Level of Repair Analysis (LORA) & Simulation
The design of the Support System is key to achieving a cost effective Technical System. In the design of the Support system there are a myriad of decisions that need to be made and they are all dependent on each other. The maintenance tasks shall be defined and tools, technicians and other resources shall be allocated to the right locations. A poorly designed support system can result in low efficiency and high costs at the same time, while an optimized support enables the technical system to deliver to its full potential at the lowest possible cost.
What is Level of Repair Analysis?
Level of Repair Analysis (LORA) is a method for deciding where in a support organization each maintenance task should be performed, and whether a failed item should be repaired or discarded. It answers questions such as: should this component be repaired at the operating site, at an intermediate depot, or returned to the original manufacturer? LORA was formally described in standards such as MIL-STD-1390D, developed in the 1980s.
The traditional, sequential approach
Traditionally, support system design has been broken into manageable parts, with each maintenance level handled independently and the overall decision process treated sequentially. This approach was practical when methods, data management, and analytical capability were limited, and it formed the basis for early LORA methodology as described in MIL-STD-1390D.
Maintenance Concept Optimization: the modern approach to LORA
Opus Suite+ enables a modern, iterative approach that accounts for all interdependent factors in support system design at once, rather than treating them sequentially. Systecon calls this Maintenance Concept Optimization, a built-in capability of Opus Suite+.
Using LORA-XT, Opus Suite+ analyzes all feasible maintenance alternatives to identify the most suitable repair policies based on operational requirements, costs, and infrastructure constraints. This helps answer three critical questions: whether a component should be repaired or discarded, where repairs should take place, and how maintenance activities should be distributed across the support network. As a unified platform combining the optimization capability of OPUS10, the simulation capability of SIMLOX, and the cost analysis capability of CATLOC, Opus Suite+ supports LORA within the same environment used for spares optimization, reliability modeling, and life cycle cost analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Level of Repair Analysis (LORA)?
LORA is a method for determining the most cost-effective location and approach for repairing or discarding a failed item within a support organization, balancing repair cost, transport time, and required infrastructure at each potential repair level.
What is LORA-XT?
LORA-XT is the Level of Repair Analysis capability within Opus Suite+. It analyzes all feasible maintenance alternatives to identify the most suitable repair and discard policies across a support network, based on operational requirements, cost, and infrastructure constraints.
What standard defines LORA?
LORA methodology was formally described in MIL-STD-1390D, a US military standard developed in the 1980s. Modern LORA practice, including within Opus Suite+, extends beyond the original standard to support iterative, system-level optimization rather than sequential level-by-level analysis.
What is the difference between LORA and maintenance concept optimization?
LORA traditionally refers to the specific repair-or-discard, repair-location decision. Maintenance concept optimization is the broader, modern approach used in Opus Suite+ that evaluates LORA decisions alongside related factors such as spares provisioning and maintenance task allocation, as one integrated analysis rather than a separate step.
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Systecon takes LORA (Level of Repair Analysis) to the next level
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The modern evolution of analysis-driven Life Cycle Management
Opus Suite provides the advanced analytical capabilities that organizations rely on to make informed, data-driven decisions across the entire system life cycle. From concept and development through to operations and sustainment, it enables powerful modelling, simulation, and optimization to manage cost, performance, and readiness.
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