CHAPTER 9 



MAINTENANCE 



Any piece of machinery or precision equip- 

 ment requires some type of care to keep it 

 running efficiently. Proper upkeep of an auto- 

 mobile, for example, includes changing the oil 

 at certain mileage intervals. The windshield 

 must be kept clean; headlights and brakes must 

 be adjusted every once in a while; and an 

 occasional engine tuneup must be obtained. Sonar 

 equipment also requires periodic upkeep, but in 

 more detail and at more regular intervals than 

 does an automobile. Aboard your ship or sub- 

 marine you will assist in carrying out scheduled 

 maintenance on the equipment to which you are 

 assigned. 



Various publications are available to assist 

 you in cai'rying out a maintenance program. 

 The manufacturer's technical manual for each 

 piece of equipment is an invaluable aid. These 

 books describe the components of the equipment, 

 operating standards, and required maintenance. 

 Other publications include the Naval Ships Tech- 

 - .nical Manual and Electronic Information Bulletins 

 (EIBs). 



TYPES OF MAINTENANCE 



Maintenance is divided into three categories, 

 according to their complexity and purpose. The 

 three types of maintenance are operational, 

 preventive, and corrective. 



At first glance it may seem that preventive 

 and operational maintenance are synonymous, 

 but there is a good deal of difference between 

 the two. Operational maintenance is confined 

 to acts that can be performed by an operator 

 while he is on watch, and usually is further 

 confined to one component, such as the sonar 

 console. Preventive maintenance is a systematic 

 program covering the entire sonar system, and 

 requires several men to carry out. 



The Navy's operational and preventive main- 

 tenance program formerly was called POMSEE. 

 Ships and stations today, however, utilize a 



program known as the Standard Navy Maintenance 

 and Material Management System, more famil- 

 iarly called the 3-M System, which will be 

 discussed later in the chapter, as will the POMSEE 

 program, 



OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE 



Operational maintenance is the elementary 

 upkeep performed by the operator to keep his 

 equipment in good operating condition. It consists 

 mainly of proper operation of the equipment, 

 such as starting, stopping, calibrating, and manip- 

 ulating controls in the prescribed manner. At 

 times, operational maintenance may also include 

 inspection, cleaning, and lubrication of equipment, 

 and replacement of minor parts, such as indicator 

 lamps. 



PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE 



Preventive maintenance is work done that is 

 intended to forestall equipment failure. Com- 

 prising this category are inspection, cleaning, 

 testing, and lubrication. It also includes minor 

 adjustments and replacement of minor deterio- 

 rated parts (if no high degree of technical sldll 

 or internal alignment is required) which, if left 

 uncorrected, might lead to equipment malfunction 

 or part failure. 



Inspecting 



All electronic equipment should be inspected 

 daily for such defects as broken meter glasses, 

 loose control knobs, burned-out indicator lights, 

 loose cable connections, and the many small items 

 that may be checked with or without the equip- 

 ment actually being energized. On units that 

 utilize ventilation for cooling, the intake and 

 outlet areas should be inspected to see that they 

 are free of obstructions. 



Many items can be inspected daily, weekly, 

 and monthly to help maintain the equipment in 



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