Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) Practice Exam

Which of the following is a sign of increased reliability?

1. More frequent breakdowns

2. Less downtime

3. Higher operational costs

4. Increased wait time for repairs

The correct answer is: Less downtime

Less downtime is a clear sign of increased reliability in an organization. In the context of maintenance and reliability, downtime refers to the periods when equipment is not operational due to failures or repairs. When reliability improves, it means that equipment operates more consistently and fails less often, leading to a significant reduction in downtime. This not only enhances production efficiency but also contributes to higher overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). In contrast, more frequent breakdowns, higher operational costs, and increased wait time for repairs all indicate issues with reliability. Frequent breakdowns highlight that machinery or systems are not performing as expected, leading to more interruptions. Higher operational costs often stem from increased maintenance activities, labor, and parts needed to keep unreliable systems functioning. Increased wait time for repairs suggests that when failures do occur, the processes for addressing these problems are inefficient, which can further exacerbate downtime. Thus, less downtime is a direct indicator of improved reliability.