RCM is mainly used in industry to develop a list of maintenance task or maintenance strategy. The maintenance tasks developed using RCM are based on the reliability of a system, equipment or component and the effects of the failure. From this, it can be clearly seen that there is a direct parallel between Risk Management and RCM. RCM, just like Risk Management, is the development of maintenance strategy, much like the Risk Assessment Task List, by evaluating the Reliability, or in Risk Management Term:

‘Likelihood' of failure, and the Failure Effects, or once again, using Risk Management Terminology: ‘Consequence'.

The only difference between these two concepts is the detail involved in systematically following the accepted RCM Methodology in determining the likelihood and consequence of failure. Although there are some minor differences in the accepted RCM Methodologies, basically they all involve the same seven basic steps (2).

The 7-Steps of RCM Process:

1. Identify the equipment / system to be analysed;
2. Determine its functions;
3. Determine what constitutes a failure of those functions;
4. Identify the failure modes that cause those functional failures (these are the actual physical failure of the equipment or component);
5. Identify the impact or effects of those failures' occurrence;
6. Use RCM logic to select appropriate maintenance tactics; and
7. Document the final maintenance program and refine it as more data becomes available from operating experience.

Tip provided by ARMS Reliability Engineers