Reliability centered maintenance (RCM) is one of many strategies that facilities can use to maximize operational efficiency. RCM strategies focus on maintaining equipment in a way that reduces both downtime and costs. Rather than following a checklist of tasks, RCM offers custom solutions for all equipment to reduce unnecessary maintenance services while predicting and preventing reactive maintenance.
MaintenX utilizes reliability-centered maintenance for large operations that require frequent services. By tailoring our solutions to the specific needs and demands of the space, we can better serve our clients while putting their maintenance dollars to good use. Before you implement an RCM strategy with MaintenX, we ask the following questions to ascertain your needs and expectations for the future:
- What is the desired performance of each piece of equipment onsite?
- In what ways can your vital assets fail or produce less-than-optimal results?
- What are the most common signs of equipment failure?
- What are the consequences of these failures?
- What does your team do to predict and prevent equipment failures onsite?
Once we have talked with the facility manager about these concerns, we can develop a comprehensive RCM strategy for your business. At MaintenX, we follow these principles when it comes to designing and implementing reliability centered maintenance plans:
We accept failures.
Not all equipment failures can be predicted or prevented. Unexpected or previous not experienced failures are learning opportunities for better facility design and preventative maintenance service. While we try to mitigate all foreseeable equipment failures, we accept and learn from those that catch us off guard.
We prioritize failures.
Your time and resources are valuable, and therefore should be spent wisely. When deciding to perform or not perform maintenance tasks, the risks of not performing them should be weighed against the potential benefits of preventing a failure. Therefore, not all preventative maintenance tasks are created equal. Maintenance tasks that prevent downtime and prolong equipment lifespan should be a greater priority than those that simply improve efficiency or have little risk of failure.
We look for hidden failures.
Hidden failures are the most dangerous to facilities because they do not pose risks until they happen. You find hidden failures either when you need equipment to function properly, or when you perform failure finding tests. Failure finding tests are critical to effective RCM. These tests prevent failures on equipment or fail stops that are not used daily. They can save your facility from an equipment failure resulting in disaster.
We think before we act.
MaintenX believes in quality service, and part of that is knowing when to act and when to leave equipment as is. Maintenance cannot improve a machine’s inherent performance, and too much service can expose your equipment to environmental risks. We provide service when needed to maximize output, but we never perform unnecessary services. And, if a piece of equipment is nearing the end of its lifecycle, we recommend replacements over extended repairs. Sometimes the best decision in RCM is to not act or to change course.
We never stop improving.
The most effective RCM strategies change. When RCM is effective, your facility should see performance and efficiency improvements, and require less maintenance over time. At MaintenX we strive to improve our programs to require fewer services over time, and to learn from each task performed so we can prevent you from spending unnecessary maintenance dollars. With each service, we strive to perform better so you can run a tight ship that rarely requires reactive maintenance services.
By following these five principles, we make your facility easier and more affordable to manage. For more information about RCM or our preventative maintenance services, contact MaintenX today!
