What is Breakdown Maintenance?
Breakdown maintenance, also known as corrective maintenance, refers to the maintenance work performed on equipment that has already failed. The primary goal of breakdown maintenance is to restore the equipment to its normal operating condition as quickly as possible. This type of maintenance is reactive in nature, meaning that it is only carried out after a failure has occurred. While this approach can be effective in certain situations, it often leads to increased downtime, higher repair costs, and potential safety hazards. Breakdown maintenance typically involves diagnosing the issue, sourcing replacement parts, and conducting the necessary repairs to bring the equipment back online. In contrast to preventive maintenance, which aims to keep equipment running smoothly through regular inspections and servicing, breakdown maintenance deals with unexpected failures. Some common examples of breakdown maintenance include repairing a vehicle that has suddenly stopped working, fixing a broken conveyor belt in a manufacturing plant, or addressing a malfunctioning HVAC system in a commercial building. The process of breakdown maintenance usually includes a thorough inspection to identify the root cause of the failure, followed by the execution of specific repair tasks. Despite its reactive nature, breakdown maintenance remains an essential aspect of overall maintenance strategies, particularly when dealing with unforeseen equipment failures or limited resources for preventive upkeep.