Asset Availability

Asset availability is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the proportion of time an asset can perform its intended function relative to the total time it is required or expected to function. It is expressed as a percentage and calculated over a specified period, such as a month, quarter, or year.

Asset availability is a critical metric for maintenance organizations as it directly impacts production capacity, service delivery, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The higher the availability, the more efficiently an organization can utilize its assets to generate value.

Data and Illustration: WorkTrek

Two main factors influence availability:

1. Uptime: When an asset is functioning and available for use. This includes both productive time (when the asset is actively producing goods or delivering services) and standby time (when the asset is not in use but is ready to operate when needed).
2. Downtime: The time during which an asset is not available for use due to planned maintenance, unplanned breakdowns, repairs, or other reasons, such as lack of raw materials or operators.

Asset Availability Calculator

Availability (%) = (Uptime / (Uptime + Downtime)) x 100

For example, if an asset has an uptime of 450 hours and a downtime of 50 hours over 500 hours, its availability would be:

Availability (%) = (450 / (450 + 50)) x 100 = 90%

How to Improve Asset Availability?

To improve asset availability, maintenance organizations can implement the following strategies:

1. Preventive Maintenance (PM): Establish a robust PM program to maintain assets regularly based on time, usage, or condition. This helps prevent failures, extend asset life, and reduce unplanned downtime. PM activities may include inspections, lubrication, adjustments, cleaning, and parts replacement.
2. Predictive Maintenance (PdM): Implement PdM techniques, such as vibration analysis, thermography, and oil analysis, to monitor asset conditions in real-time and predict potential failures. This allows maintenance to be scheduled proactively, minimizing disruptions to production and reducing downtime.
3. Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM): Apply RCM principles to optimize maintenance strategies based on asset criticality and failure modes. This involves analyzing failure data, assessing risks, and selecting the most appropriate maintenance tactics (e.g., PM, PdM, or run-to-failure) for each asset to maximize availability and cost-effectiveness.
4. Maintenance Planning and Scheduling: Optimize maintenance planning and scheduling to minimize the impact on production. This includes aligning maintenance with production schedules, bundling tasks to reduce downtime, and ensuring the availability of parts, tools, and skilled technicians.
5. Spare Parts Management: Implement an effective spare parts management system to ensure the timely availability of critical spare parts. This involves maintaining optimal inventory levels, establishing reliable supply chains, and using data analytics to predict future spare parts requirements.
6. Maintenance Workflow Optimization: Streamline maintenance workflows to reduce repair times and improve efficiency. This may involve implementing lean principles, standardizing procedures, improving team communication and coordination, and leveraging mobile devices and CMMS technology.
7. Operator-Driven Reliability (ODR): Engage and train operators to perform basic maintenance tasks, such as cleaning, inspections, and minor adjustments. This helps identify potential issues early, reduces the workload on maintenance technicians, and fosters a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
8. Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Conduct thorough RCA of failures and downtime events to identify and address underlying causes. This helps prevent recurring issues, improve asset reliability, and optimize maintenance strategies.
9. Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing maintenance performance, setting targets, and implementing improvement initiatives. This may involve using tools such as Kaizen events, Six Sigma, or Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
10. Technology Adoption: Leverage advanced technologies, such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented reality (AR), to enable real-time asset monitoring, predictive maintenance, remote assistance, and data-driven decision-making.

Data and Illustration: WorkTrek

By implementing these strategies, maintenance organizations can significantly improve asset availability, reduce downtime, and optimize maintenance costs. However, the specific approaches will vary depending on the organization’s unique context, assets, and goals. A tailored, holistic approach that combines multiple strategies and involves stakeholders from across the organization is often the most effective way to drive sustainable improvements in asset availability.

Mistakes Organizations make Regarding Asset Availability.

Asset availability is a critical metric for operational efficiency, yet many organizations fall short in managing it effectively due to common mistakes. These errors not only reduce availability but also increase costs and disrupt workflows. Below are some of the most prevalent mistakes:

1. Lack of Predictive Maintenance
   Many organizations still rely on reactive or time-based maintenance instead of predictive maintenance. Reactive strategies wait for failures, leading to unplanned downtime, while time-based maintenance often results in unnecessary servicing. Predictive maintenance uses data to anticipate failures, optimizing availability and resource utilization.
2. Inadequate Asset Monitoring
   Failing to implement real-time monitoring systems limits an organization’s ability to track the condition of assets. Identifying issues before they escalate becomes difficult without accurate data, resulting in unexpected downtime.
3. Poor Inventory Management
   Not maintaining an adequate stock of critical spare parts can cause repair delays, negatively impacting asset availability. Conversely, overstocking parts increases holding costs and ties up capital unnecessarily.
4. Neglecting Operator Training
   Untrained or poorly trained operators can misuse equipment, causing frequent breakdowns and reducing availability. Comprehensive training programs ensure operators understand how to use and maintain assets correctly.
5. Ignoring Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
   Organizations often focus on fixing immediate problems without investigating their root causes. Without RCA, recurring failures remain unresolved, leading to chronic downtime and lower availability.
6. Overlooking Data Integration
   Data silos between maintenance, operations, and inventory teams hinder the holistic management of asset availability. Integrated systems enable better decision-making and more coordinated responses to maintenance needs.
7. Failure to Track Key Metrics
   Not monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) like mean time between failures (MTBF) and mean time to repair (MTTR) limits an organization’s ability to identify trends and improve asset reliability.
8. Underinvestment in Technology
   Relying on outdated systems and tools prevents organizations from leveraging advanced analytics, automation, and IoT technologies that can enhance availability.
9. Inconsistent Maintenance Schedules
   Skipping or delaying maintenance activities to save time or costs often backfires, resulting in more significant downtime and higher repair expenses.