Manufacturing Asset Solutions (MAS) combines CMMS/EAM software, IIoT integrations, spare-parts workflows, and services to manage equipment health, schedule maintenance, and reduce downtime. Implement the right MAS to raise PM compliance, cut unplanned downtime, and prove ROI with measurable KPIs.
“Reliability must be treated as a business priority.” — Parker Burke, Fluke
What is a Manufacturing Asset Solution (MAS)?
A Manufacturing Asset Solution combines computerised maintenance management (CMMS) or enterprise asset management (EAM) software with data integrations (IIoT/PLC/MES/ERP), spare-parts workflows, and services (implementation/training) to track asset health, schedule and execute maintenance, and surface KPIs for reliability and operations.
Why MAS matters to maintenance managers
Key reasons maintenance leaders choose MAS:
- Slash unplanned downtime — Downtime costs are enormous and rising: industry analyses report per-hour downtime costs that can reach multi-million-dollar levels for large plants and very high losses across sectors. Implementing MAS and predictive workflows is a primary way to reduce those incidents.
- Raise PM compliance to world-class levels — World-class PM compliance sits around 90%; MAS gives visibility and mobile execution that helps teams reach this benchmark.
- Lower MTTR & reduce repeat visits — Centralised procedures, checklists, and part lists shorten repair time and reduce empty-handed technician visits; case studies show dramatic MTTR improvements after MAS adoption.
- Cut inventory & procurement waste — Linking parts usage to work orders and reorder points reduces carrying costs and emergency purchases.
Short supporting stat box (snippet-ready):
- Goal: PM compliance ≈ 90%.
- Case example: One CMMS case cut downtime by 54% in a cited case study.
Key features to require from any MAS (must-have checklist)
Require these features (grouped & why they matter):
- Asset registry & hierarchy — Single source of truth for every machine and component.
- Work order lifecycle & templates — Standardised instructions, attachments, safety checks.
- Preventive maintenance engine — Time-based PMs and condition alerts.
- Mobile apps (offline capable) — Field techs need mobile access for work orders, checklists, and parts.
- Spare parts & inventory management — Reorder points, locations, and part history.
- Integrations — ERP (parts & procurement), MES (production context), SCADA/IIoT (condition data).
- Reporting & dashboards — PM compliance, MTTR, uptime, backlog, cost per failure.
- Roles & permissions + audit logs — Required for compliance-heavy industries.
- Implementation & support options — Vendor training, migrations, and SLA options.
Quick Vendor Comparison
This comparison is a high-level matrix for screening. Always validate with demos and your weighted checklist.
(Legend: ✓ = strong capability, ◐ = limited / requires add-on)
How to choose the right MAS — weighted evaluation checklist (do this before RFP)
Use a simple scoring sheet (0–3) across categories; weight categories by business priority.
Suggested weights: Business fit (25%), Features (20%), Integrations (15%), Usability & Mobile (15%), Pricing & TCO (15%), Support & Implementation (10%).
Sample scoring table (mini):
Implementation How-To: 7 steps to a successful MAS rollout
- Form a cross-functional team — maintenance, operations, IT, procurement, and a sponsor from leadership.
- Audit current assets & data — export asset lists, BOMs, current PMs, parts usage and historic work orders. Clean the data.
- Define success metrics — PM compliance target (e.g., 90%), MTTR target, and downtime $/hr reduction goals.
- Proof of concept/pilot — choose a critical line or asset family for 60–90 days. Validate workflows, mobile UX, and data flows.
- Configure & integrate — set asset hierarchy, PM templates, parts master, and connect ERP/MES if required.
- Train & change management — role-based training for planners and technicians; create quick reference cards for techs.
- Measure, iterate, scale — review KPI dashboards weekly at first, then monthly; iterate PM intervals and workflows.
ROI example — simple downtime cost calculator
Assumptions (example):
- Plant production value per hour: $50,000
- Current annual downtime hours: 200
- Target downtime reduction with MAS: 20%
Calculation
Interpretation: A 20% reduction in downtime yields $2M annual benefit. If your MAS total cost of ownership (software + onboarding + annual support) is <$2M, the business case is positive — even after conservative adjustments. (Always run with your plant $/hr actuals; some sectors report far higher per-hour losses.)
Recommended KPIs to track (dashboard checklist)
- PM Compliance (%) — target 85–95% (world class ≈ 90%).
- Planned Maintenance Percentage (PMP) — % of maintenance that was planned vs reactive.
- Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) — average repair time.
- Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) — a reliability measure.
- Downtime $/hr and total downtime — business impact.
- Spare parts fill rate — prevent empty-handed visits.
- Work order completion rate — indicates execution health.
Common pitfalls & how to avoid them
- Poor data hygiene — import garbage, get garbage results. Fix: dedicate resources to clean asset & BOM data pre-go-live.
- Skipping the pilot — rollouts fail when you try to change everything at once. Fix: pilot, learn, scale.
- Ignoring tech UX — low technician adoption kills the benefit. Fix: require mobile UX in the RFP and pilot test.
- Underestimating change management — plan communications and leadership sponsorship.
Industry Use-Case Table
Conclusion & next steps
Actionable next steps for maintenance managers:
- Run a downtime $/hr calculation for your plant (use the ROI table above).
- Score 3 vendors using the weighted checklist.
- Launch a 60–90 day pilot on a critical line.
- Measure PM compliance, MTTR, and downtime, then decide on scaling.
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