How to Optimise Asset Reliability With OEE and ARaaS

The Power of Combining OEE and ARaaS

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Asset Reliability as a Service (ARaaS) are two of the most powerful concepts in modern asset management. Used together, they form a formidable combination: OEE provides the performance visibility to understand where losses are occurring, while ARaaS provides the reliability framework to systematically eliminate them.

OEE as a Diagnostic Tool

OEE's value isn't just in its headline number — it's in what the components tell you about the nature of your losses. Low Availability points to unplanned breakdowns and changeover inefficiency. Low Performance suggests speed losses, minor stops, and equipment running below its rated capacity. Low Quality identifies defect rates and startup waste. Each of these loss categories points to different root causes and different reliability interventions.

ARaaS as the Improvement Engine

Once OEE has identified where the losses are, ARaaS provides the structured methodology to address them. An ARaaS programme typically delivers RCM analysis (to identify optimal maintenance strategies for critical equipment), condition monitoring (to detect deterioration before it becomes failure), predictive maintenance (to schedule interventions at the optimal moment), and continuous improvement reviews (to track progress and refine strategies over time).

A Practical Improvement Cycle

1. Measure OEE by asset and shift to identify top losses.
2. Conduct failure analysis on the top availability-affecting assets.
3. Apply RCM or FMEA to determine optimal maintenance strategies.
4. Implement condition monitoring on critical equipment.
5. Track OEE improvements and link them to specific reliability interventions.
6. Repeat the cycle continuously, focusing resources on the next biggest opportunity.

Optimal supports this complete cycle through our integrated ARaaS service — from OEE baselining and loss analysis through to full maintenance strategy optimisation and ongoing monitoring.