Auto-Scheduling Maintenance From Runtime/Hours

Overview

ARMOR's runtime-based maintenance tracking automatically schedules service based on actual equipment usage rather than arbitrary calendar dates. This guide covers advanced configuration, optimization strategies, and troubleshooting for usage-based maintenance.

How Runtime-Based Scheduling Works

The Automatic Process

ARMOR continuously monitors and tracks maintenance in the background:

1. Telemetry Collection: Asset sends runtime data (engine hours) to ARMOR via IoT device
2. Counter Accumulation: ARMOR adds new runtime to maintenance counter
3. Threshold Comparison: System checks if counter ≥ threshold
4. Alert Generation: When threshold reached, alert is created automatically
5. Notification: Email sent to configured recipients
6. Completion: Technician marks maintenance complete, counter resets to 0
7. Cycle Repeats: Counter starts accumulating again from 0

No Manual Scheduling Required

Unlike calendar-based systems where you schedule "every 3 months" or "first Monday of each quarter," ARMOR automatically adjusts to actual usage:

• High-use equipment: Alerts trigger more frequently (every few weeks)
• Low-use equipment: Alerts trigger less frequently (every few months)
• Idle equipment: Counter doesn't increase, no unnecessary maintenance
• Seasonal equipment: Maintenance naturally concentrates during active season

Key Configuration Settings

Data Field Selection

Choose the telemetry field that best represents equipment usage:

Data Field	What It Tracks	Best For
runtime	Engine hours / operating time	Engine oil changes, filter replacements, engine component maintenance
distance	Miles or kilometers traveled	Tire rotations, brake inspections, suspension maintenance, vehicles
cycles	Start/stop cycles	Battery health, starter motor, equipment subject to thermal cycling
Custom fields	Application-specific metrics	Specialized equipment with unique wear indicators

Threshold Optimization

Setting the right threshold is critical for effective maintenance:

Start with Manufacturer Recommendations

• Check equipment manual for recommended intervals
• Manufacturer knows equipment best - good starting point
• Example: "Change oil every 250 hours of operation"

Adjust Based on Operating Conditions

Reduce Threshold (More Frequent Maintenance) If:

• Dusty or dirty environment (air filter clogs faster)
• High temperatures (oil breaks down faster)
• Heavy loads or continuous operation (increased wear)
• Equipment is mission-critical (can't afford failure)
• History shows frequent issues

Increase Threshold (Less Frequent Maintenance) If:

• Clean, climate-controlled environment
• Light duty operation
• Equipment is redundant (failure impact is low)
• Using premium consumables (synthetic oil, high-quality filters)
• History shows maintenance done too early with no issues

Refine with Data

After 6-12 months of operation, review maintenance history:

1. Check oil condition at maintenance time - is it still clean or degraded?
2. Look for premature component failures - threshold too high?
3. Count unnecessary maintenance - threshold too low?
4. Compare equipment in different environments - adjust accordingly
5. Adjust thresholds up or down by 10-20% and monitor results

Unit Selection

Choose units that match your threshold and data field:

Data Field	Common Units	Notes
runtime	hours, minutes	Hours for most equipment; minutes for high-cycle machinery
distance	miles, kilometers	Match your region's standard (US: miles, most others: km)
cycles	cycles, starts	Simple count, no conversion needed

Max Days (Hybrid Scheduling)

Even runtime-based rules should include a calendar backup:

Recommended Max Days Values:

• 365 days (1 year): Standard for most maintenance (oil changes, inspections)
• 180 days (6 months): For critical equipment or harsh environments
• 730 days (2 years): For long-interval maintenance (coolant flush, major overhauls)
• 90 days (quarterly): For consumables that degrade quickly (certain filters)

How Hybrid Logic Works:

Advanced Configuration Strategies

Staggered Maintenance Windows

To avoid maintenance alerts all triggering at once:

Problem:

You create a maintenance rule for 50 assets all at once. If initialized with "zero" mode, all 50 will trigger alerts at nearly the same time (whenever they each hit threshold), overwhelming your maintenance team.

Solution: Initialize with "Current" Mode

• Counters start at current runtime values (varies by asset)
• Assets with 100 hours trigger at 350 total (in 250 hours)
• Assets with 200 hours trigger at 450 total (in 250 hours)
• Assets with 50 hours trigger at 300 total (in 250 hours)
• Alerts naturally spread out over time

Tiered Maintenance by Usage Level

Create multiple rules with different thresholds based on usage intensity:

Implementation Steps:

1. Tag assets with usage level (High, Standard, Low)
2. Create 3 separate maintenance rules (one per tier)
3. Use tag-based scoping to apply appropriate rule to each asset
4. Review and adjust tiers quarterly based on actual usage data

Predictive Pre-Alerts

Get notified BEFORE maintenance is due to allow time for scheduling:

Approach 1: Reduce Threshold by Buffer Amount

Approach 2: Create Dual Rules (Warning + Due)

Equipment-Specific Overrides

While most assets follow standard rules, some need unique intervals:

Scenario: You have 45 floor scrubbers with 250-hour oil change interval, but one scrubber is in an extremely dusty environment and needs 150-hour interval.

Solution:

1. Create account-wide or tag-based rule for 44 scrubbers (250 hours)
2. Create asset-specific rule for the dusty-environment scrubber (150 hours)
3. ARMOR applies both rules to the special scrubber (more restrictive wins)

Telemetry Requirements

What's Needed for Runtime Tracking

For runtime-based maintenance to work automatically:

• IoT device installed: Asset must have ARMOR IoT device connected
• Runtime sensor configured: Device must report runtime telemetry field
• Regular communication: Device should report at least daily (more often is better)
• Accurate data: Runtime value must actually represent engine hours (not system uptime or other metric)

Verifying Telemetry Quality

Before relying on runtime-based scheduling, verify data quality:

1. Check latest telemetry: Navigate to asset detail, view recent telemetry data
2. Verify runtime field: Look for "runtime" field in telemetry table
3. Compare to hour meter: Check if telemetry matches physical hour meter on equipment
4. Monitor accumulation: Watch over a few days - does runtime increase when equipment operates?
5. Check communication frequency: How often does asset report? (ideally every 5-60 minutes when operating)

Troubleshooting Telemetry Issues

No Runtime Data Visible

Possible Causes:

• IoT device not installed or not communicating
• Runtime sensor not configured in device settings
• Equipment doesn't have hour meter (no source for runtime data)

Solutions:

• Verify device communication status (green = good, red = offline)
• Check device configuration - ensure runtime sensor enabled
• Contact ARMOR Support if device is online but not reporting runtime
• Consider distance-based or time-based maintenance if runtime unavailable

Runtime Value Seems Wrong

Examples:

• Counter increases even when equipment is off
• Counter doesn't increase when equipment is running
• Value doesn't match physical hour meter

Solutions:

• Check if "runtime" field is mapped correctly (might be tracking wrong sensor)
• Verify sensor is connected to correct circuit (engine run signal, not battery voltage)
• Recalibrate or reconfigure sensor if needed
• Use manual adjustments to correct counter if telemetry issue can't be fixed immediately

Runtime Accumulation Stopped

Possible Causes:

• Device lost power or disconnected
• Equipment hasn't been used (counter correctly not increasing)
• Sensor failed

Solutions:

• Check device communication status - is it still online?
• Verify equipment has been operated recently
• Check physical hour meter - is IT still working?
• If sensor failed, may need device service or sensor replacement

Optimization Workflows

Initial Setup (First 90 Days)

1. Start conservative: Use manufacturer-recommended intervals
2. Initialize carefully: Choose "current" mode to stagger alerts
3. Monitor closely: Check maintenance alerts daily
4. Document observations: Note oil condition, filter dirtiness at service time
5. Adjust if needed: If alerts coming too often or not often enough, adjust thresholds by 10%

Ongoing Optimization (Quarterly Reviews)

1. Pull maintenance history report: Review last 90 days of completions
2. Analyze alert frequency: Are alerts reasonable or overwhelming?
3. Review completion notes: Were parts clean or dirty at service?
4. Compare high vs low-use equipment: Should they have different thresholds?
5. Adjust thresholds: Increase by 10-20% if servicing too early, decrease if components showing excessive wear
6. Update documentation: Record threshold changes and reasons

Data-Driven Refinement

After 12 months of data, you can optimize more aggressively:

Integration with Scheduling Systems

Email Alerts to Work Order Creation

Automate the transition from ARMOR alert to technician work order:

1. Configure ARMOR: Send maintenance alert emails to work order system email address
2. Email Parsing: CMMS parses email for asset ID and maintenance type
3. Automatic Work Order: CMMS creates work order, assigns to technician
4. Technician Notified: Mobile app notifies technician of new work order
5. Work Performed: Technician completes maintenance using procedure in CMMS
6. ARMOR Updated: Technician marks maintenance complete in ARMOR (resets counter)

API Integration for Full Automation

For organizations with development resources:

Best Practices

Configuration Best Practices

• Start with manufacturer specs: Don't guess - use OEM recommendations as baseline
• Always include Max Days: Hybrid runtime+calendar is always better than runtime-only
• Use tags for scalability: Tag-based rules auto-apply to new assets
• Document your logic: Note why you chose each threshold value
• Test on pilot assets: Verify rule works correctly before rolling out fleet-wide
• Review quarterly: Maintenance needs change - adjust thresholds based on data

Operational Best Practices

• Monitor telemetry quality: Bad data = bad scheduling. Verify sensors work correctly
• Train technicians: Ensure everyone knows how to mark maintenance complete
• Act on alerts promptly: Don't ignore alerts - schedule service within reasonable time
• Use notes field: Document observations at maintenance time (oil condition, issues found)
• Track compliance: Monitor what percentage of maintenance happens on-time vs overdue

Optimization Best Practices

• Collect data systematically: Consistent notes enable data-driven optimization
• Adjust incrementally: Change thresholds by 10-20% at a time, not 50%
• Separate environments: Indoor, outdoor, harsh environments may need different thresholds
• Balance safety and efficiency: Don't over-extend intervals just to save money
• Consider total cost: Frequent maintenance costs money, but breakdowns cost more

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Seasonal Equipment

Scenario 2: Mixed Fleet with Different Duty Cycles

Scenario 3: Critical Equipment Needing Accelerated Maintenance

Troubleshooting

Alerts Not Triggering

See dedicated article: Maintenance Not Triggering

Too Many Alerts at Once

Cause: Initialized with "zero" mode, all assets hit threshold simultaneously

Solution: Delete rule, recreate with "current" initialization OR manually adjust counters to stagger

Equipment Running But Counter Not Increasing

Cause: Telemetry issue - runtime not being reported

Solution: Check device communication, verify runtime sensor configured, contact support if needed

What's Next?

After mastering runtime-based scheduling:

• Maintenance Calendar View - Visualize upcoming maintenance for planning
• Custom Overrides at Site/Asset Level - Fine-tune individual asset intervals
• Linking Maintenance to Goals - Combine preventative and performance tracking
• Maintenance Not Triggering - Troubleshooting guide

Getting Help

For assistance optimizing your maintenance thresholds or troubleshooting runtime tracking, contact the ARMOR Support Team with your equipment type, operating environment, and current configuration.