A sequential method for preventive maintenance and replacement of a repairable single-unit system

• Published in: The Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 52; no. 11; pp. 1276 - 1283
• Main Authors: Lai, K K, Leung, K N F, Tao, B, Wang, S Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis 01.11.2001; Palgrave Macmillan Press; Palgrave Macmillan UK; Palgrave; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Business and Management; corrective maintenance; Distribution functions; Engine transmissions; Exact sciences and technology; Increasing functions; loss; Maintenance; Maintenance costs; Maintenance management; Management; Mathematical functions; Mathematical models; Mathematical theorems; Minimization of cost; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Operations research; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Preventive maintenance; Rapid prototyping; Reliability theory. Replacement problems; replacement; sequential method; Sequential scheduling; Studies; Theoretical Paper; Theoretical Papers; corrective maintenance; sequential method; loss; replacement; preventive maintenance; Loss function; Optimal strategy; Sequential method; Replacement problem; Loss rate; Loss system; Preventive maintenance
• ISSN: 0160-5682; 1476-9360
• DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2601218

This paper is concerned with when to implement preventive maintenance (PM) and replacement for a repairable 'single-unit' system in use. Under the main assumption that a 'single-unit' system gradually deteriorates with time, a sequential method is proposed to determine an optimal PM and replacement strategy for the system based on minimising expected loss rate. According to this method, PM epochs are determined one after the other, and consequently we can make use of all previous information on the operation process of the system. Also the replacement epoch depends on the effective age of the system. A numerical example shows that the sequential method can be used to solve the PM and replacement problem of a 'single-unit' system efficiently. Some properties of the loss functions W(L̄ n ,b̄ n ) and W̄ r (N) with respect to PM and replacement respectively are discussed in the appendix.