I think what is most misunderstood about maintenance is the true objective of the function. The objective of maintenance is to maintain the assets of a company so that they meet the reliability needs at an optimal cost.

In Webster's dictionary it defines maintenance as:

Maintenance

· To maintain

· Keep in existing condition

· Preserve, protect

· Keep from failure or decline

The ultimate goal of maintenance is to provide optimal reliability which meets the business needs of the company. Many people do not know the definition of reliability and it is:

"The probability or duration of failure-free performance under stated conditions"

Tip provided by Ricky Smith, GPAllied

Author of Planning and Scheduling Made Simple and Rules of Thumb for Maintenance and Reliability Engineers