News - Marine & Offshore

Corrective maintenance is a key strategy in Industrial, Marine and Offshore environments, focused on restoring the functionality of equipment that has experienced failures. 

Often viewed as a reactive response to problems, corrective maintenance plays a crucial role in operational continuity, ensuring that unexpected faults are corrected quickly and efficiently.

What are the main characteristics of corrective maintenance?

The main characteristics of corrective maintenance include:

• Quick response: Corrective maintenance is activated as soon as a failure or malfunction occurs, requiring immediate intervention to avoid prolonged operational downtime.
• Lower initial cost: Since it does not require continuous monitoring or scheduled preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance can be less costly in the short term.
• No prior scheduling: This type of maintenance often cannot be planned, occurring on an emergency basis in response to an unexpected failure.
• Focus on specific failure correction: The primary goal is to correct the fault that caused the disruption, allowing the equipment to resume operation as quickly as possible.

Why is corrective maintenance important?

Corrective maintenance aims to restore productivity and prevent significant losses in the event of unexpected failures. Its importance is evident in situations where it is necessary to:

• Minimize unplanned downtime: In sectors such as Marine and Offshore, where unforeseen shutdowns can lead to significant losses, the quick execution of corrective maintenance is strategic for resuming operations.
• Maximize equipment lifespan: Although it is a reactive approach, it often allows for the full recovery of equipment, extending its useful life.
• Optimize costs: In certain cases, the cost of corrective maintenance may be lower than preventive or predictive maintenance, especially for machines with a low failure rate.

Predictive, preventive and corrective maintenance: What are the differences?

Understanding the differences between these three types of maintenance helps companies adopt the right strategy for each situation.

• Preventive maintenance:
  • What it is: Carried out on a scheduled basis, before a failure occurs, to prevent future defects.
  • Characteristics: Involves regular inspections, adjustments, cleaning, and part replacements based on set timelines or manufacturer recommendations.
  • Advantages: Reduces the likelihood of unexpected failures and can extend the life of equipment.
  • Disadvantages: May lead to unnecessary costs if the equipment does not require maintenance at that time.
• Predictive maintenance:
  • What it is: Based on data continuously collected from equipment, such as vibrations, temperature, or noises, to predict future failures and intervene before they occur.
  • Characteristics: Uses sensors and real-time monitoring to identify signs of wear or improper operation.
  • Advantages: Allows maintenance at the precise moment it’s needed, reducing the risk of unexpected failures and extending component life.
  • Disadvantages: Can require significant investment in monitoring technology and specialized training, if not outsourced.
• Corrective maintenance:
  • What it is: Immediate action to correct a failure after it has occurred.
  • Characteristics: It is unscheduled and occurs after a malfunction, performed to restore the equipment to operational condition.
  • Advantages: Lower initial cost, as intervention is only made in case of failure. Ideal for non-critical equipment that does not directly affect continuous production.
  • Disadvantages: Can result in long downtimes and higher costs when the failure is severe and requires complex repairs or if the chosen provider lacks the necessary expertise to perform the service.

Each type of maintenance has its advantages and disadvantages, and the balance between them depends on the specific needs of each operation. 

Often, the best strategy is a combination of the three approaches, prioritizing preventive and predictive maintenance to reduce the need for corrective maintenance, while ensuring the team is prepared to act promptly when a failure occurs.

Corrective maintenance at Metalock Brasil

Metalock Brasil offers a comprehensive range of corrective maintenance services tailored to the industrial, naval, and offshore sectors. Our services are designed to minimize downtime and ensure that equipment is back to operating at maximum efficiency. These services include:

• Diesel and electric engine repair: Corrective maintenance of diesel and electric engines, ensuring the fast and efficient recovery of critical systems, especially on vessels and offshore platforms.
• On-site machining: We provide on-site machining services to repair parts and components without the need for disassembly, reducing downtime.
• Alignment and balancing: We correct misalignments and vibrations in rotating machinery, essential for restoring proper operation and extending equipment life.
• Structural repair with SPS: We apply SPS (Sandwich Plate System) technology, an innovative solution for repairing damaged structures on vessels and platforms.

These services ensure that your company has full support in cases of unexpected failures, minimizing operational impacts and associated costs. Learn more about our corrective maintenance services on our website.