What is Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)?
Mean time between failure (MTBF) is a measure of the average time a device can be expected to last before it fails. It's often used to determine how long you should expect a product to last, so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not it's worth purchasing. MTBF is usually expressed in hours, days, or weeks to tell you how long you can expect your system to run before it fails. MTBF is only applicable to repairable items. Use the formula below to calculate Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF):
MTBF = Total uptime / # of breakdowns
Why is Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) important?
MTBF is important because it helps us understand how long a product will last and how much money we're likely to spend on repairs over its lifetime. If a device has a high MTBF, but it also costs more than another device with lower MTBF, then that might be an indication that the higher-priced device has more features or better quality materials that make it worth paying for.
How to improve Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)
A higher Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) translates to an increased uptime of the equipment. Ultimately, better quality equipment will have a higher mean time between failure and thus be more reliable. To improve the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF), you must have accurate data. That means the first step managers should take is ensuring that the data they are collecting is accurate. Decide what indicators are predictive of a breakdown and establish a baseline. Track deviations from that figure and correlate with breakdowns to further understand your assets.
Next, you need to understand and implement a preventive maintenance schedule. This will provide the asset with the support it needs to run properly. Create an asset log of all your equipment and then create weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual schedules to keep your equipment in tip top shape. This will extend the asset life as well as increase the performance.
