Rolling out reliability-centred maintenance
Reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) is a structured method for deciding the right maintenance strategy for each asset by analysing how it can fail and what each failure causes. A rollout works through critical equipment function by function, assigning condition-based, time-based, run-to-failure or redesign tactics according to consequence.
What it is
RCM replaces blanket maintenance policies with tailored ones derived from failure analysis. For each asset it asks what functions it performs, how it can fail to perform them, what the consequences are, and therefore what — if anything — is worth doing to prevent or detect each failure.
Why it is done
Not every failure justifies prevention; some are best left to run-to-failure, others demand monitoring, a few warrant redesign. RCM directs maintenance spend at the failures that actually matter for safety, environment and production, and stops effort being wasted on inconsequential ones.
How it is done
A facilitated team defines each asset's functions and functional failures, identifies failure modes and their effects, and judges consequences. For each mode it selects a tactic — condition-based task, scheduled restoration or replacement, failure-finding test, or run-to-failure — and where no task is effective, recommends redesign. The resulting tasks become the maintenance plan, reviewed as experience accrues.
- Define functions
- List failure modes
- Assess effects
- Judge consequences
- Select tactic
- Build & review plan
What to watch for
Full RCM is labour-intensive; applying it to non-critical assets burns effort for little return. Treating the analysis as a one-off document, rather than a living plan revised with real failure data, lets it drift out of date.
Related practices
Transitioning to condition-based maintenance
Running an asset criticality ranking exercise
Running a defect elimination programme
Related topics
Asset Criticality · Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Common in: Power Generation · Chemicals · Steel & Metals · Cement · Pharmaceuticals