We are facing a new paradigm regarding maintenance strategies integrated with IoT and it is worthwhile to make a deep reflection on how relevant this change is.
A few decades ago, maintenance was mainly carried out just on equipment that had failed or become damaged and needed corrective work. This approach was regarded at the time as the norm and was widely accepted by maintenance personnel. Gradually, however, a strategy developed, leading to what is today’s norm, whereby interventions are made without waiting for equipment to fail, in the form of systematic preventive maintenance (fixed time periods or operating intervals) or condition-based maintenance (continuous monitoring of the equipment’s status). From the authors’ perspective and experience, at present most organizations consider preventive maintenance strategies to be adequate. However, the rapid technological developments we have been witnessing have forced us to confront a reality that is without doubt here to stay: Industry 4.0.