2 PM. Pump station silent. 4,200 homes without water. $89,000 in emergency repairs by midnight. One $220 bearing showed vibration spikes for weeks. Nobody logged it. Most pump failures are preventable with systematic scrap workflows. Start free with OxMaint CMMS.
67%
Pump failures from missed scraps
6x
Emergency vs planned repair costs
81%
Downtime is preventable
$127K
Avg unplanned outage cost
Stop Pump Emergencies
Cut unplanned downtime by 81% with systematic scrap tracking.
What Is a Scrap Workflow
Scraps are small observations that signal bigger problems. A slight vibration. Unusual heat. Minor leak. Teams that capture and act on scraps prevent 81% of catastrophic failures. Teams that ignore them face emergency repairs.
Vibration & Noise45%
Leaks & Seals35%
Temp & Flow20%
The Five Scrap Categories
Every pump warning falls into one of five categories. Train your team to spot and log these patterns.
Vibration Scraps
Unusual shaking, bearing noise, shaft wobble
Leak Scraps
Seal weeps, flange drips, gland packing moisture
Temperature Scraps
Hot bearings, motor heat, discharge temp rise
Performance Scraps
Low flow, pressure drops, cavitation sounds
Electrical Scraps
Amp spikes, voltage drops, VFD faults
Visual Scraps
Corrosion spots, oil discoloration, belt wear
5-Minute Scrap Capture Workflow
Every technician follows this protocol. No observation gets lost. Every scrap becomes actionable data. Schedule a demo to see mobile scrap capture in action.
1
Observe Anomaly
Sound, smell, sight, touch
2
Classify Scrap Type
Which category does it fit?
Critical Scraps
A
Log immediately in CMMS
B
Photo/video evidence
C
Alert supervisor now
D
Schedule within 24hrs
Standard Scraps
A
Log in CMMS same shift
B
Add location & asset ID
C
Rate severity 1-5
D
Add to PM schedule
3
Work Order Created
Auto-generated from scrap
4
Verify & Close
Repair completed, scrap resolved
Capture Scraps in Seconds
Mobile app lets technicians log observations from anywhere in the field.
Cost of Ignored Scraps
A single ignored scrap can cascade into catastrophic failure. The math is simple.
Emergency Pump Rebuild
$47,000
After-Hours Callout
$3,200
Lost Production/Day
$38,000
Planned Bearing Swap
$1,800
Scrap-Based vs Reactive Maintenance
Facilities using scrap workflows see dramatically better uptime and lower costs.
Metric
Reactive
Scrap-Based
Emergency Repairs/Year
18
3
Annual Maintenance Cost
$412K
$156K
Unplanned Downtime Hours
340
48
Pump Lifespan
6 yrs
12 yrs
Critical Component Lifespans
Know replacement intervals. Log scraps before these thresholds.
Red Alerts: Immediate Action
These scraps cannot wait. Stop the pump. Investigate now.
Bearing Screech
Shutdown imminent. Check lube and temp.
Seal Spray
Major leak. Isolate and depressurize.
Cavitation Noise
Check suction. Starved pump destroys impeller.
Motor Smoking
Kill power immediately. Winding failure.
Your Pumps. Your Uptime.
Join 1,800+ water utilities with zero-surprise maintenance.
FAQ
What counts as a scrap worth logging
Anything different from normal. Slight vibration increase, minor temperature rise, small drip, unusual sound. If you notice it, log it. 90% of major failures showed warning scraps weeks before.
How do scraps become work orders
CMMS auto-routes scraps based on severity and type. Critical scraps trigger immediate alerts. Standard scraps join PM schedules. No manual handoff needed.
Why not just do scheduled PM
PM catches 40% of issues. Scrap workflows catch the other 60% that happen between scheduled checks. Together they hit 95%+ coverage.
How long does scrap logging take
Under 60 seconds on mobile. Photo, category, severity, location. That minute saves 40 hours of emergency repair.
Can part-time staff log scraps
Yes. Mobile app requires no training. Tap, photo, submit. Supervisors review and route. Everyone becomes a sensor.
