ENGG 4103 Engineering Asset Maintenance and Management

ASSIGNMENT 2

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Case Study: Maintenance KPIs, Reliability Block Models and

Workforce Determination

Background

A large copper mine in Chile operates a fleet of 49 large haul trucks. The trucks employ
diesel-electric propulsion and have a rated capacity of 290 tonnes each.

Average fleet availability is 82%.

A breakdown of the causes of delay for the fleet is as follows:

Category Distribution of MTTR (hrs)

downtime (%)
Motor 13.1% 8.34
Electrical 34.26% 4.79
Mechanical 28.54% 10.96
Structural 8.94% 6.56
Preventive
6.95% 17.74
maintenance
Accessories 3.41% 3.97
Miscellaneous 0.01% 0.92
Process delays 4.79% 7.94

Part A: Maintenance Performance Indices

Calculate:

(i) the total maintenance downtime (hrs) experienced by the fleet in one year (365
days). (1 mark)
(ii) total fleet up-time (hrs) in the same period (1 mark)

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 (iii) the average fleet utilisation assuming that “Process delays” incorporate
operational delays such as shift change etc. (1 mark)
(iv) the total operating hours (op hrs) of the fleet (1 mark)
(v) the expected Mean Time to Restore Service (MTTR) for the fleet (excluding
process delays). (1 mark)
(vi) the expected number of fleet maintenance interventions in one year (1 mark)
(vii) the expected number of delays/truck in each delay category (2 marks)
(viii) the Mean Time to Stoppage of the fleet (MTTS, in op hrs. This is distinct to
MTTF as not all interventions are unscheduled) (1 mark)

Part B. Reliability Block Modelling

As a first order approximation, assume that interventions follow an exponential

distribution. Thus:

and

(ix) By assuming that all interventions except preventive maintenance are failures,
calculate the MTTF for each category (excluding PMs, miscellaneous and
process delays) (2 marks)
(x) Construct a reliability block model for the haul truck, clearly indicating the
reliability function associated with each block. (2 marks)
(xi) Calculate the system reliability function (2 marks)
(xii) Plot a graph of this system reliability function. (2 marks)

Part C: Reliability improvement

(xiii) Prepare a log scatterplot (jack-knife diagram) of the (expected no. of

delays/truck, MTTR) pairs for each category (including PMs, miscellaneous and
process delays) (2 marks)
(xiv) Calculate the acute and chronic limits for this scatterplot (2 marks)
(xv) Which subsystem categories should be targeted in order to best improve the
operational reliability of the fleet? (2 marks)
(xvi) Which subsystem categories should be targeted in order to best improve fleet
availability? (2 marks)

Part D: Workforce Sizing

On average it is necessary to assign:

• 2 diesel fitters (1 certified plus 1 apprentice) to motor repairs

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 • 2 mechanical fitters (1 certified plus 1 apprentice) to mechanical repairs
• 1 boilermaker/welder to structural repairs
• 1 mechanical fitter to PMs, accessories and miscellaneous repairs
• 1 electrician to electric repairs

If (a) the mine works 12 hour shifts on a 8x6 panel roster (8 days on followed by 6 days
off, with FIFO travel time included in the 8 days) (b) each worker is entitled to 4 weeks
leave per year and (c) average time-on-tools (worker efficiency) is 45%:

(xvii) Calculate the number of diesel fitters, mechanical fitters and electricians
necessary to maintain the fleet of 49 trucks. (3 marks)

(xviii) If the span of control is 1 supervisor to 8 maintenance workers, calculate the

number of supervisors that the mine will need to hire. (2 marks)

Assessment criteria:

Each question is worth between 1 and 3 marks, assigned according to the following
chart:

Answer is numerically correct, with all Full marks

workings clearly laid out
A small error exists in assumptions or Half marks
background calculations. All workings are
clearly laid out
A small error exists in assumptions or No marks
background calculations. Answer is NOT
clearly laid out.
Major errors exist in assumptions or No marks
background calculations. Answer is clearly
laid out.
Major errors exist in assumptions or No marks
background calculations. Answer is NOT
clearly laid out.
Question is only partially attempted or not No marks
attempted at all.

• This assignment is to be solved individually.

• Attach a copy of your working calculations
• Submit via Turnitin on Thursday 18 May by 13:00 hrs.
• Late penalty zero marks.

P. F. Knights
18-04-2023.