Glossary
What is MTTR?
MTTR (mean time to repair) is the average time required to repair an asset or system after a failure and return it to operation. It is calculated as total repair time divided by the number of repairs. Lower MTTR generally indicates faster response and better maintainability.
What it means
MTTR is a key maintenance KPI. It reflects how quickly failures are diagnosed, repaired and verified. Reducing MTTR can reduce downtime and cost.
Why it matters
- MTTR = total repair time ÷ number of repairs.
- Often expressed in hours or minutes. Lower MTTR = faster recovery.
- Includes diagnosis, repair and testing; sometimes excludes wait for parts.
- Improving MTTR may involve training, parts availability and clear procedures.
Example in maintenance operations
A machine failed 10 times in a year; total repair time was 50 hours. MTTR = 50 ÷ 10 = 5 hours. A team tracks MTTR by asset type to identify where training or parts are needed.
Related concepts
Frequently asked questions
What is a good MTTR?
It depends on the asset and industry. Critical assets often have target MTTR (or maximum repair time). Benchmarking against similar assets and improving over time is more useful than a single 'good' number.
Run maintenance with VectraManage — work orders, PM and reporting in one platform
See pricing Start free