Reliability-centered Maintenance (RCM) is a cornerstone in supporting asset management systems, as highlighted in ISO 55000. By aligning the reliability of industrial assets with both short- and long-term corporate goals, RCM ensures that asset performance directly contributes to the business value chain, safeguarding the critical functions that drive revenue.
Despite these clear advantages, many organizations struggle with operational gaps, which I’ve discussed in previous posts. These gaps often result in attempts to shortcut the RCM process, leading to what’s known as ‘streamlined’ RCM. However, these shortcuts can undermine the effectiveness of RCM, as no streamlined methodology complies with SAE RCM standards.
In my last post, I examined the risks of Generic Lists of Failure Modes. Today, I’ll address another common issue: Skipping Parts of the Process.
Skipping Parts of the Process
One of the most frequent shortcuts is skipping the function definition stage and diving straight into listing failure modes. This happens either because some see defining functions as a 'waste of time' or simply because they don’t understand the critical role that function definition plays. However, skipping this step can have significant consequences:
Lack of function understanding: You need a clear understanding of functions to assess consequences and select the right tasks. Skipping the function definition step compromises the technical integrity of the entire analysis.
Missed performance improvement opportunities: In many cases, the function definition stage reveals major opportunities for plant performance improvement. It’s during this stage that you gain insight into how the system operates and where the desired performance exceeds actual capabilities. Skipping this step may seem like a time-saver, but it ultimately results in far greater losses in terms of missed improvements.
In my next post, I’ll explore another common pitfall: focusing only on “Analyzing ‘Critical’ Functions or Failures”.
Thank you for your thoughts and insights!
#AssetManagement #Maintenance #Reliability #RiskManagement #HighRiskIndustries #OperationalExcellence
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