Corrective or Breakdown maintenance is one of four types of Maintenance. 

In this article, I will cover the definition of breakdown maintenance, causes of breakdown, advantages and disadvantages of breakdown maintenance.

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What is Breakdown Maintenance?

What are the causes of equipment breakdown?

Equipment breakdowns can stem from a variety of factors, but some of the most common culprits can be categorized into two main areas: human factors and mechanical wear and tear.

Human Factors:

• Improper operation: Using equipment beyond its capacity, exceeding recommended speeds, or neglecting proper startup and shutdown procedures can all contribute to premature wear and tear. In some cases, inadequate operator training can lead to accidental misuse.
• Lack of preventive maintenance: Regular maintenance is crucial for catching minor issues before they snowball into major breakdowns. Skipping scheduled inspections, lubrication, or replacements can significantly shorten a machine’s lifespan.
• Ignoring warning signs: Equipment often communicates its health through unusual noises, vibrations, or error messages. Ignoring these warnings can allow problems to fester and lead to more serious failures.

Mechanical Wear and Tear:

• Normal aging: All equipment has a finite lifespan. Over time, components wear out, fatigue, and become more susceptible to failure.
• Environmental factors: Dust, moisture, extreme temperatures, or corrosive materials can accelerate wear and tear on equipment.
• Overuse or overloading: Constantly pushing a machine beyond its rated capacity places excessive stress on its components, leading to breakdowns.

Here are some additional factors that can contribute to equipment breakdowns:

• Power fluctuations: Sudden spikes or dips in voltage can damage electrical components.
• Poor quality parts: Using substandard replacement parts can compromise performance and reliability.
• Design flaws: In rare cases, inherent design issues within a machine can make it more prone to breakdowns.

Why Corrective or Breakdown Maintenance May be Justified For Small Factories?

Corrective, or breakdown, maintenance can be a surprisingly justifiable strategy for some small factories, despite its reactive nature. Here’s why:

Lower upfront costs:

Small factories might have limited resources for implementing a comprehensive preventive maintenance program. Hiring dedicated maintenance staff, acquiring diagnostic tools, and stocking spare parts can be significant initial investments. Breakdown maintenance avoids these upfront costs, allowing them to allocate funds towards production.

Simple equipment:

Small factories often utilize less complex machinery compared to larger facilities. For this simpler equipment, breakdowns might be easier to diagnose and repair, potentially by in-house staff with minimal specialized training. The cost of a single breakdown might be lower than the cost of a preventive maintenance program for such equipment.

Low production demands:

If a small factory operates with consistent, manageable production levels, the risk of unplanned downtime due to breakdowns might be less disruptive. They might have more flexibility to absorb these disruptions without significant impacts on overall output.

Redundant equipment:

Some small factories might have backup equipment for critical processes. In such cases, a breakdown in one machine might not halt production entirely. They can rely on the backup while they address the issue in the primary machine.

Here’s a key point to remember:

Breakdown maintenance is most suitable for low-criticality equipment. This means the equipment that fails wouldn’t cause safety hazards, significant production delays, or spoil expensive materials.

However, it’s important to acknowledge the drawbacks of breakdown maintenance:

• Unpredictable downtime: Breakdowns can occur at any time, causing disruptions to production schedules and potentially impacting customer deliveries.
• Potential for data loss: In some cases, equipment failure can lead to data loss, which can be a major setback for a small factory.
• Increased repair costs: Waiting for a breakdown to occur can sometimes lead to more extensive damage, resulting in higher repair costs compared to preventive maintenance.

The decision of whether to adopt breakdown maintenance should be based on a cost-benefit analysis. Small factories should consider:

• The criticality of their equipment
• The potential costs of downtime
• The complexity of their machinery
• Their in-house repair capabilities
• Their budget for maintenance

Advantages of Breakdown Maintenance:

Breakdown maintenance, while not ideal for every situation, offers some distinct advantages that can be attractive to businesses, particularly small factories:

• Reduced Costs Upfront: Implementing a preventive maintenance program requires investment in personnel, training, tools, and spare parts. Breakdown maintenance avoids these initial costs, allowing businesses to allocate those resources elsewhere, especially beneficial for budget-conscious small factories.
• Simpler Equipment, Simpler Fixes: Small factories often rely on less complex machinery compared to larger facilities. Diagnosing and repairing breakdowns on this equipment might be more manageable, potentially by in-house staff with minimal specialized training. The cost of a single breakdown might be lower than the cost of preventive maintenance for such equipment.
• Manageable Downtime Impact: If a small factory operates with consistent, predictable production levels, the impact of unplanned downtime due to breakdowns might be less disruptive. They might have more flexibility to absorb these disruptions without significantly impacting overall output.
• Redundancy for Critical Processes: Some small factories might have backup equipment for critical processes. In such cases, a breakdown in one machine might not entirely halt production. They can rely on the backup while they address the issue in the primary machine.
• Focus on Fixing, Not Preventing (Sometimes): Breakdown maintenance allows a business to focus its maintenance efforts on directly addressing problems when they arise. This can be advantageous if breakdowns are infrequent and the equipment in question has a low likelihood of catastrophic failure.

It’s important to remember: These advantages apply best to non-critical equipment in situations where downtime isn’t excessively costly. Breakdown maintenance should not be used for equipment that could cause safety hazards or significant production delays.

Disadvantages of Breakdown Maintenance:

Breakdown maintenance, while seemingly straightforward, comes with a set of significant drawbacks that can impact businesses in various ways. Here’s a breakdown (pun intended) of the key disadvantages:

• Unplanned Downtime: The biggest hurdle with breakdown maintenance is the lack of predictability. Equipment failures can occur at any time, causing unexpected disruptions to production schedules. This throws a wrench into operations, potentially delaying deliveries and frustrating customers.
• Increased Repair Costs: The allure of waiting for a breakdown to fix things might seem cost-effective initially. However, the reality is often different. By waiting for a complete failure, you risk more extensive damage to the equipment. Imagine a small leak in a pipe turning into a burst pipe causing flooding. These extensive repairs can be significantly more expensive than the routine maintenance that could have prevented the failure in the first place.
• Safety Hazards: Equipment failure can pose serious safety threats to personnel and surrounding areas. A malfunctioning machine could cause injuries or even worse, if proper safety measures aren’t in place. Breakdown maintenance increases the risk of such incidents compared to proactive maintenance that identifies and addresses potential issues before they escalate.
• Reduced Equipment Lifespan: Constantly pushing equipment to its limits until it fails takes a toll. The ongoing wear and tear without intervention leads to a shorter lifespan for the machinery. This translates to needing to replace equipment more frequently, adding to overall costs.
• Potential for Data Loss: In today’s digital age, many machines are critical for data storage and processing. A breakdown in such equipment can lead to data loss, which can be a crippling setback for a business.
• Lower Employee Morale: Unplanned downtime due to breakdowns can lead to frustration and decreased morale among employees. The uncertainty and disruption can negatively impact their productivity and overall work satisfaction.

While breakdown maintenance might seem like a quick fix, the potential consequences can be significant. For most businesses, the advantages of proactive maintenance strategies like preventive or predictive maintenance far outweigh the drawbacks of breakdown maintenance.

Conclusion:

breakdown maintenance can be a useful tool in a maintenance toolbox, but it should not be the default strategy. For critical equipment or situations where downtime is costly, proactive maintenance approaches like preventive and predictive maintenance are generally recommended. The ideal maintenance strategy should strike a balance between minimizing costs and mitigating risks to ensure operational efficiency and safety.

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