Using RCM Turbo

Preventive Maintenance Software

We have now looked at the how to lay out the PM, the next thing to concentrate on is the “when” should this PM be done? Most PM’s get initiated in a ritualistic manner. Some form of active god has caused a problem, and we are now going to put a PM in place to insure it never happens again. This now becomes tribal lore and when asked 10 years later, “Why do we inspect that elevator once a week though we never find anything wrong?” The response is always the same, “Because.”

You should only want to do the work that you need to do when you need to do it.  The most effective way to do this is by using RCM tools such as FAILURE MODES AND EFFECTS ANALYSIS. The only problem with this is that it can take you years and lots of time to complete just one PM. We found a new tool that can streamline this process down to minutes. It can be accomplished by anyone even an apprentice. This software is called RCM Turbo and it takes you through the FMEA Process in a logical order quickly and efficiently. It starts with doing a critical analysis of the process unit (see Fig. 1).

Fig.1

Once you have accomplished this and have looked at all the possible primary failures, it allows you to go down to the maintainable equipment level (see Fig. 2).

By following a series of questions it will tell you what type of PM should be carried out. This would include FTM or “fixed time maintenance” CBM or “conditioned-based monitoring” or RTF “run to failure” (see Fig. 3).

The last thing that RCM Turbo allows you to do is a reliability risk assessment. It will actually chart what you need in time and cost for 100% reliability but if 98% reliability is good enough it will tell you what the new time frame will be. This allows you to set your PM’s to the correct frequency and risk to be the most effective for your facility quickly and easily (see Fig. 4).

The other aspect of this tool is it allows you to build a library of associated equipment, so that you do not have to repeat the FMEA Process on each one. We have found that by having the correct task sheets and the right frequencies, PM’s become more efficient and people become more attuned to the whole concept of Preventive Maintenance. When your PM’s are run through RCM Turbo you will find you are now focusing on things that you never thought of and that you have much more time to do corrective maintenance work. Our studies have shown that most companies tend to over PM when they do PM and to not PM the correct equipment. We know that there is not a perfect PM but it is a working document that RCM Turbo can quickly and efficiently help write.

2. Click for Example Preventive Maintenance Template form.  

1. Back to developing a Preventive Maintenance Program - PM

This is Page 3 of the article "The perfect PM" by Ralph Hackle

President of Industrial Training Inc. (www.IndustrialTrainingInc.com)