What is the main purpose of EN 17023?

The main purpose of EN 17023 is to provide a standardized, systematic, and auditable process for creating and modifying the maintenance plan for railway vehicles. It aims to ensure that maintenance activities are justified, effective, and sufficient to guarantee safe and reliable operation throughout the vehicle's lifecycle.

Is EN 17023 a mandatory standard?

EN 17023 is not a law in itself, but it is considered 'state-of-the-art' in the railway industry. National safety authorities and regulatory bodies often reference it as an acceptable means of compliance for demonstrating a robust maintenance management system, particularly in the context of the ECM (Entity in Charge of Maintenance) Regulation (EU) 2019/779. Therefore, its application is often a de facto requirement for operating in Europe.

How does EN 17023 relate to the Entity in Charge of Maintenance (ECM) regulation?

EN 17023 provides a detailed methodology for fulfilling key requirements of the ECM regulation. The ECM is responsible for ensuring vehicles are in a safe state of running through a system of maintenance. EN 17023 defines the process for developing the very maintenance file and plan that the ECM must manage and apply, providing a clear, traceable method for justifying maintenance decisions to auditors and safety authorities.

What is the difference between 'creating' and 'modifying' a plan in EN 17023?

'Creating' the plan refers to the initial development process for a new vehicle type or a major overhaul, involving the collection of design data, operational context, and performing initial analyses like FMECA or RCM. 'Modifying' the plan refers to the continuous improvement process, which uses in-service data, failure analysis, and operational feedback to review and update the existing maintenance plan to optimize its effectiveness and efficiency.

EN 17023: Boosting EU Rail Safety & Efficiency

Master railway vehicle maintenance with EN 17023. This standard provides a systematic, data-driven framework for safe, reliable, and cost-optimized rolling stock operations.

December 15, 2024 2:02 am

Understanding EN 17023: A Framework for Railway Vehicle Maintenance Planning

EN 17023 is a European Standard that specifies the process for creating, documenting, and modifying the maintenance plan for railway vehicles. It provides a structured and systematic methodology to ensure that maintenance activities are effective, efficient, and sufficient to guarantee the safe and reliable operation of rolling stock throughout its lifecycle.

This standard is a cornerstone for any organization involved in railway vehicle maintenance, including manufacturers, operators, and Entities in Charge of Maintenance (ECM). It establishes a common language and a transparent process for determining what maintenance is required, when it should be performed, and how it should be justified.

Core Principles of EN 17023

The standard is built upon several key principles that distinguish it from traditional, prescriptive maintenance approaches. These principles promote a dynamic and data-driven maintenance strategy.

Systematic Approach: It mandates a structured, step-by-step process for developing the maintenance plan, moving away from ad-hoc or purely experience-based decisions.
Justification and Traceability: Every maintenance task included in the plan must be justified. The standard requires clear documentation of the analysis and reasoning behind the selection of tasks, intervals, and methods.
Lifecycle Management: The maintenance plan is not a static document. EN 17023 defines it as a living entity that must be reviewed and updated based on in-service experience, operational data, and technical modifications to the vehicle.
Risk and Reliability-Based: The methodology encourages the use of reliability analysis techniques (like RCM – Reliability Centred Maintenance or FMECA – Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis) to identify potential failures and define maintenance tasks that effectively mitigate their risks.

The Maintenance Plan Development and Modification Process

EN 17023 outlines a clear, multi-stage process. While adaptable, the core flow involves collecting input, analyzing systems, defining tasks, and establishing a feedback loop for continuous improvement.

Step 1: Gathering Inputs and Pre-requisites

The process begins with the collection of all relevant technical and operational data. This foundational step is critical for a comprehensive analysis. Key inputs include:

Vehicle Design Documentation: Technical specifications, drawings, system descriptions, and material data.
Operational Context: Information on the intended use, such as route types, environmental conditions (temperature, humidity), operating speeds, and annual mileage.
Regulatory and Contractual Requirements: Legal obligations, national safety rules, and specific customer requirements.
Manufacturer’s Recommendations: Initial maintenance suggestions provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
In-service Experience: Failure data, maintenance records, and feedback from similar vehicle types or components.

Step 2: Analysis and Maintenance Task Identification

With the inputs gathered, a systematic analysis is performed to identify potential failure modes for the vehicle’s systems and components. This stage determines which maintenance tasks are necessary to prevent failures or reduce their consequences. The standard does not prescribe a single analysis method but supports the use of established techniques like:

Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM): A structured process to determine the maintenance requirements of any physical asset in its operating context.
Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA): A method to identify potential failure modes, determine their effect on the system, and classify them according to their severity and likelihood.

Based on this analysis, tasks are defined, specifying the action, the interval (based on time, distance, or condition), and the necessary resources.

Step 3: Creation of the Initial Maintenance Plan

The outputs of the analysis are compiled into the formal maintenance plan document. This document must clearly structure all maintenance activities and typically includes:

A description of each maintenance task.
The interval or trigger for each task.
The required skills, tools, and spare parts.
Safety precautions and procedures.
References to detailed work instructions.
Criteria for checking the correct execution of the task.

Step 4: The Feedback and Modification Loop

A crucial element of EN 17023 is the requirement for continuous improvement. The standard defines a process for modifying the maintenance plan based on new information. This feedback loop involves:

Data Collection: Continuously gathering data from operations, maintenance execution, failures, and component condition monitoring.
Data Analysis: Analyzing the collected data to identify trends, recurring failures, or inefficiencies in the current plan. For example, if a component fails before its scheduled maintenance, the interval may be too long. Conversely, if a component is consistently found in perfect condition during servicing, the interval may be too short.
Plan Modification: Proposing, justifying, validating, and implementing changes to the maintenance plan based on the analysis. All modifications must be documented and traceable.

EN 17023 vs. Traditional Maintenance Approaches

The standard represents a significant shift from older, more rigid maintenance philosophies. The following table compares the EN 17023 approach with traditional methods.

Feature	Traditional Approach	EN 17023 Approach
Basis of Plan	Often based solely on manufacturer recommendations or historical practice (“we’ve always done it this way”).	Based on a systematic analysis of the vehicle in its specific operational context, justified by data and risk assessment.
Flexibility	Generally static and rigid. Changes are difficult to implement and justify.	Inherently dynamic. Includes a formal process for review and modification based on in-service data.
Focus	Prescriptive and time/distance-based. Focuses on scheduled component replacement.	Performance and risk-based. Focuses on preserving system function and managing failure consequences. Allows for condition-based tasks.
Documentation	May lack clear justification for tasks and intervals.	Requires full traceability. The reasoning behind every maintenance task must be clearly documented and auditable.
Efficiency	Can lead to over-maintenance (unnecessary tasks) or under-maintenance (unforeseen failures).	Aims to optimize maintenance by eliminating non-value-added tasks and focusing resources where they are most needed to mitigate risk.

Benefits of Implementing EN 17023

Adopting the EN 17023 standard provides significant advantages for railway stakeholders:

Enhanced Safety: By systematically identifying and mitigating potential failures, the standard directly contributes to a higher level of operational safety.
Improved Reliability & Availability: An optimized maintenance plan reduces unexpected failures and downtime, leading to more reliable service and higher vehicle availability.
Cost Optimization: The framework helps eliminate unnecessary maintenance tasks while preventing costly in-service failures, leading to an optimized total cost of ownership.
Regulatory Compliance: It provides a demonstrable and auditable process for meeting safety and maintenance obligations, particularly in relation to the ECM (Entity in Charge of Maintenance) Regulation.
Clearer Communication: It establishes a common framework and terminology for manufacturers, operators, and maintainers, improving collaboration and clarity.

Conclusion: A Framework for Excellence

EN 17023 is more than just a standard; it is a comprehensive framework for achieving excellence in railway vehicle maintenance. By mandating a structured, justified, and dynamic approach to creating and managing maintenance plans, it empowers organizations to move beyond reactive and prescriptive practices. Implementing its principles ensures that maintenance efforts are directly linked to safety, reliability, and efficiency, safeguarding the long-term performance and value of critical railway assets.