This article deals with a method of maintenance concept
optimization that allows reduction of life cycle costs (LCC) of
a vehicle on the basis of knowledge of operating reliability
data. The authors present a theoretical model of optimization,
describing the basic relationships between the LCC of the
main vehicle’s sub-systems and the frequency of their
scheduled (preventive) repairs.
This article describes in detail an applied mathematical
model and it also analyses the possibilities and conditions of
its practical use for optimization of the conception of vehicle
maintenance. Practical application of the proposed method is
demonstrated on an example of optimization of the period of
replacement of the vehicle drive train subsystem that is
performed as a part of its preventive maintenance.
The presented method indicates that data from observation
of vehicle operational reliability can be employed successfully
for optimization of conditions of their maintenance. By means
of the proposed model, it is relatively easy to find reserves in
conception of vehicle maintenance and to attain significant
savings in the vehicle LCC by using a simple measure –
administrative change of maintenance periods.