PRIORITIZATION OF MAINTENANCE ACTIONS IN WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Abstract

Industrial water distribution systems are paramount in many manufacturing systems to optimise the related industrial plant availability and consequently the level of production. They also play an important part in keeping right standards of hygiene of workplaces and machines. A strategic action of planning and implementing of suitable maintenance activities is necessary to assure the standards previously described. The present contribution proposes the prioritization of maintenance actions for industrial water distribution systems through a multi-criteria decision making approach, since some of the elements integrated in maintenance-related aspects are not easily quantifiable and, on the contrary, may be classified as subjective and intangible. This prioritization seeks to pursue technological innovation and may represent a long-term strategy for the organization based on personnel expertise. The AHP technique is suggested to obtain a ranking of maintenance actions. Actions with a lower degree of priority will be postponed on the basis of appropriate time planning. A case study on the real industrial water distribution system belonging to a manufacturing firm is finally presented.