The Use of Engineering Tools and Methods in Maintenance Organisations: Mapping the Current State in the Manufacturing Industry

Digitalisation is the future of the manufacturing industry, and it will entail production systems that are highly automated, efficient, and flexible. The realisation of such systems will require effective maintenance organisations that adopt engineering approaches, e.g. engineering tools and methods. However, little is known about their actual extent of use in industry. Through a survey study in 70 Swedish manufacturing companies, this study shows to what extent engineering tools and methods are used in maintenance organisations, as well as to what extent companies have maintenance engineers performing work related to engineering tools and methods. Overall, the results indicate a potential for increasing the use of engineering tools and methods in both the operational and the design and development phase. This increase can contribute towards achieving high equipment performance, which is a necessity for the realisation of digital manufacturing.