Machine Maintenance involves keeping the machine in a healthy state. This involves proper understanding of maintenance models and their applications. Machine maintenance is about about reducing the downtime of the machine or equipment by performing every maintenance task right the first time. The reasons for machinery maintenance are:
- Most machines are designed with wear components that will have a fixed service life and will require change out at the end of the component's design life. Typically in a bush bearing the shaft is harder than the bearings to allow the replaceable bush to wear than the expensive shaft. Machinery maintenance is all about identifying such components and renewing them at the end of its run before the components fails in service, which can result in secondary damages.
- The machines also have lubrication and cooling systems to enhance the life of the components and maintenance is to make such systems work without fail.
- The machines do handle fluids and solids and will require periodical internal check up and cleaning to make sure it continues to perform at the design level
- Machinery maintenance is all about handling all such activities in planned manner to ensure that the objectives of the production are achieved without interruption.
Mean Time Between Failures - Th average available time ( in Hours) of an equipment between the occurred breakdowns for a particular period.
Mean Time To Repair/ Restore - The average time taken / spent by the Maintenance team to fix the breakdown occurred equipment for a particular period.
Mean Time Between Failure - The average amount of operating time between consecutive breakdowns for an item of equipment (or plant).
Formula= Operating Time /No of failures or Breakdown event.
where ,
1.Operating time is productive time plus production delays
2. Number of failures or breakdown events is the number of failures on an item of equipment (or plant).
IF MTBF is more it means, Maintenance effort required is decreasing. Maintenance practices / mechanisms are effective. Failure frequency is decreasing. Operating conditions are improving
IF MTBF is less it means , Maintenance effort required is increasing. Maintenance practices / mechanisms are ineffective. Failure frequency is increasing. Operating conditions are deteriorating.