REACTIVE means - wait to something happen to act.
PROACTIVE means- Anticipate the actions before something happen.
Predictive and Preventive maintenance are strategies to anticipate the consequences. Predictive should have "Run to Failure" data as the baseline data for life expectancy. You can predict when a part will fail.
Corrective Maintenance or repair failures are Reactive mode.
RCM propose several strategies in maintenance according with the Operative Context and consequences in the asset and organization, in some cases is better works in the case "Run to Fail".
Proactive maintenance is some improvement for solving problem or increase production and reduce cost, including quality. Proactive maintenance is based on records and facts. We can for sure minimize down time by planning ahead based on records and observations. Some improvement you take from RCA (root cause analysis) and KAIZEN (continuous improvement). As I see it, Proactive Maintenance is when you get into the job and are working your scheduled Preventative maintenance and during that job you see other potential issues. You can also conduct Proactive maintenance when addressing Run to Failure issues. You already have control off the machine/tool, fix what you find along with what you originally intended. Be Proactive in addressing potential issues before you have to go through the pain of Run to Failure, Predictive and Preventative. Document your additional corrections and add to your Preventative Schedule.
if we analyze and understand the PF-Curve, we can see when is reactive and when is proactive, when our maintenance team does something to avoid the functional failures we are being proactive , if we wait until the equipment loss the function and stop and then repair we are being reactive.
If we look at the 3 pillars of Lean maintenance, these are: Proactive, Preventative and Predictive maintenance. Combined, these are reputed to be the current "Best in Class" maintenance solution. As everyone has been saying, Reactive is usually the result of "Run to Failure" but sometimes can be the unpredictable breakdown Predictive, Preventative; Proactive should all dovetail within each other in a circle. No one way can function efficiently without the other two.