Towards partial autonomy of operation and maintenance of unreliable equipment

This study considers the case of unreliable equipment subjected to random failures that induce high maintenance and environmental costs. We consider situations where is located in remote areas, which are difficult access, there could be confinement linked a pandemic, making it impossible perform replacement failed equipment. In such situations, objective explore possibility providing system with self-maintenance capabilities certain extent by adding redundant (stand-by) identical modules. Both designs (with without passive redundancy) considered. A mathematical cost model developed for each alternative help decide whether adopt redundancy determine optimal number modules, minimises total expected cost. The latter includes costs related acquisition, maintenance, recycling numerical example presented, sensitivity performed investigate effect variations relevant input parameters on design.