There’s nothing worse than uncertainty, especially in the world of manufacturing. When manufacturers can’t rely on their equipment to perform correctly, it opens the door to a host of problems. Sudden breakdowns interrupt production and throw timelines off track. Inconsistent product quality can damage consumer confidence in the brand. Inefficient operations can cause costs to spiral out of control. That’s why industrial maintenance teams must make preserving reliability the cornerstone of their efforts.
Defining reliability in maintenance
Reliability in manufacturing is defined as equipment performing its intended function without failure for a specific amount of time under stated conditions. The most common metric used within the industry to measure reliability is Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF).
It’s important to distinguish between reliability and other similar concepts such as availability and maintainability. Availability is defined as the percentage of time equipment is ready for use, without considering its performance during operation. Maintainability, on the other hand, refers to how quickly and easily a specific piece of machinery can be repaired.
Why reliability matters for manufacturers
Reliability has a significant impact on manufacturing operations. When reliability is high, production experiences fewer disruptions and less downtime. It also helps prevent costly repairs that can cause inflated overhead. When equipment performs predictably, it also means lower safety risks to workers because there’s less chance of machinery suddenly breaking down and causing injuries.
Ensuring high reliability in manufacturing plants is a competitive advantage because it means higher overall productivity and more consistent quality in the finished products.
Key factors that influence reliability
Some of the most important factors that have a direct impact on equipment reliability in manufacturing environments include:
- Equipment design and build quality
- Proper installation and commissioning
- Operator skill and ongoing training
- Maintenance practices, such as using preventive/predictive practices over reactive strategies
- Environmental conditions including temperature, dust, vibration, etc.
- Data-driven decision-making and continuous monitoring
Measuring reliability in maintenance
Manufacturers have a variety of KPIs they can track to measure the reliability of their equipment in practice. These include:
- Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): Measures how often equipment fails or breaks down
- Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): Mainly associated with maintainability, but can be helpful in spotting gaps in reliability for equipment
- Failure Rate: Used to determine the percentage of assets failing in a given period
Manufacturers who want to ensure the most accurate tracking of these metrics can utilize CMMS software and predictive analytics to gain a comprehensive understanding of what the data shows them. It can be helpful to compare benchmarks across similar equipment types, as well.
Strategies to improve reliability
Some practical steps manufacturers can take to improve the reliability of their equipment include:
- Implementing preventive and predictive maintenance strategies
- Performing regular condition monitoring including vibration, oil and thermal analysis
- Using root cause failure analysis to eliminate recurring issues
- Standardizing maintenance procedures and training programs
- Investing in reliability-centered maintenance approaches
- Leveraging AI and IIoT technology for real-time monitoring and proactive interventions
Reliability in the context of maintenance strategies
Modern maintenance strategies go beyond simply reacting to breakdowns when they occur, focusing instead on taking steps to predict and prevent such incidents before they happen. All of these can have a positive impact on asset reliability. For example, preventive maintenance increases reliability by addressing worn-out components before they have a chance to cause failure. Predictive maintenance techniques utilize advanced data analytics to find low-cost strategies for maximizing reliability, while proactive maintenance is focused on eliminating the root causes of unreliable performance.
Focusing on reliability across operations
Ensuring equipment remains as reliable as possible can have a huge impact on keeping manufacturing operations safe, productive and reliable. ATS provides manufacturers with the skilled reliability engineers and proven strategies needed to improve their MTBF. Our ability to scale from short-term support to a fully comprehensive maintenance program makes us the ideal partner for operations focused on improving their overall reliability. To learn more about what we can do for you, reach out and speak with a member of our team.
