What is defined as any corrective or preventive activity carried out on equipment to ensure it performs as intended?

• A. Maintenance
• B. Upkeep
• C. Servicing
• D. Repair

Answer: (A)

Maintenance is the set of actions taken to keep equipment performing as intended, covering both preventive work to stop problems before they happen and corrective work to restore function after issues are found. It includes tasks like lubrication, calibration, and part replacement before failure, as well as repair of a component or system to return it to its designed operation. This broad scope is what makes it the best fit for the definition. Upkeep is a more general term for regular care without implying a formal preventive plan; servicing usually refers to routine checks or adjustments on a specific item; repair focuses on fixing something after it has already failed, not on preventing future issues.