A model of industrial maintenance control

The objective of an industrial maintenance system is to minimise the `total¿¿ costs of both production downtime and direct maintenance expenditure. The paper presents a model of the feedback processes and communication required to control a maintenance system. A comprehensive costing system is necessary to direct effort to those areas offering the greatest potential benefit. The extensive variety of equipment and the irregular occurrence of breakdown makes statistical analysis of problem areas both lengthy and expensive. Maintenance policy can be improved either in the form of changes to the effectiveness of the maintenance effort by adoption and subsequent control of a preventive maintenance scheme, or by establishment of procedures to enable the maintenance work load to be completed efficiently and hence improve productivity.