MMC Asset Management & Reliability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which reliability metric represents the average time between consecutive failures of a repairable system?
- MTTF
- MTBF (Correct answer)
- MTTR
- MDT
Correct answer: MTBF
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) measures the average time between failures for repairable systems, while MTTF applies to non-repairable items.
Question 2: In ISO 55000, what is the primary purpose of an Asset Management Policy?
- Define KPIs for maintenance teams
- State the organization's commitment and strategic direction for asset management (Correct answer)
- Outline the annual maintenance budget
- Specify spare parts inventory levels
Correct answer: State the organization's commitment and strategic direction for asset management
The Asset Management Policy under ISO 55000 communicates top management's commitment and sets the strategic direction for how assets will be managed.
Question 3: What does the P-F interval represent on a P-F curve in condition-based maintenance?
- Time between preventive maintenance tasks
- Time between a detectable potential failure and functional failure (Correct answer)
- Period for planning and forecasting maintenance
- Interval between performance reviews
Correct answer: Time between a detectable potential failure and functional failure
The P-F interval is the time between when a potential failure (P) becomes detectable and when a functional failure (F) actually occurs.
Question 4: A pump's vibration reading has trended upward over six weeks but remains below the alarm threshold. This is best described as:
- Random failure
- Incipient failure (Correct answer)
- Catastrophic failure
- Age-related failure
Correct answer: Incipient failure
An incipient failure is an early-stage defect that has not yet caused loss of function but is detectable through condition monitoring.
Question 5: Which life cycle cost component is typically largest for complex industrial assets over their full useful life?
- Acquisition and installation cost
- Operating and maintenance cost (Correct answer)
- Disposal cost
- Design and engineering cost
Correct answer: Operating and maintenance cost
For most complex industrial assets, operating and maintenance costs over the asset's life significantly exceed initial acquisition costs.
Question 6: In Weibull analysis, a shape parameter (β) greater than 1 indicates:
- Decreasing failure rate (infant mortality)
- Constant failure rate (random failures)
- Increasing failure rate (wear-out) (Correct answer)
- Bimodal failure distribution
Correct answer: Increasing failure rate (wear-out)
A Weibull shape parameter β > 1 indicates an increasing failure rate, characteristic of wear-out failures where older assets fail more frequently.
Question 7: What is the key distinction between reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) and traditional time-based maintenance?
- RCM relies solely on manufacturer recommendations
- RCM selects tasks based on failure consequences and failure modes (Correct answer)
- RCM eliminates all scheduled maintenance activities
- RCM applies only to rotating equipment
Correct answer: RCM selects tasks based on failure consequences and failure modes
RCM selects maintenance tasks by analyzing failure modes, their effects, and consequences rather than applying uniform time-based schedules to all equipment.
MMC Asset Management & Reliability 2
Which reliability metric represents the average time between consecutive failures of a repairable system?