Myths about RCM in heavy mining equipment

Myth 1: Within the HME community, RCM seems to have been labeled “a waste of resource, time and effort” …,
Fact: This happens where RCM is treated as a one-time project rather than a living process integrated into everyday maintenance work order activity. Here are some of the reasons why RCM projects may not provide expected results.:

1. Some organizations  due to “downsizing” during the 90s were left with insufficient experience with which to carry out a credible RCM analysis. Their failure was misdiagnosed as a failure of “RCM” rather than a dangerous shedding of knowledge. Some organizations recognized the problem and brought back their former skilled veterans on contract in order to perform RCMA.
2. In some cases the wrong indicators were used to measure RCM success. It is a mistake to look only at the maintenance budget. The size of the budget may remain relatively unchanged, but the actual maintenance strategy will have altered significantly. RCM focuses on  “Doing the right job”. Non-productive tasks will have been replaced with tasks that address the worst consequences of failure. A balanced examination of leading and lagging KPIs will permit an unbiased assessment of any given maintenance initiative.
3. Early RCM projects were sometimes implemented by management consultants who thought they could “facilitate” RCM just by reading the book.  Aladon itself tried to offer “facilitation services”, but eventually concluded that RCM is best executed as an internal process rather than one led by  consultants. Aladon’s consultants adopted the role of “mentor” who taught the theory, monitored progress and provided advice.

Myth 2: Rather than RCM, it is preferable in HME maintenance plans to refer to OEM recommendations, Subject Matter Experts (SME) or using inherited plans to develop preventative maintenance or mitigation plans for HME.
Fact: RCM uses “OEM recommendations, Subject Matter Experts (SME) and inherited plans. It does so more “effectively” than most other processes. RCM adapts OEM maintenance tasks and schedules to local operating context.

Myth 3: RCM is not applicable due to the relatively “short life” of HME, in comparison to other assets such as those associated with infrastructure, oil and gas, power generation, manufacturing or even Electric Rope Shovels. There is little opportunity to apply reliability analysis to major component given the small number of failures;
Fact: RCM addresses the maintenance needs of equipment both in their early and later lives. Certain failure modes occur only after a known amount of usage. If the planned usage is lower, then those failure modes and their consequences will be listed as negligeable and no scheduled maintenance will be suggested by the RCM process. Nevertheless, potential failures, functional failures, and suspensions will occur in new heavy mining equipment. They should be documented (in a LRCM process) where justified.

Myth 4: RCM is generally used for “new or unknown” assets or systems prior to the asset going into service (usually during the design phase)
Fact: RCM addresses, equally, the maintenance of equipment in service an in their unique operating context.

© 2011 – 2016, Murray Wiseman. All rights reserved.