Publications
RCM and application at Sandia National Labs
Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) is a process used to determine what must be done to ensure that any physical asset continues to do whatever its users want it to do in its present operating context. There are 7 basic questions of RCM: (1) what are the functions of the asset; (2) in hwat ways does it fail to fulfill its functions; (3) what causes each functional failure; (4) what happens when each failure occurs; (5) in what way does each failure matter; (6) what can be done to predict or prevent each failure; and (7) what should be done if a suitable proactive task cannot be found. SNL's RCM experiences: (1) acid exhaust system - (a) reduced risk of system failure (safety and operational consequences), (b) reduced annual correctiv maintenance hours from 138 in FY06 to zero in FY07, FY08, FY09, FY10 and FY11 so far, (c) identified single point of failure, mitigated risk, and recommended a permanent solution; (2) fire alarm system - (a) reduced false alarms, which cause costly evacuations, (b) precented 1- to 2-day evacuation by identifying and obtaining a critical spare for a network card; (3) heating water system - (a) reduced PM hours on fire-tube boilers by 60%, (b) developed operator tasks and PM plan for modular boilers, which can be applied to many installations; and (4) GIF source elevator system - (a) reduced frequency of PM tasks from 6 months to 1 year, (b) established predictive maintenance task that identified overheating cabinet and prevented potential electrical failure or fire.