Run to Failure Maintenance

What is Run to Failure Maintenance?

Run-to-failure maintenance (RTF), also known as reactive or breakdown maintenance, is an intentional maintenance strategy in which equipment is operated continuously until it experiences a complete functional failure before any maintenance intervention is initiated.

Under this approach, no preventive or predictive maintenance activities are performed during the operational period—the equipment runs until it breaks down.

How does it work?

The “intentional” part is important to clarify – this isn’t just a lack of maintenance but a deliberate strategy chosen for specific reasons.

However, it is not designed for all equipment types. It’s most commonly applied to:

  • Non-critical equipment where failure won’t significantly impact operations
  • Components that are inexpensive to replace
  • Equipment with unpredictable failure patterns
  • Situations where the cost of preventive maintenance exceeds replacement costs

The “complete functional failure” aspect means the equipment reaches a state where it can no longer perform its intended function.

This differs from performance degradation or partial failures, which might be monitored but not addressed under RTF.

The “before any maintenance intervention” element highlights that no routine maintenance tasks are performed during operation. This includes avoiding:

  • Regular inspections
  • Preventive part replacements
  • Condition monitoring
  • Predictive maintenance activities

Economic Calculation

Like any maintenance activity, it is important to consider the overall cost of the activity.

The main thing to consider for RTF is that the total cost of allowing the equipment to run to failure (including replacement costs and downtime) is less than the cost of preventing the failure through regular maintenance activities.

If you are considering implementing RTF that is the primary test you need to apply to any equipment.

Planning for Run to Failure RTF maintenance

Like any successful maintenance activity, implement the right plan to make sure the strategy works for your organization.

Think of it like a light bulb in a non-critical area—rather than regularly testing it or replacing it on a schedule, you wait until it burns out before replacing it.

This is a classic example of the failure of RTF maintenance in action, highlighting its cost-effectiveness.

One main test to apply to any equipment is whether low-criticality assets where the unpredictability of failures can be managed without significant operational impact.

Reduction in Maintenance Costs

One key benefit to the run-to-failure RTF approach is that it can lead to lower labor costs and a more economical maintenance method for specific equipment types, provided careful planning is in place to ensure safety and productivity.

Core Concepts of RTF

  • Run-to-Failure Maintenance: A maintenance strategy known as RTF maintenance involves deliberately operating equipment until it breaks down completely before any maintenance intervention occurs. This approach is also known as reactive maintenance or breakdown maintenance.
  • Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): The predicted elapsed time between inherent failures of a system during operation. MTBF = Total Operating Time / Number of Failures. Critical for understanding equipment reliability and planning replacement schedules in run-to-failure scenarios.
  • Mean Time To Repair (MTTR): The average time required to repair a failed component or device is called MTTR. In run-to-failure maintenance, MTTR is crucial for resource planning and understanding the impact of downtime.
  • Critical Failure: A failure that results in complete loss of equipment function and requires immediate replacement or repair. In run-to-failure maintenance, these events trigger maintenance responses.
  • Non-Critical Failure: Non-critical assets are equipment or machinery that can be maintained using a run-to-failure strategy. A failure that degrades equipment performance but doesn’t cause complete system shutdown. These may still be monitored but not addressed until full failure in a run-to-failure strategy.
RTF Maintenance Strategies
Data and Illustration: WorkTrek

Economic Terms

  • Life Cycle Cost (LCC): The total cost of ownership over an asset’s life, including acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposal fees, is essential for comparing run-to-failure maintenance versus other maintenance strategies. For non-critical assets, run-to-failure maintenance can be more cost-effective. It allows equipment to fail before maintenance, saving time and resources while minimizing operational disruption.
  • Replacement Cost: The total expense of replacing failed equipment, including purchase price, installation, and associated labor costs. A key consideration in run-to-failure decision-making.
  • Opportunity Cost: The lost revenue or productivity due to equipment downtime following failure must be carefully considered when choosing run-to-failure maintenance.
  • Emergency Premium: In run-to-failure scenarios, additional costs incurred due to urgent repair needs, including expedited shipping, overtime labor, and emergency service fees, are standard.
Data and Illustration: WorkTrek

Operational Concepts

  • Redundancy: The duplication of critical components to maintain system functionality when failures occur. It is often used alongside run-to-failure maintenance to minimize operational impact.
  • Failure Mode: The specific manner in which equipment fails, including the physical mechanisms of failure. Understanding failure modes helps predict replacement needs and stockpile appropriate parts.
  • Failure Rate: The frequency at which equipment fails over time, often represented by the “bathtub curve, ” is essential for planning inventory and resource allocation in run-to-failure maintenance.
  • Asset Criticality: The relative importance of equipment to overall operations, considering factors like safety impact, production loss, and repair costs. Determines suitability for run-to-failure maintenance.

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