A practical maintenance framework to determine a maintenance plan starting from experience-based maintenance

Abstract

Maintenance of complex machines or assemblies is an essential part of machine-building companies. Besides building and designing machines, they are responsible for replacing components and restoring the machines to maintain good operational conditions. An optimal maintenance plan ensures that customers spend less on maintenance and remain satisfied. Also, for the machine builders, an optimal maintenance plan shows efficient use of the service mechanics, trust in the machines and the quality of the knowledge. This research aims to create a maintenance framework that leads to a suitable maintenance plan starting from experience-based maintenance. The framework proposes steps in which initial data points are collected, calculates the maintenance intervals and estimates values for a failure distribution to obtain knowledge of components, while it is still manageable (practical) for the service department. Eventually, this paper shows the benefits of the proposed maintenance framework relative to maintenance based on experiences like reactive maintenance. A simulation model has been developed, showing the KPIs of the framework and results from the framework. In addition to the simulations, this project provides guidelines for the service department to implement the framework.