What is Breakdown Maintenance: Definition, Types, & Examples?
Breakdown maintenance, often termed as reactive maintenance, is a strategy carried out when equipment fails or breaks down. Instead of conducting routine inspections and maintenance tasks, breakdown maintenance is usually the 'run it until it breaks' maintenance approach. The two main types of breakdown maintenance are unplanned and planned. Unplanned breakdown maintenance involves repairing equipment after unexpected breakdowns, while planned breakdown maintenance is a more proactive strategy that includes repairs as part of a regular workflow.
For instance, an example of unplanned maintenance could involve a production line motor failing unexpectedly, and the subsequent necessary repairs cause unplanned equipment downtime. On the contrary, a planned breakdown maintenance example might involve the replacement of machinery parts as and when they fail, which is part of a known and expected process.
Why Is Breakdown Maintenance Important?
While it might seem counterproductive to wait until machinery breaks down before fixing it, breakdown maintenance has its role and importance. It’s typically applied to machines whose disruptions don't significantly impact operations or are characterized by low repair/replacement costs. In such instances, it might be more cost-efficient to simply run the equipment to failure and then replace it. Breakdown maintenance can thus conserve resources in particular scenarios.
Key Features of Breakdown Maintenance
- Reactive Approach: Breakdown maintenance is conducted after the equipment has already failed or broken down.
- Unpredictability: Since maintenance is not scheduled, breakdowns can occur at unexpected and inconvenient times.
- Low Initial Cost: Because no money is spent on inspections and maintenance until the machine breaks down, initial costs may be lower.
Benefits of Breakdown Maintenance
- Reduction of Unnecessary Maintenance: Since maintenance is only carried out when failure occurs, resources are not wasted on unnecessary routine maintenance.
- Lower Initial Costs: No staffing or resources are needed to regularly inspect and maintain equipment, leading to lower initial costs.
- Useful for Non-Critical Equipment: Breakdown maintenance is beneficial for non-essential equipment that doesn't impact the workflow when broken.
Implementing Breakdown Maintenance Effectively
The success in implementing a breakdown maintenance strategy depends on understanding the machinery involved and the potential impact of its failure. It's crucial to only apply this strategy to non-critical equipment with low failure rates and replacement costs. Also, it's important that teams are adequately prepared to handle the breakdown effectively when it occurs. Having replacement parts on hand and training staff to manage equipment failures swiftly can ensure minimal disruptions when equipment breaks down.
Top 5 FAQs on Breakdown Maintenance
- 1. When is the right time to conduct breakdown maintenance?
- Breakdown maintenance should be conducted when non-critical equipment that has low failure rates and costly preventive maintenance breaks down.
- 2. What are the types of breakdown maintenance?
- The two main types of breakdown maintenance are unplanned and planned.
- 3. Can breakdown maintenance be risky?
- Yes, breakdown maintenance can potentially risk safety and result in equipment downtime, especially in case of critical machinery.
- 4. Why is breakdown maintenance important?
- Breakdown maintenance can potentially save on resources by skipping unnecessary routine maintenance for non-critical equipment.
- 5. What are some challenges in breakdown maintenance?
- Some challenges include unexpected downtimes, impact on production, potential safety risks and potentially higher repair costs due to urgency.
