Reliability centered maintenance (RCM) magazine provides the following
definition of RCM: “a process used to determine the maintenance requirements of
any physical asset in its operating context.”
Basically, RCM methodology deals with some key issues not dealt with by other maintenance programs. It recognizes that all equipment in a facility is not of equal importance to either the process or facility safety. It recognizes that equipment design and operation differs and that different equipment will have a higher probability to undergo failures from different degradation mechanisms than others. It also approaches the structuring of a maintenance program recognizing that a facility does not have unlimited financial and personnel resources and that the use of both need to be prioritized and optimized. In a nutshell, RCM is a systematic approach to evaluate a facility’s equipment and resources to best mate the two and result in a high degree of facility reliability and cost-effectiveness. RCM is highly reliant on predictive maintenance but also recognizes that maintenance activities on equipment that is inexpensive and unimportant to facility reliability may best be left to a reactive maintenance approach. The following maintenance program breakdowns of continually top-performing facilities would echo the RCM approach to utilize all available maintenance approaches with the predominant methodology being predictive.
• <10% Reactive
• 25% to 35% Preventive
• 45% to 55% Predictive
Because RCM is so heavily weighted in utilization of predictive maintenance technologies, its program advantages and disadvantages mirror those of predictive maintenance. In addition to these advantages, RCM will allow a facility to more closely match resources to needs while improving reliability and decreasing cost.
Table below highlights guidance on RCM development by equipment application (adapted from NASA 2000). It is important to both define the equipment criticality and cost of down-time when determining the optimal mix of maintenance elements. Once defined, the equipment can be prioritized in the developing a functional RCM program.
How to Initiate Reliability Centered Maintenance The road from a purely reactive program to a RCM program is not an easy one. The following is a list of some basic steps that will help to get moving down this path (NASA 2000).
1. Develop a Master equipment list identifying the equipment in your facility.
2. Prioritize the listed components based on importance or criticality to operation, process, or mission – see text box highlighting priority scheme.
Basically, RCM methodology deals with some key issues not dealt with by other maintenance programs. It recognizes that all equipment in a facility is not of equal importance to either the process or facility safety. It recognizes that equipment design and operation differs and that different equipment will have a higher probability to undergo failures from different degradation mechanisms than others. It also approaches the structuring of a maintenance program recognizing that a facility does not have unlimited financial and personnel resources and that the use of both need to be prioritized and optimized. In a nutshell, RCM is a systematic approach to evaluate a facility’s equipment and resources to best mate the two and result in a high degree of facility reliability and cost-effectiveness. RCM is highly reliant on predictive maintenance but also recognizes that maintenance activities on equipment that is inexpensive and unimportant to facility reliability may best be left to a reactive maintenance approach. The following maintenance program breakdowns of continually top-performing facilities would echo the RCM approach to utilize all available maintenance approaches with the predominant methodology being predictive.
• <10% Reactive
• 25% to 35% Preventive
• 45% to 55% Predictive
Because RCM is so heavily weighted in utilization of predictive maintenance technologies, its program advantages and disadvantages mirror those of predictive maintenance. In addition to these advantages, RCM will allow a facility to more closely match resources to needs while improving reliability and decreasing cost.
Table below highlights guidance on RCM development by equipment application (adapted from NASA 2000). It is important to both define the equipment criticality and cost of down-time when determining the optimal mix of maintenance elements. Once defined, the equipment can be prioritized in the developing a functional RCM program.
How to Initiate Reliability Centered Maintenance The road from a purely reactive program to a RCM program is not an easy one. The following is a list of some basic steps that will help to get moving down this path (NASA 2000).
1. Develop a Master equipment list identifying the equipment in your facility.
2. Prioritize the listed components based on importance or criticality to operation, process, or mission – see text box highlighting priority scheme.