Thesis-1979-Sherwin.pdf (8.9 MB)
Reliability applied to maintenance
thesis
posted on 2012-10-31, 14:02 authored by David J. SherwinThe thesis covers studies conducted during 1976-79 under a
Science Research Council contract to examine the uses of reliability
information in decision-making in maintenance in the process industries.
After a discussion of the ideal data system, four practical studies
of process plants are described involving both Pareto and distribution
analysis. In two of these studies the maintenance policy was changed
and the effect on failure modes and frequency observed. Hyper-exponentially
distributed failure intervals were found to be common and were explained
after observation of maintenance work practices and development of
theory as being due to poor workmanship and parts. The fallacy that
constant failure rate necessarily implies the optimality of maintenance
only at failure is discussed.
Two models for the optimisation of inspection intervals are
developed; both assume items give detectable warning of impending failure.
The first is based upon constant risk of failure between successive
inspections 'and Weibull base failure distribution~ Results show that
an inspection/on-condition maintenance regime can be cost effective
even when the failure rate is falling and may be better than periodiC
renewals for an increasing failure situation. The second model is first-order Markov. Transition rate matrices are developed and solved
to compare continuous monitoring with inspections/on-condition
maintenance an a cost basis. The models incorporate planning delay
in starting maintenance after impending failure is detected.
The relationships between plant output and maintenance policy
as affected by the presence of redundancy and/or storage between stages
are examined, mainly through the literature but with some original
theoretical proposals.
It is concluded that reliability techniques have many applications
in the improvement of plant maintenance policy. Techniques abound,
but few firms are willing to take the step of faith to set up, even
temporarily, the data-collection facilities required to apply them.
There are over 350 references, many of which are reviewed in the
text, divided into chapter-related sectionso
Appendices include a review of Reliability Engineering Theory,
based on the author's draft for BS 5760(2) a discussion of the 'bath-tub
curves' applicability to maintained systems and the theory connecting
hyper-exponentially distributed failures with poor maintenance
practices.
Funding
Terotechnology, Reliability, Maintenance,
History
School
- Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
Department
- Chemical Engineering
Publisher
© David John SherwinPublication date
1979Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.EThOS Persistent ID
uk.bl.ethos.472459Language
- en