There are various metrics used in manufacturing industry to aid maintenance planning. Amongst these are Mean Time To Failure (MTTF), Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) and Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). Each of these describes a different aspect of an assets performance and each can provide important information regarding this. These can take on additional significance when applied to obsolete and legacy equipment, such as ELAU PacDrive M. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Mean Time To Failure (MTTF): this is the average time a non-repairable asset operates before it fails and is the devices’ average life expectancy. MTTF helps understand when to expect failures, allowing for proactive maintenance planning. Analysing MTTF data can help maintenance schedule inspections and preventive maintenance before failures occur, minimising downtime and associated costs. The key to minimising MTTF is monitoring. For PacDrive – especially obsolete PacDrive M, our Machine Analyser® is an important tool.
Knowing a part’s MTTF can also help with inventory planning. For example, if the MTTF is 1000 hours and the lead time for a replacement is 100 hours, pre-ordering can be planned. Of course MTTF is an average value so the part could fail sooner (or conversely it could also fail later). However, being armed with such knowledge still helps to improve efficiency.
Mean Time To Repair (MTTR): this is the average time taken to repair a failed component or asset. It includes the time spent diagnosing the problem, obtaining spare parts and actual repair time. MTTR is crucial for assessing the efficiency of maintenance processes and the effectiveness of the repair team. Focusing on reducing MTTR helps manufacturers ensure their production lines are up and running quickly, reducing the overall impact of failures. This can be particularly important for legacy equipment as spare parts become harder to source and repair times potentially longer.
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): this is the average time between consecutive failures of a repairable asset and used to predict its reliability and performance. Calculating MTBF, can help manufacturers gain insights into the frequency of failures and plan maintenance activities accordingly. A higher MTBF indicates a more reliable system, whereas a lower MTBF suggests more frequent failures and the possible need for improved maintenance strategies.
In conclusion, MTTF, MTTR, and MTBF are valuable metrics for manufacturing industry to aid maintenance planning. They provide a comprehensive understanding of equipment reliability, repair efficiency and overall asset performance. By leveraging these metrics, manufacturers can implement proactive maintenance strategies, reduce unplanned downtime and optimise the lifecycle of their assets. This is particularly important for obsolete and legacy equipment where the availability of spare parts and repair expertise may be limited. Proactively managing these systems helps ensure their continued operation and extends their useful life. This ultimately contributes to cost savings and operational efficiency. For legacy equipment, these metrics can be the difference between well-maintained assets and ones which can potentially frequently disrupt operations.