Which maintenance strategy focuses on performing maintenance after equipment failure?

The maintenance strategy that focuses on performing maintenance after equipment failure is reactive maintenance. This approach operates on the principle of addressing issues only when they arise, meaning that maintenance is carried out to fix or restore equipment only after it has stopped functioning or has experienced a breakdown. This strategy can lead to unplanned downtime and potentially higher costs associated with emergency repairs and lost productivity.

Reactive maintenance is often contrasted with other strategies such as preventive maintenance, which involves regular, scheduled maintenance tasks intended to prevent equipment failure before it occurs, and predictive maintenance, which leverages data and analytics to predict when maintenance should be performed, thereby minimizing downtime while avoiding unnecessary maintenance. Prescriptive maintenance, on the other hand, utilizes advanced analytics to recommend specific actions to optimize maintenance strategies.

Understanding the implications of reactive maintenance is crucial, as it can significantly affect operational efficiency and cost management in maintenance practices.