This thesis describes the role of cost effective maintenance in achieving competitive advantages. It explores by means of a survey which maintenance practices are used, and how maintenance policies are selected in Swedish industries. Also, it suggests a model for selecting the most cost effective maintenance policy, and how to improve the effectiveness of condition based maintenance decision-making. Finally it discusses how to assess the impact of maintenance practices on business strategic objectives. The main results achieved in the thesis are 1) A better understanding of maintenance organisation, management, systems and maintenance status in Swedish industry. For example, it was found that about 70% of Swedish companies still consider maintenance as a cost centre. Preventive and predictive maintenance approaches are also emphasised. 2) Most Swedish firms, i.e. about 81%, use the accumulated knowledge and experience within the company as a method for maintenance selection. Besides, about 31% use a method based on modelling the time to failure and optimisation. About 10% use failure mode effect and criticality analysis (FMECA) and decision trees and only 2% use multiple criterion decision-making (MCDM). However, the most used maintenance selection method is not the one most satisfactory to its users. Furthermore, about 30% use a combination of at least two methods. 3) A practical model for selecting and improving the most cost effective maintenance policy was developed. It is characterised by incorporating all the strengths of the four methods used in industry. 4) A mechanistic model for predicting the value of vibration level was verified both at the lab and in a case study. 5) A model for identifying, assessing, monitoring and improving the economic impact of maintenance was developed and tested in a case study. Thus it was proved that maintenance is no longer a cost centre, but could be a profit-generating function. To achieve competitive advantages, companies should do the right thing, e.g. use the most cost effective maintenance policy, and they should do it right, e.g. ensure that they have the right competence. Furthermore, they should apply the never-ending improvement cycle, i.e. Plan-Do-Check-Act, which requires identifying problem areas by assessing the savings and profits generated by maintenance and monitoring the economic impact of the applied maintenance policy. Thus, they would know where investments should be allocated to eliminate the basic reasons for losses and increase savings. The major conclusion is that proper maintenance would improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of production systems, and hence enhances company competitiveness, i.e. productivity and value advantages, and long-term profitability.

<p>Abstract</p><p>The aim of this thesis is to show the company the importance and the necessity of the maintenance, trough highlighting its role and impact on company’s profitability and competitiveness, and that’s happened within the analysing of the plant to figure out the failures and short stoppages, find out the causes behind them, convert them into money and the last step is to find out the most suitable and cost effective maintenance strategy based on some important factors such as economy, and quality to probably eliminate or reduce the number of failures and short stoppages. According to the analysis, capacity verifying data collection which the company has done during a random working daily shift and a technical faults list about the possibly failures and short stoppages which occur during the operation, it shows that there are some downtime due to management, operation and logistic, but the main focus was on the technical faults which has correlation with maintenance. In the result it shows which technical and mechanical problems the machines usually faces, the causes behind them, how much it cost the company when they breaks down and finally some suggestions and recommendations about how these problems can probably be solved based on economy and quality.</p> / <p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Syftet med denna rapport är att visa hur viktigt och nödvändigt det är med att underhålla företagens maskiner och utrustningar, därför att det har stor påverkan på företagens lönsamhet och konkurrens och det skedde genom att analysera företagens produktions process, lista ut haverier och avbrott, hitta orsakerna som ligger bakom det, konvertera det till pengar och försöka lösa problemen genom att hitta den mesta lämpligaste underhåll strategi baserande på ekonomi och kvalitet. Enligt analysen som utfördes genom studiet, kapacitet verifiering data insamlingen som företaget gjorde under en slumpmässig arbetsdag skift och ett tekniskt fel lisat på eventuella avbrott och haverier. Det visade sig att det finns vissa stopp tider som har samband med management, operation, och logistik, men uppgiften är mer fokuserad på de tekniska problemen som har samband med underhåll. I resultatet ser man vilka tekniska och mekaniska problem som brukar angripa maskinerna, orsakerna som ligger bakom de, hur mycket det kostar företaget för varje maskin när den är ur funktionen, samt några förslag på eventuella lösningar och rekommendationer baserande på ekonomi och kvalitet.</p>

The aim of this thesis is to show the company the importance and the necessity of the maintenance, trough highlighting its role and impact on company’s profitability and competitiveness, and that’s happened within the analysing of the plant to figure out the failures and short stoppages, find out the causes behind them, convert them into money and the last step is to find out the most suitable and cost effective maintenance strategy based on some important factors such as economy, and quality to probably eliminate or reduce the number of failures and short stoppages. According to the analysis, capacity verifying data collection which the company has done during a random working daily shift and a technical faults list about the possibly failures and short stoppages which occur during the operation, it shows that there are some downtime due to management, operation and logistic, but the main focus was on the technical faults which has correlation with maintenance. In the result it shows which technical and mechanical problems the machines usually faces, the causes behind them, how much it cost the company when they breaks down and finally some suggestions and recommendations about how these problems can probably be solved based on economy and quality. / Syftet med denna rapport är att visa hur viktigt och nödvändigt det är med att underhålla företagens maskiner och utrustningar, därför att det har stor påverkan på företagens lönsamhet och konkurrens och det skedde genom att analysera företagens produktions process, lista ut haverier och avbrott, hitta orsakerna som ligger bakom det, konvertera det till pengar och försöka lösa problemen genom att hitta den mesta lämpligaste underhåll strategi baserande på ekonomi och kvalitet. Enligt analysen som utfördes genom studiet, kapacitet verifiering data insamlingen som företaget gjorde under en slumpmässig arbetsdag skift och ett tekniskt fel lisat på eventuella avbrott och haverier. Det visade sig att det finns vissa stopp tider som har samband med management, operation, och logistik, men uppgiften är mer fokuserad på de tekniska problemen som har samband med underhåll. I resultatet ser man vilka tekniska och mekaniska problem som brukar angripa maskinerna, orsakerna som ligger bakom de, hur mycket det kostar företaget för varje maskin när den är ur funktionen, samt några förslag på eventuella lösningar och rekommendationer baserande på ekonomi och kvalitet.