Which Of The Following Describes Predictive Maintenance As Compared To Preventive?

• A. Uses Condition Data To Forecast Failures
• B. Is Strictly Calendar-Based
• C. Does Not Use Measurements
• D. Replaces Components After Failure

Answer: (A)

Predictive maintenance centers on monitoring the actual condition of equipment and using that data to forecast when a failure will occur, so maintenance can be done just before that point. This is exactly what the description of using condition data to forecast failures conveys.

Preventive maintenance, by contrast, relies on a calendar-based schedule or fixed usage intervals, performed regardless of the current state of the asset. The other descriptions don’t fit predictive maintenance: relying strictly on a calendar is preventive; not using measurements loses the data-driven forecasting basis; replacing components after a failure describes corrective maintenance, not predictive. In practice, you’d collect condition indicators (like vibration, temperature, oil analysis) and trend them to anticipate failures and plan maintenance proactively.