SAE AS1390

(Society of Automotive Engineers)

The technical standard: Level of Repair Analysis (LORA)

AS1390 establishes the standard of requirements of the activities involved in the performance of LORA during the life cycle of equipment. Completing the activities in a logical order and iterative fashion comprises the LORA process.

Cost models calculate all the possible iterations of maintenance, repair, and replace options and determine an optimal cost solution for each case.

LORA is performed in two steps:

1. Establish noneconomic decision criteria to make the initial support decisions
2. Evaluate an economic model to determine the most cost-effective alternative to provide support for the system

The LORA system identifies options for location of maintenance including combinations of levels to achieve maximum cost-effectiveness.

Organizational or O-level maintenance is indicated to take place at the organizational unit level and prioritizes quick turn-around for maximum operational availability. Generally, O-level consists of Repair-in-place (RIP) procedures using spare inventory components when failed components can be removed and replaced (R&R).

Intermediate or I-level maintenance requires a backshop or other off-site operating base. Repairs are more specialized and usually require more diagnostic equipment. Spare parts are known as bench stack at the intermediate level.

Depot or D-level maintenance occurs at specialized shops or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) facilities. Equipment overhauls and re-manufacturing is done at the D-level.

The LORA system indicates, first, “where” repairs take place and may be a tiered system.

The outcome is a systemic maintenance program that prioritizes up-time and efficiency at the lowest cost.

What You Will Learn:

• Economic LORA evaluation – the process to identify the most cost-effective maintenance concept for candidate equipment
• Level of Repair Analysis – the method by which maintenance levels are established based on limits obtained through evaluation of economic, non – economic, and operational readiness qualifications
• Creation of the LORA candidates list – deciding which components to analyze
• Noneconomic LORA evaluation – identifying preemptive considerations which override cost factors
• Ascertaining risk – tools to measure future uncertainty defined by cost and performance
• Sensitivity evaluation – determining the extent to which model parameter estimates fluctuate
• Maintenance planning and its relevance to LORA
• Reliability engineering and its impact to LORA
• Provisioning and life-cycle costs based on LORA decisions