Analysis of maintenance policies supported by simulation in a flexible manufacturing cell

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze three maintenance policies in a flexible manufacturing cell from a mechanical manufacturing company. The policies were opportunistic maintenance, in which all machines are repaired whenever the cell stops; corrective maintenance, in which only failed machines are repaired; and partial corrective maintenance, where only the failed subsystem is repaired. Quantitative modeling and computer simulation were used, based on Weibull and exponential reliability functions. Corrective and partial corrective maintenance were found to be the most effective, while opportunistic maintenance was less effective.