In brief
Under DIN 31051, servicing covers all measures that slow down the depletion of a plant's wear reserve, such as cleaning, lubricating or adjusting.
Contents
What is Servicing?
DIN 31051 classifies servicing as one of the four basic maintenance measures. Every technical item has a wear reserve that diminishes during operation through wear, corrosion or contamination. Servicing slows this depletion but does not restore the original condition. It must be distinguished from inspection, which determines and assesses the actual condition, from repair, which returns an item to a functioning condition after damage, and from improvement, which increases reliability or maintainability.
Typical servicing tasks are lubricating, topping up operating fluids, cleaning, preserving, adjusting and the scheduled replacement of consumable parts such as filters or seals. They are recorded in a servicing schedule that describes the task, interval, responsibility and required materials for each machine. The intervals are based on manufacturer specifications, operating hours, calendar time or the company's own experience.
Because servicing can be planned, its material requirements can also be forecast well. The servicing schedule gives quantities and dates for filters, lubricants, seal kits and other wear parts, which can be ordered in good time or called off under framework agreements.
In practice: maintenance and procurement
In the servicing schedule, each task should be linked to the exact part description with the manufacturer part number, not just “change filter”. This allows procurement to pool the annual requirement, and servicing dates do not fail because of missing material.
Synonyms and abbreviations: service · routine maintenance · servicing work · preventive servicing
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between servicing and maintenance?
Under DIN 31051, maintenance is the umbrella term and comprises four basic measures: servicing, inspection, repair and improvement. Servicing is therefore only one part of it. It slows down wear, while repair rectifies damage that has already occurred. In everyday usage the terms are often used interchangeably, but technically they are clearly distinct.
What is the difference between servicing and inspection?
Inspection determines and assesses the condition of a machine, for example by visual check, measurement or function test. Servicing, by contrast, actively intervenes to slow down wear, for example by lubricating or cleaning. In practice, both are often carried out during the same appointment.
What belongs in a servicing schedule?
A servicing schedule lists, for each machine or assembly, the servicing task, the interval, the responsible person or department, the time required, and the materials and tools. Notes on safety measures and a field for documenting completion are also useful. It is usually based on the manufacturer's specifications, supplemented by the company's own experience.
How often should a machine be serviced?
The starting point is the servicing intervals in the manufacturer's operating manual. They are adjusted to the operating conditions: dust, heat, multi-shift operation or frequent load changes often shorten intervals, while gentle operation can extend them. Anyone who records condition data can set intervals more precisely than by calendar time alone.