Sensitivity analysis of a preventive maintenance scheduling model

Abstract

This contribution establishes a new approach to evaluating the sensitivity of a preventive maintenance scheduling model that is based on an integrated operations-maintenance activity schedule in a resource constrained environment. In particular, this paper deals with sensitivity analysis of Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM) scheduling cost using optimal Gantt Charting principles as the framework. The approach has been tested in a shipping company. The work is motivated by the need to improve on the quality of maintenance scheduling models through the development and application of robust models in practice. From the results obtained, it was shown that some shipping maintenance scheduling parameters are sensitive and could therefore be manipulated for the best performance of maintenance scheduling models. The framework seems promising for other applications, and opens up a new gate of investigations that may keep researchers busy for some decades to come.