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Downtime

Unplanned downtime

Downtime is any period during which an asset is not available for its intended use. Planned downtime is scheduled for maintenance; unplanned downtime is caused by failure.

Definition

Downtime is normally measured in hours per asset per period, and its cost is estimated from lost output or lost service. Recording start and end times on the corrective work order is what makes the measurement possible.

Why it matters

Unplanned downtime is usually the largest hidden cost in an asset-heavy operation, and it is the number that justifies investment in preventive maintenance to a finance team.

Related terms

See it working in Avchare

Avchare puts these concepts into a single field service platform — work orders, dispatch, SLA tracking and reporting.