What is Preventive Maintenance?

Preventive maintenance is maintenance performed on a schedule — by time or by usage — to reduce the chance of failure.

Time-based tasks run at fixed intervals (for example every three months); usage-based tasks trigger on meter readings such as run hours, cycles or mileage. A CMMS generates these work orders automatically and tracks PM compliance.

It sits between reactive maintenance (fix after failure) and predictive maintenance (act on measured condition).