Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) is a high quality methodology to manage failure behavior of complex processes. RCM is mostly used for high critical systems. The result of RCM is a maintenance concepts that covers the current failure behavior as described in the FMEA (Failure Mode Effect Analysis). The maintenance concept must be nested into a maintenance plan in order to upgrade the maintenance program in your CMMS.
RCM is standardized worldwide in accordance with SAE JA1011 and SAE JA1012. (https://www.sae.org). You can buy the standards here:
In order to execute RCM correctly, a team of highly experienced people is needed which have updated knowledge of the failure behavior of the system being analyzed. Most experience is found in all operational departments that work daily with the system and have a direct effect on failure behavior. These people work together in a RCM workgroup and use RCM to define that failure behavior and develop the maintenance concept using RCM. The workgroup is managed by a RCM facilitator. The group is at least certified to a RCM level 1 to be able to execute RCM the right way and to define the failure behavior using the 34 RCM definitions. These RCM definitions are crucial for applying RCM because if you understand the definitions you are able to understand the logic behind failure failure behavior and do something about it. It also helps to communicate about failure behavior effectively.
In accordance with these standards there are different levels for people who apply RCM professionally. The background of this is that RCM can only be applied correctly by people who have shown that they have a certain level of knowledge in the field of RCM.
A team of RCM Level 4 certified examiners manage the RCM certification. These examiners have many years of experience with RCM training and implementations. To become a RCM examiner, the group of examiners will invite a person to join IREC.
The IREC examiners develop RCM exams according to the RCM standards SAE JA1011 and JA1012. These exams are used on https://learning.ercbv.eu. The result of the theoretical examination is a software score. This software score is the minimum score. For each exam two examiners evaluate the results of the students. Examiners decide together about the final scores of the students. They are also responsible for the grades of the examination questions.
The examination is an “Open Book Exam”. All training materials may be used during the exam. But when a student needs them too often, the student will not be able to finish in time.
80% score is the minimum score to get certified, because any score below can be considered as not reliable enough.
RCM is a team approach. That team uses the RCM methodology to analyze a process with the goal of developing a maintenance concept that covers the current failure behavior. But failure behavior in dynamic production processes is not static. Failure behavior is changing all the time. It is dynamic due to:
If failure behavior changes, the FMEA must be updated. The updated FMEA is used to update the maintenance concept > maintenance plan > maintenance program so you are continuously able to cover the current failure behavior that affects cost, risk, availability, reliability, quality, efficiency, …
If RCM is applied correctly a second facilitator runs the RCM review group. This is the opposition of the RCM workgroup.
The following RCM Levels are used worldwide.
The RCM workgroup consists of people who have a lot of current knowledge and experience of the failure behavior of the process to be analyzed. They answer the questions of the RCM facilitator.
The online RCM Level 1 training is an introduction in Reliability Centered Maintenance. It is a Blended learning training. This means it is a combination of self study in a Learning Management System and 4 online sessions and presentations. The 5th session is the final exam.
After your order you will receive your account details to login in our LMS where you will find all training materials for the training including:
RCM Level 1 gives you a introduction how maintenance concepts should be developed. These concepts must be nested into maintenance plans to upgrade the maintenance program in the CMMS. RCM Level 1 gives you a lot of background information about how to manage failure behavior of assets and complex production systems. You will receive detailed information about predictive, proactive, preventive, detective, reactive and directive tasks. You will receive information about when one of the following task types can be selected and how to calculate the intervals:
The RCM review facilitator may perform RCM reviews under the guidance of a RCM facilitator. The review facilitator finished only the theoretical part of the Level 2 training (80 hours RCM Level 2 training) and must finish the practical part of Level 2 (RCM Master project) to become a RCM facilitator. Most review facilitators need some extra time to finish the practical part. The review facilitator also has Level 2 rights in DORA Software.
RCM Level 2 is the RCM facilitator training and is intended for those employees who have or will have final responsibility for the quality of maintenance concepts. Usually these are operational people like process specialists, senior operators, maintenance and reliability engineers. The RCM facilitator also guides RCM review facilitators. Has Level 2 rights in DORA Software.
During this training we discuss both RCM and QM (Quick Maintenance). RCM is for highly critical systems. QM is for medium and low critical systems. QM is based on the RCM philosophy but then 10 times faster because many time consuming parts are removed. Therefore it is also more superficial and not suitable for high critical systems.
In short, each RCM and QM analysis consists of:
The Level 2 training consists of two parts:
Theoretical part: +/- 80 hours of theory + exam.
Practical part: RCM Master Project.
The theory covers all mechanisms behind the RCM methodology. In detail we work through all the definitions and apply them in case studies.
Participants have all online training materials at their disposal. Including online quizzes and mock exams.
The RCM Teacher may train and supervise participants to RCM Level 1 and RCM Level 2.
The RCM examiners are chosen from the group of RCM teachers. They have a long RCM track record and have made a special contribution to the application of RCM. RCM examiners are highly respected RCM experts.
European Reliability Centre (ERC) B.V. offers these certified RCM trainings according to the international RCM standards. Contact us for more information.
