Corrective maintenance
Introduction
It is called corrective maintenance[1][2][3] that which corrects the defects observed in the equipment or facilities, it is the most basic form of maintenance and consists of locating breakdowns or defects to correct or repair them. Historically, it is the first maintenance concept and the only one until the First World War, given the simplicity of the machines, equipment and facilities of the time. Maintenance was synonymous with repairing what was broken.
This maintenance is carried out after a failure or breakdown occurs in the equipment, which by its nature cannot be planned in time.
When a breakdown occurs, a diagnosis is performed to identify the root cause of the problem and necessary actions are taken to restore normal operation. These actions may include repairs, part replacement, adjustments or recalibration. In some cases, it may be necessary to temporarily stop operations to perform corrective maintenance.
Corrective maintenance addresses failures immediately and aims to minimize negative effects on production or operations. However, it has disadvantages such as unplanned downtime, potential impact on production or services, and increased risk of additional damage if prompt and appropriate action is not taken.
In the case of computer equipment, corrective maintenance may involve the replacement of worn parts, which may generate unbudgeted repair and replacement costs. Although corrective maintenance is necessary to address unforeseen failures, it is recommended to combine it with preventive and perfective maintenance to reduce the frequency of breakdowns and prolong the useful life of equipment and facilities.
“This type of maintenance usually represents more than 20% of the total time in industrial plants, when predictive strategies are not applied.” [4].
Types of maintenance
Preventive maintenance
After the First World War, it was proposed that maintenance not only had to correct breakdowns, but had to anticipate them, guaranteeing the correct functioning of the machines, avoiding the delay caused by breakdowns and their consequences, giving rise to what was called preventive maintenance, which is what is done, before the equipment comes into operation, to avoid subsequent breakdowns, guaranteeing a period of reliable use.