Why and How Should Reliability Professionals Implement RCM by a Holistic Approach
The debate around the true value of Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) has been around long enough in the asset management and reliability sphere. Reliability professionals are keen to gain the proven impressive RCM results in their reliability projects but find it challenging to turn the plan into reality. In this blog, we propose a “holistic” RCM approach to help reliability professionals realise the real value of this fundamental process.
The RCM Dilemma: Embrace or Reject?
- “We’re not able to complete our program with the available resources…”
- “We’re uncertain if we’re performing maintenance on the correct assets…”
- “We’re not seeing adequate performance from the assets even after we maintain them…”.
A Holistic RCM Approach
The answer lies in a “holistic” view of Asset Management: Effective asset management requires a holistic approach to creating value, from the asset design phase right through the life cycle to disposal, flowing from the CEO to the shop floor and creating a clear line of sight.
In other words, a well implemented and value-adding RCM project requires both leaders’ and employees’ engagement to successfully embed RCM into the company culture.
Realign Leaderships’ View on Maintenance and Cost
Clearly Define the Scope of the RCM Analysis
Train and Upgrade the Shop Floor Personnel’s RCM Capability
- Utilise a skilled RCM facilitator
- Use data to define the relative revenue risk across your asset base
- Define the group of target assets currently choking your profitability
- For each of the target assets:
- Engage a small cross functional team of asset class experts (trades, operators, engineers)
- Methodically examine the asset based on the principles defined by recognised RCM standards such as SAE JA1011
- Refine the results to produce a maintenance strategy that balances affordability and risk
- Develop clear, logical and achievable Maintenance Work Instructions to support quality execution
- For assets at or near the bottom of the revenue risk analysis, challenge the current strategies and strip out tasks that clearly add no value from a failure modes management perspective
- Ensure that the final outcomes are properly embedded in you CMMS
RCM Related Resources:
Blog:
- The Ultimate Guide to Perform an RCM Analysis [Infographic]
- RCM Q&A for Reliability Professionals – How to Embed RCM into the Company Culture
- 6 Reasons Organisations fail in the RCM Implementation (and how to avoid)
RCM Software: ReliaSoft RCM++ software – facilitate your RCM analysis
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