Production costs are being reduced by automation, robotics, computer-integrated manufacturing, cost reduction studies and more. These new technologies are expensive to buy, repair, and maintain. Hence, the demand on maintenance is growing and its costs are escalating. This new environment is compelling industrial maintenance organizations to make the transition from fixing broken machines to higher-level business units for securing production capacity.
On the academic front, research in the area of maintenance management and engineering is receiving tremendous interest from researchers....

To be able to compete successfully both at national and international levels, production systems and equipment must perform at levels not even thinkable a decade ago. Requirements for increased product quality, reduced throughput time and enhanced operating effectiveness within a rapidly changing customer demand environment continue to demand a high maintenance performance. In some cases, maintenance is required to increase operational effectiveness and revenues and customer satisfaction while reducing capital, operating and support costs. This may be the largest challenge facing production...

Production costs are being reduced by automation, robotics, computer-integrated manufacturing, cost reduction studies and more. These new technologies are expensive to buy, repair, and maintain. Hence, the demand on maintenance is growing and its costs are escalating. This new environment is compelling industrial maintenance organizations to make the transition from fixing broken machines to higher-level business units for securing production capacity.
On the academic front, research in the area of maintenance management and engineering is receiving tremendous interest from researchers....

Production planning, inventory management, quality control, and maintenance policy are critical components of the manufacturing system. The effective integration of these four components gives a manufacturing operation the competitive edge in today's global market place. Integrated Models in Production Planning, Inventory, Quality, and Maintenance provides, in one volume, the latest developments in the integration of production, quality, and maintenance models. Prominent researchers, who are actively engaged in these areas, have contributed the topical chapters focused on...