What is Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM)?

The Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) process is a method for estimating and controlling business operational risk as a consequence of equipment failure.  RCM is considered the industry best practice method for determining "optimum" equipment reliability strategy that contains maintenance costs while attaining the optimum level of plant availability.

While OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) recommendations have their place in establishing a equipment reliability strategy, they cannot be considered a complete maintenance strategy since they may not consider specific operating requirements and conditions.

What can effective RCM analysis achieve?

Greater safety and environmental integrity

RCM considers the safety and environmental implications of every relevant failure mode before considering its effect on operations. This means that steps can be taken to manage all identifiable equipment related safety and environmental hazards. RCM also has a positive impact on attitudes by integrating safety and environmental considerations into the decision making process.

Improved operating performance

RCM recognises that all types of maintenance actions have some influence on operational value added (output, product quality and customer service), and provides rules for deciding which maintenance actions are most suitable in a particular situation.  By doing this the most effective maintenance action(s) can be chosen for each asset.

Improved return on maintenance

RCM continually focuses attention on the maintenance actions that have most effect on plant performance.  This helps to ensure that maintenance spend is applied where it will do the most good.

Longer useful life of equipment

RCM will identify appropriate maintenance actions that to mitigate failure modes, e.g. correct lubrication to prolong the effects of wear on functional performance.

A comprehensive database (Knowledge Base)

The detailed plant knowledge that is developed when determining maintenance plans is often lost once those plans go into use. This usually occurs because only the required maintenance actions are documented.  The extent of knowledge developed during the generation of maintenance plans includes all of the decisions and assumptions that have been made to arrive at the final maintenance actions.  RCM captures this knowledge and ensures that the review of strategy is review of knowledge, not just review of activity.

How can acm help?

With over 100 years of combined asset management experience, the team at acm can assist by working with and training your staff to build your plant maintenance strategies using our complete end to end "maintenance strategy design" process.

"ACM have helped us greatly, they have been able to provide a dedicated resource that could focus on our issues.
The ACM staff are self driven and require little direction.
I am confident that the work ACM has done for us meets the requirements of the business.
ACM have a proven track record, they understand our requirements and tailor their services to meet our needs.
They are a reliable source of Engineering Services related to Asset management."

Quotes from a satisfied acm RCM customer.

Please contact acm for further information.