Maintaining a large facility can be daunting, especially for maintenance personnel on the ground. It’s challenging to navigate the facility and figure out which parts of the area—and which assets—need maintenance. This is where an interactive asset map can help.
What is an Interactive Asset Map?
As you might expect, an interactive asset map is a digital asset map that gives you a map of the entire facility. It’s more dynamic than a standard map or floor plan that only records walls, doors, fixtures, and spaces. Instead of just noting the floor plan, interactive maps also record the location of each space, asset, or user to visualize the entire organization.
Users can quickly search for and locate the assets they need. They can filter asses, create tags, and group maps to create curated visualizations. In addition, some interactive maps allow users to view planned maintenance schedules and other important information about the facility. Maintenance staff, property owners, and visitors can quickly find breakers, defibrillators, and evacuation points during a natural disaster or fire.
Why are Interactive Asset Maps Useful for Facility Maintenance?
Creating an interactive asset map for your facility is helpful for several reasons. Here are some ways maintenance staff can use your indoor map during routine inspections and maintenance.
1. Navigation
An interactive asset map allows users to navigate large facilities with ease. They can easily find a route from point A to point B. Occupants and visitors will have fewer problems finding their way around and getting lost in the maze. In addition, delivery drivers and other transport personnel can easily streamline transportation routes. This makes it easy for them to make trips and find where to go to make deliveries to the facility.
2. Documenting Asset Location
A digital map for facility maintenance is useful because it can document the location of each asset and inventory item. This saves time and allows maintenance staff to pinpoint the necessary equipment to inspect and maintain.
3. Efficient Trip Planning
Maintenance staff can use asset locations to plan their routes more efficiently. This eliminates the need to go back and forth throughout the facility to ensure they have checked each object or asset. It’s instrumental in multi-story or multi-building facilities.
4. Employee Training
An interactive asset map is useful for training. Seasoned staff members can use it to train new employees or contractors on the location of each piece of equipment or asset. They can also tell them where to go when failures occur or emergencies occur.
5. Safety
Interactive maps allow users to find critical assets when emergencies happen quickly. For example, users can locate the breaker or power source and turn it off during a fire to mitigate the damages.
6. Renovation and Retrofit Planning
Property owners may need to renovate or retrofit certain facilities and areas within facilities for improved efficiency. With an interactive map, they can easily make plans considering every asset’s location. They can quickly gauge whether specific floor plans are feasible and pinpoint potential renovation limits.
7. Maintenance Scheduling
Preventive maintenance is crucial for property owners who want to prolong the lifespan of their assets and facilities. Interactive maps help by recording and laying out preventive maintenance schedules for maintenance staff and property owners. This allows maintenance staff to remain on schedule and ensures no asset is left unchecked.
8. Warranty Information
Every asset has a useful life and warranty. Interactive maps can record an asset’s warranty information so property owners can quickly fix them when they break. They no longer have to look through receipts to find each asset’s warranty records.
9. Manuals
Contractors and new maintenance staff can view each asset’s user manual using the interactive map. As a result, they can more quickly pinpoint and address issues when they arise.
10. Curated Visualizations
Interactive maps allow users to create curated maps for each maintenance activity. For example, electricians can view a specialized map of only the breakers, electrical lines, and relevant equipment. This way, they will not need to sift through a map of irrelevant assets. Similarly, plumbers can quickly locate piping, drainage systems, and other plumbing facilities without viewing the electrical systems.
How to Use an Interactive Asset Map for Facility Maintenance
Interactive asset maps provide many benefits. If your organization has one, here’s how to use them to maximize efficiency.
1. Set Up the Map
Begin by uploading a map of the facility. This can include floor plans and geographic layouts of the area. Afterward, record the location of each critical asset, such as machinery, safety equipment, electrical circuits, breakers, plumbing, and HVAC systems. Make sure to categorize each asset according to function and assign distinct icons for easy identification.
2. Tag Information
Each asset should have detailed information attached to it. Remember to input all relevant data, including the asset’s model, brand, serial number, warranties, installation date, and latest maintenance checkup. Many interactive asset maps also allow users to link documents such as work orders, manuals, and maintenance logs,
Finally, set a status for each asset. Some may be operational, while others might need immediate maintenance or repairs. This allows users to see each asset’s condition in real time.
3. Schedule Maintenance
Set maintenance schedules for each asset. Users can set up alerts and reminders for routine inspections and maintenance based on the asset’s condition or the manufacturer’s recommendations. Most asset maps also allow users to assign tasks to specific technicians and maintenance staff.
In addition, many maps also allow you to create work orders directly using the map. Just create a work order and link it to the asset in question. Moreover, record whether the task is assigned, ongoing, or completed.
4. Monitor and Update
Update the map with new information whenever an asset is inspected, maintained, repaired, or replaced. Record service dates, conditions, and all relevant information. The map’s data can also help you track the asset’s performance over time and identify patterns in downtime and damages. Moreover, it also enables you to plan for replacements and upgrades.
5. Create Reports
Asset maps allow you to track maintenance histories for each asset. Review them periodically to ensure the company remains compliant with regulatory standards. You can also create reports to track which assets need more maintenance.
Efficient Facilities Maintenance
An interactive asset map is a useful tool for facility maintenance. It allows users to quickly locate and track the maintenance of each asset within an organization. They can quickly assign tasks, update information, and plan routes without visiting the asset itself.
Maintenance Specialists, Inc. provides top-tier maintenance services for commercial facilities. Call us today at 704.405.6000 or contact us online to learn more!
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