A Comparative Analysis Between "Mean Time Between Failure" and "Maintenance Free Operating Period" of Mills Asset Management at AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Limited

Abstract

This thesis is a comparative analysis between meantime between failure (MTBF) and maintenance free operating period (MFOP) of mills Asset Management at Anglogold Ashanti Iduapriem Limited. Management often consider such factors considered in their budgetary allocation. The work developed a methodology using the data on the Mills to determine the health status of the Mills and to conduct a comparative analysis between Maintenance Free Operating Period (MFOP) which is not popularly known in the Mining Industries with the popularly known and frequently used reliability metric Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). The results indicates that the MTBF stoppage intervals were 0.1 to 0.3 weeks whiles that of MFOP ranges from 0.2 to 7.1 weeks. This indicates that the MFOP gives mining firms higher reliability of equipment as compare to MTBF. The result was affirmed by a mine site engineer who said “the existing maintenance metrics (MTBF) has not been able to help Iduapriem mine to holistically deal with its maintenance and breakdown challenges.” This work exposes the inherent errors in MTBF applications and the benefits of applying MFOP, these errors have two significant implication from regulators perspective and competitive edge of the organisation.