An optimal maintenance policy for a k-out-of-n system without monitoring component failures

Abstract

In this study, an optimal maintenance policy is developed for a k-out-of-n: G system subject to two types of maintenance services, preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance. We investigate the optimal replacement age when a component failure is not detected immediately until a k-out-of-n: G system fails. The optimal maintenance policy is determined to minimize the expected total system cost when a generalized block replacement model is developed using downtime period. It is assumed that component failures are not monitored until a system failure, thus, a k-out-of-n: G system failure occurs. The downtime period of each failed component using order statistics for life time and age distributions for a k-out-of-n: G system is investigated. Numerical examples are discussed in order to demonstrate the applicability of the methodology derived from this paper.

Keywords:

• Block replacement policy
• downtime cost
• failure cost
• k-out-of-n system
• order statistic
• renewal process

Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to the editor and two anonymous referees for their valuable and constructive comments and suggestions which greatly improved the final version of the paper. Minjae Park’s research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (NRF-2017R1E1A1A03069903). Jinpyo Lee’s work was supported by 2015 Hongik University Research Fund. Seungbeom Kim’s work was supported by the Hongik University new faculty research support fund.