What type of maintenance involves repairing or restoring equipment after it has broken?

The type of maintenance that involves repairing or restoring equipment after it has broken is known as corrective maintenance. This approach is reactive in nature, meaning that it is conducted in response to an unexpected failure or breakdown of equipment. The primary goal of corrective maintenance is to bring the equipment back to operational status as quickly as possible after an incident has occurred.

Corrective maintenance works under the premise that equipment will inevitably fail at some point, and it aims to address these failures when they happen, ensuring minimal downtime and restoring performance. This can involve various tasks, such as fixing broken parts, replacing components, or conducting thorough repairs to get machinery functioning again.

Other types of maintenance, such as preventive maintenance, focus on preventing failures by regularly servicing equipment and making necessary adjustments before problems arise. Routine maintenance refers to scheduled upkeep to keep equipment running smoothly. Operational maintenance involves daily tasks required to keep equipment and systems running efficiently. Each of these maintenance strategies serves its purpose but differs fundamentally in when and how they are applied.