Keeping a fleet working.
WHAT REQUIRES INTERVENTION
Battery replacement Sensor calibration or replacement Physical damage Cleaning, in dusty or exposed environments Devices that fail unrecoverably
WHAT TO PLAN BEFORE DEPLOYMENT
How often each will be needed What it costs per visit Who performs it
WHY VISIT COST DOMINATES
It frequently exceeds the device's value, and determines whether the deployment is viable.
WHAT REDUCES VISITS
Longer battery life Self-diagnosis reducing wasted trips Batching maintenance geographically Designing for quick replacement rather than repair
WHY REPLACEMENT OVER REPAIR
Field repair requires skill, time and parts; swapping a unit does not.
WHAT TO DESIGN FOR
Swapping in minutes, without tools where possible.
WHAT SPARES TO HOLD
Enough for expected failures plus a margin, given import lead times.
WHY THAT MATTERS HERE
Replacement parts can take weeks to arrive.
WHAT TO RECORD
Every intervention: what, when, why, by whom.
WHAT THAT ENABLES
Failure rate analysis, and warranty claims.
WHAT TO REVIEW
Which failures recur, and whether design changes would prevent them.
