Spare parts management

Economic considerations

• the parts might never be used
• the parts might not be stored properly, leading to defects
• maintaining inventory of spare parts has associated costs
• parts may not be available when needed from a supplier

User considerations

• the expense is not the user's but the supplier's
• of a known high rate of failure of certain equipment
• of delays in getting the part from a vendor or a supply room, resulting in machine outage
• to have the parts on hand requires less "" when the parts are suddenly needed
• of the mental comfort it provides to the user in knowing the parts are on-hand when needed
• The parts are un-economic to be repaired i.e. it's cheaper to discard than to get it repaired

  Cost-effect compromise

• an automobile carries a less-functional "donut" tire as replacement instead of a functionally equivalent tire.
• a member of a household buys extra light bulbs since it is probable that one of the lights in the house will eventually burn out and require replacement.
• a computer user will purchase a ream of computer paper instead of a sheet at a time.
• a race car team will bring another engine to the race track "just in case".
• a ship carries "spare parts" for its engine in case of breakdown at sea.

  Measures of effectiveness