Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to define a process for maintenance management and to classify maintenance engineering techniques within that process. Design/methodology/approach -The paper presents a generic model proposed for maintenance management which integrates other models found in the literature for built and in-use assets, and consists of eight sequential management building blocks. The different maintenance engineering techniques are playing a crucial role within each one of those eight management building blocks. Following this path it characterizes the "maintenance management framework", i.e. the supporting structure of the management process. Findings -The paper offers a practical vision of the set of activities composing each management block, and the result of the paper is a classification of the different maintenance engineering tools. The discussion of the different tools can also classify them as qualitative or quantitative. At the same time, some tools will be very analytical tools while others will be highly empirical. The paper also discusses the proper use of each tool or technique according to the volume of data/information available. Practical implications -As a consequence, of the implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies and just-in-time production systems, the nature of the production environment has changed during the last two decades. This has allowed companies to massively produce products in a customized way. But the increase in automation and the reduction in buffers of inventory in the plants clearly put more pressure on the maintenance system. The present maintenance management framework has been proposed in order to diminish this pressure. Whatever the model an organization adopts, it has to be evolving to continue being useful against the fast changes that occur in business, communications and industry. A key to achieve this could be the incorporation of the techniques proposed in this paper besides the integration of platforms known as "next generation manufacturing practices" This implies the use of e-maintenance as a sub-concept of e-manufacturing and e-business. Originality/value -This paper presents not only a process but also the framework and techniques to manage and improve maintenance effectiveness and efficiency. This paper will be useful to researchers, maintenance professionals and others concerned with maintenance management.

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This paper presents a simulation-based study of a coordinated, decentralized linear supply chain (SC) system. In the proposed model, any supply tier considers its successors as part of its inventory system and generates replenishment orders on the basis of its partners' operational information. We show that the proposed coordinated decision-making process creates a reduction in information distortion along an SC compared with a traditional, noncoordinated strategy. A novel result is that we show how a coordinated SC can avoid the detrimental consequences of demand amplification in terms of penalty costs due to the stockout phenomenon in upstream stages.

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This article shows the process of modelling a reference maintenance management framework (MMF) that represents the general requirements of the asset management specification PAS 55. The modelled MMF is expressed using the standardized and publicly available Business Process Modelling (BPM) languages UML 2.1 (Unified Modelling Language) and BPMN 1.0 (BPM Notation). The features of these notations allow to easily integrate the modelled processes into the general information system of an organization and to create a flexible structure that can be quickly and even automatically adapted to new necessities. This article presents a brief review about the usage of UML in maintenance projects, general characteristics of PAS 55, modelling concepts and their applications in the project of modelling the MMF. The arguments underlying the methodology and the choice of UML and BPMN are exposed. The general architecture of the suggested MMF is described and modelled through diagrams elucidating the general operation of PAS 55. From this development is appreciated the operation structure of a software tool that can incorporate MIMOSA standards and that can be made suitable for e-maintenance functions, as an alternative to the commercial systems. Finally, some conclusions about the modelled framework are presented.