The Major Benefits of RCM

  

Greater safety and environmental integrity, due to

 

 

  • the systematic review of safety and environmental implications of every failure mode before considering operational issues.

  
  •  clear strategies for preventing failure modes which can affect safety or the environment, and for the action to be taken if a suitable preventive task cannot be found.
 
  •  improved maintenance of existing protective devices.
 
  •  provision of new protective devices
 
  • fewer failures caused by unnecessary maintenance.
 
 

 

Improved operating performance, due to
 
  • more emphasis on the maintenance requirements of critical assemblies and components.
  • longer intervals between, and in some cases the complete elimination   of overhauls.
  • shorter shutdown work lists, leading to shorter, more easily managed and less costly shutdowns.
  • fewer burn-in problems after shutdowns owing to the elimination of unnecessary overhauls.
  • elimination of superfluous plant and hence of superfluous failures.
  • the elimination of unreliable components.
  • quicker diagnosis of failure.
  • less secondary damage following minor failures.
  • quick and systematic learning about new plant.
 

Greater cost effectiveness, due to
 
  • less unnecessary routine maintenance (if applied to existing PM systems, RCM can reduce routine PM workloads by 40%-70%).
  • better buying of maintenance services.
  •  the prevention  or elimination of expensive failures.
  • clearer operating policies, with regards to stand-by equipment.
  • less need to use expensive experts because everyone has a much better knowledge of the plan.
 

 Longer useful life of expensive items, due to
 
  • more appropriate usage of predictive maintenance techniques.
 

A comprehensive maintenance data base, which

 
  • reduces the effects of staff turnover with its attendant loss of experience and expertise.
  •  provides a much deeper general understanding of the equipment in its operating context.
  •  provides a foundation for introducing expert systems.
  •  leads to more accurate drawings and manuals.
  • makes it easier to adapt to changing circumstances without having.
  •  to reconsider all maintenance policies and schedules for scratch.
 

Greater motivation of individuals
 
  • especially people who are involved in the application of RCM.  It leads to a greatly improved general understanding of the equipment in its operating context, together with a wider ownership of maintenance problems and their solutions.  It also means that solutions are more likely to endure.
 

Better teamwork
 
  • brought about by a group approach to maintenance problem analysis and decision making.  This improves communication and co-operation between departments, production or operations departments and the maintenance function.
  •  people at different levels, management,  supervisors, technicians and operators.
  •  internal and external specialists, equipment designers, vendors, users and maintainers.