Reliability analysis comparison on punching tool sets due to different maintenance decisions: a case study from the pulp manufacturing industry

This paper presents a case study describing reliability analysis comparisons due to different maintenance decisions for punching tool sets that are used for perforating in a line-making process. Field maintenance data for punching tools are classified according to different maintenance decisions. The data were analyzed further to identify the best fit distribution models. The related reliability characteristics are then revealed and discussed. The reliability analysis results of four different major maintenance decisions shows that the short-term view indicates no significant differences of mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) for the equipment. However, the range (lower and upper limit values) for MTTF for each replacement decision package can be used by a maintenance engineer for equipment spare parts planning. The results found that the failure rate of the equipment was due to replacement decisions packages that are in a deteriorating state. Thus, the maintenance engineering team noticed that the determination of optimum preventive maintenance time is beneficial and cost effective. This study concludes the importance of reliability analysis to better understand the probability nature of the subject under consideration, i.e., it helps a technical team to utilize proper preventive maintenance and spare parts planning.