What is it called when you measure the condition of equipment to predict future failures and take action to minimize consequences?

What is it called when you measure the condition of equipment to predict future failures and take action to minimize consequences?

• A. Preventative maintenance
• B. Corrective maintenance
• C. Reliability Centered Maintenance
• D. Predictive Maintenance

Answer: (D)

Predictive maintenance is the practice of measuring equipment condition and using that data to forecast when a component will fail, so you can intervene before the failure happens and minimize downtime or damage. In practice, this means monitoring indicators like pump vibration, motor temperature, oil analysis, or other condition signals and using trends to estimate remaining useful life. The goal is to perform maintenance only when it’s actually needed, just before failure, rather than on a fixed schedule or after a failure occurs. This stands in contrast to preventative maintenance, which runs on a set calendar or hour-based schedule without regard to current wear; corrective maintenance, which fixes things after they break; and reliability-centered maintenance, which is a broader framework that optimizes maintenance actions based on risk and reliability considerations, often incorporating predictive methods but not limited to them.