Concepts of Product Support in an International Industrial Equipment Corporation

Minimizing equipment downtime is a central concern of this conference. Fundamental to this concern is the need to define and measure the elements that significantly influence equipment downtime. The requirement for in-field management information led to the design of the Deere & Company Total Reliability Analysis of Customer Equipment System (T.R.A.C.E.). T.R.A.C.E. measures in a timely and cost effective way, product reliability and life cycle costs, product serviceability, dealer service performance, and provides a means of improving parts service effectiveness.