🛠️ Maintenance Pocket Guide – Top 20 Maintenance Terms Every Professional Must Know
In the world of Manufacturing, Production, Maintenance, and Operations, professionals often come across a variety of terms related to equipment care and upkeep.
Understanding these terminologies is essential to ensure smooth operations, minimize downtime, and enhance overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
In this post, we will explore the Top 20 Maintenance Terms that every professional should know.
🔍 Top 20 Maintenance Terminologies
1. Preventive Maintenance (PM)
Scheduled maintenance performed to prevent equipment failures before they occur.
2. Time-based Maintenance (TBM)
Maintenance carried out at predetermined time intervals regardless of equipment condition.
3. Condition-based Maintenance (CBM)
Maintenance based on real-time monitoring of equipment condition.
4. Reactive Maintenance
Also known as “Run-to-Failure” maintenance; performed only after equipment breaks down.
5. Breakdown Maintenance
Emergency repair performed after a sudden failure of machinery.
6. Corrective Maintenance
Action taken to fix issues found during inspections or after minor failures.
7. Predictive Maintenance
Uses data and predictive analytics to forecast when equipment is likely to fail.
8. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
A holistic approach focusing on improving equipment effectiveness through employee involvement.
9. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)
Process of identifying the most effective maintenance strategy for assets.
10. Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
Average time required to repair a piece of equipment after failure.
11. Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
Average time between one equipment failure and the next.
12. Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)
Expected lifespan of non-repairable equipment before it fails.
13. Mean Waiting Time (MWT)
Average waiting time before maintenance begins after a breakdown is reported.
14. Total Breakdown Time
Total time lost due to equipment failures over a specific period.
15. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
A metric that measures manufacturing productivity (Availability × Performance × Quality).
16. Shutdown Maintenance
Maintenance performed during planned shutdowns of a plant or machine.
17. Level of Repair Analysis (LORA)
Decision-making process to determine whether equipment should be repaired, replaced, or upgraded.
18. Run-to-Failure
Deliberate decision to allow equipment to operate until it breaks down.
19. Deferred Maintenance
Postponed maintenance activities due to budget, resources, or scheduling constraints.
20. Lockout Tagout (LOTO)
Safety procedure ensuring that machines are properly shut off and not restarted until maintenance work is complete.
🚀 Why These Terms Matter?
Familiarity with these terms helps professionals:
- Improve communication within teams
- Enhance equipment reliability and uptime
- Plan better preventive & predictive strategies
- Reduce unexpected breakdowns
✅ Master these 20 maintenance terms and take a step forward in becoming an effective Manufacturing / Maintenance professional.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Maintenance Terms
1. What are the 4 types of maintenance?
The four main types of maintenance are: Preventive, Predictive, Corrective, and Reactive Maintenance.
2. What is the difference between preventive and predictive maintenance?
- Preventive Maintenance is scheduled at fixed intervals to avoid failures.
- Predictive Maintenance uses data and condition monitoring to predict when failure may occur.
3. What does OEE mean in maintenance?
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) is a metric used to measure manufacturing productivity by combining availability, performance, and quality.
4. What is TPM in manufacturing?
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a holistic approach that focuses on improving equipment efficiency and involving all employees in maintenance activities.
5. What is the importance of maintenance terminology?
Understanding maintenance terms helps professionals improve communication, reduce breakdowns, plan better strategies, and enhance overall equipment reliability.