, trucks or buses are often removed from the roads, owing to breakdowns, accidents and emergency repairs. As many of these companies do not have a maintenance system, with parts not readily available or incorrect parts having been despatched from a store, it makes the necessary efficiency and speed in carrying out the repairs difficult to achieve, he adds.

Lubbe notes that the RPM software includes timesheet, billing, resource, stock, warranty and contract management, as well as integration into existing stock, procurement and financial systems. The software can also create dashboards and reports dynamically.

Further, the RPM software is designed not only for heavy vehicles but for all types of maintenance – from rental cars, mining equipment and manufacturing plant maintenance to aircraft and utilities maintenance, he adds.

Lubbe mentions that the research and development (R&D) on developing the software was based on the realisation that there was a major shortcoming in the industry, with no maintenance system serving the needs of clients fully. The company then decided to use its collective experience of more than 60 years to develop a solution that would be a complete fit for the various industries, based on the various requirements of its clients.

The RPM software is constantly evolving and the company’s business model includes constant upgrades and R&D, he says. If a client has good ideas, the company incorporates them into the software, with the client receiving a royalty payment. This enables Safe RPM to keep abreast of developments as the industry evolves.

“Companies need to optimise the life cycle and uptime to stay financially viable. RPM does exactly that – preventive maintenance is the future. In today’s economic climate, one cannot and should not wait for a breakdown to occur, reactive maintenance is a thing of the past,” he adds.

Safe RPM is the sole provider of RPM software in South Africa; however, the company does have a large support base globally, as well as helpdesks, implementation teams and 24-hour support.