Strategically optimum maintenance of monitoring‐enabled multi‐component systems using continuous‐time jump deterioration models

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to analyze strategically optimal maintenance actions for a multi‐component system whose deterioration is observed through a monitoring system set in place to support condition‐based maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

Deterioration of a multi‐component system is modeled by a continuous‐time jump diffusion model which incorporates interaction between the components of the system. A simulation‐based optimization heuristic is developed to obtain strategically optimum maintenance actions. The methodology is applied to an illustrative example.

Findings

The article finds that the framework facilitates analyzing at a strategic level the role of degree of response to the deterioration of components for the overall functionality of a multi‐component system. The optimal solution for the illustrative example recommends a provider to perform a variety of opportunistic maintenance.

Practical implications

In this article, a framework is developed to determine strategically optimal maintenance actions for a multi‐component system whose deterioration is observed in real‐time through embedded monitoring units set in place to support condition‐based maintenance (CBM). The framework facilitates analyzing at a strategic level the role of degree of response to the deterioration of components for the overall functionality of a multi‐component system. A strategically optimal maintenance policy can then be enhanced to develop a detailed tactical maintenance strategy. This approach is expected to benefit the management of long‐term service agreements, where a service contract is sold bundled with a product, which makes a provider responsible for maintaining the product over a specified contract period.

Originality/value

Besides a tactical approach for performing maintenance, in order to stay profitable in the long‐run, a decision maker needs to assess the strategic performance of maintenance strategies adopted. This framework is a first attempt to facilitate this analysis at a strategic level for a monitoring‐enabled multi‐component system.

Citation

Gupta, A. and Lawsirirat, C. (2006), "Strategically optimum maintenance of monitoring‐enabled multi‐component systems using continuous‐time jump deterioration models", Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 306-329. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552510610685138