When To Replace A Component During Machine Breakdown

when to replace a component during machine breakdown

Any machine is a collection of components assembled together to construct a functional structure. For each component in a machine, there are specific breakdown characteristics and a certain trend of failures through their lifetime which are characterized by a chart. This chart representing the frequency of breakdowns with relation to various points in a component’s lifecycle is commonly known as the bath-tub curve because of the characteristic shape of the plot. The bath-tub curve consists of three distinct phases namely, early breakdown phase, useful phase and deterioration phase.
 
Early Breakdown Phase
Newly installed and commissioned equipment or component are believed to be of the correct specification to resist early breakdown but practically it is often times not found to be accurate. In fact, according to the general bath-tub curve it is observed that there is an initial period of high frequency of breakdowns which is known as the infant mortality of early breakdown period. There can be various reasons for the occurrence of early breakdowns, most of which are encountered in equipment that is user-assembled. Mass produced items are much less prone to breakdowns than the former. The abnormalities that lead to early breakdowns are mostly a function of inadequacy in following the correct method of production, not following the design sincerely or other physical factors that are de facto. Manufacturing companies always aim towards wasting lesser time and beginning production as quickly as possible, therefore, during the initial installation and commissioning, the machine is tested for abnormalities that might lead to early breakdowns. This is followed by the various processes required to move ahead of the early breakdown period.
 
Useful Phase
During the useful phase, potential problems that could cause early breakdowns are already addressed hence, the frequency of breakdown is fairly low as compared to any other phase of a machine’s lifetime. It is during this period, that maintenance becomes a rather important function to avoid breakdowns as the possibility of accidental breakdowns is lower. Hence this initiative of TPM for Proper maintenance can keep the machine running with better performance for a longer period of time.
 
Deterioration Phase
As was mentioned earlier, the lifecycle of a machine or component is more or less fixed apart from depending on several variable factors such as the quality of maintenance. As long as the components are not worn out, the breakdown is attributed to the accident but aging generally results in a higher frequency of breakdowns due to worn out parts. This is the critical period when the parts cannot be simply repaired after a breakdown. It is more economical to replace worn-out parts than to keep using them after conducting minor repairs because there would inadvertently be another breakdown if the same worn-out component is used.
 
The answer to the question, thereby, is given through the concept of natural and forced deterioration. Natural deterioration is the deterioration of an item during the course of its lifetime while forced deterioration is essentially a function of mis-operation or inadequate maintenance. Therefore, considering the bath-tub curve while relating it to the real-world scenario provides a clear picture of when to repair and when to replace a component.

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