Replacement

Replacement is the act of substituting one thing with another. It can refer to the substituted item (the replacement) or to the act of substitution itself. Replacement is common across many domains, including maintenance, manufacturing, medicine, and technology, where ongoing use or improvement often requires substituting worn, obsolete, or incompatible parts.

In maintenance and manufacturing, decisions about replacement balance reliability, performance, and cost. Components wear or degrade, and timely replacement can prevent failures, preserve safety, and extend system life. Organizations typically maintain spare parts inventories and define replacement cycles or condition-based triggers.

In medicine, replacement refers to procedures that substitute diseased or damaged tissue or organs with implants or donor material. Examples include joint replacement, organ transplantation, and dental implants. Such procedures aim to restore function and relieve pain and are guided by clinical risk assessment, regulatory oversight, and follow-up care.

In computing and consumer technology, replacement covers hardware upgrades, battery changes, and device recycling. Software also evolves by replacing older versions with newer releases, while support for older software may be phased out. In materials and environmental contexts, replacement sometimes means substituting a material with a safer or more sustainable alternative.

Key considerations in any replacement decision include compatibility with existing systems, safety, regulatory compliance, and total cost of ownership. The term contrasts with repair (mending what is broken) and with upgrade (improving performance).