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Purpose Maintenance plans are programmes, which follow maintenance appraisals, contain information of what to do and the time approximates for accomplishments. They also deal with how to carry out maintenance jobs. In contemporary period, curiosity has proliferated about how sustainability affects manufacturing plans. The purpose of this paper is to offer a comprehensive notion of maintenance sustainability in maintenance planning. The literature has downplayed maintenance sustainability but may support in understanding how to crack the present company-community conflicts about the negative influence of manufacturing on the environment. Design/methodology/approach This study develops the idea of selecting the proper maintenance strategy based on integrated fuzzy axiomatic design (FAD) principle and fuzzy-TOPSIS. This work suggests that the maintenance function is an uncertain, activity-oriented system. To fully appreciate the proposed framework, the work employs data from a cement manufacturing plant to test the structure. This study offers 20 influential factors on which it build the fundamental structure of maintenance system sustainability for manufacturing concerns. A novel literature contribution that departs from existing conceptions is the classical determination of weights of each sustainability factor, employing fuzzy entropy weighting approach. Furthermore, work innovatively determines the ranking of some important tenets of sustainability in maintenance and optimises the maintenance consumables employing the FAD principle. Findings Interestingly, the output of the investigation revealed differences as the work adopts fuzzy-TOPSIS in comparison with FAD principle. Originality/value Case examination of a real-life manufacturing venture validated the claims, showing maintenance workforce training as a top-echelon strategy for maintenance system sustainability.

This work contributes two novel modified Taguchi techniques to the optimal parametric setting for minimum water absorption in epoxy composites. Taguchi method, using ASTM standards was applied with factors (initial weight, final weight, length, sample thickness and time of immersion) and four levels in the experimental design. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluates the significance and individual contributions of the parameters. The optimal parametric setting was A1B4C3D4E1 (initial weight, 2.61 g; final weight, 2.69 g; length, 62.73 mm; thickness, 3.88 mm; time, 15.65 hrs). The ANOVA identifies time and length as dominant parameters (98.98 and 1.02 % contributions, respectively). Taguchi-Pareto analysis found only factor-level from the time and length parameters economical to optimality. The Taguchi-ABC analysis revealed the individual weights and contributions of the factor-level irrespective of its initial groupings. The new Taguchi techniques highlighted the importance of time and length of sample in obtaining minimum water absorption of composites.

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Purpose -The paper presents a mathematical model that measures the profitability of the maintenance system based on the traditional accounting definition of profitability. There is currently a dire need for an article presenting a scientific-based framework for practitioners in maintenance to make optimal instead of sub-optimal decisions on profitability. Design/methodology/approach -A case study is presented to reflect the actual application of the proposed model. Different situations were considered in modelling to obtain optimal results. Simulation experiments were conducted to demonstrate that maintenance profitability is a reality through the use of differential calculus. Findings -It was observed that the approach presented is a holistic viewpoint of maintenance profitability measurement. Research limitations/implications -An adequate understanding of the maintenance system is needed to properly implement the model. Practical implications -The practical application of the model is that the maintenance system will now be viewed as a value-adding activity instead of "a necessary evil" or "a bottomless pit for expenses". Originality/value -This paper fulfils an identified need and offers practical help to managers in taking guided decisions that are optimal.