The Definition of RCM

From an engineering viewpoint, there are two elements to the management of any physical asset.  It must be maintained and from time to time, it may also need to be modified. The major dictionaries define maintain as ’cause to continue’ (Oxford) or ‘keep in an existing state’ (Webster). This suggests that maintenance preserves something. On the other hand, they agree that to modify something means to change it in some way. The importance of this distinction is recognized in the RCM decision process. However, we focus on maintenance at this point.  When we set out to maintain something, what is it that we wish to cause to continue? What is the existing state that we wish to preserve?

The answer to these questions can be found in the fact that every physical asset is put into service because someone wants it to do something. In other words, they expect it to fulfill a specific function or functions. So it follows that when we maintain an asset, the state we wish to preserve must be one in which it continues to do whatever its users want it to do.

Maintenance: Ensuring that physical assets continue to do what their users want them to do.

What the users want depends on exactly where and how the asset is being used (the operating context). This leads to the following definition of Reliability Centered Maintenance:

Reliability Centered Maintenance: a process used to determine what must be done to ensure that any physical asset continues to do what its users want it to do in its present operating context.

Want to learn more? Click on a topic below…

• What is RCM2?
• History of RCM & RCM2
• Implementing RCM2
• Buy the RCM2 Book