RCM Reliability Centered Maintenance

Friends, good evening. Today's topic will be RCM, Reliability Centered Maintenance. As this video is mainly related to the people who are in maintenance, maintenance manager, engineer, reliability engineer, migration engineer, whoever is related to the maintenance. And particularly, I would like to talk about the machinery, rotating machines. What is the importance of RCM, Reliability Centered Maintenance, and why it should be practiced? Practicing, in a sense, maybe you are in a working plant, or working within a refinery. The refinery is going on, or you might be having the commissioning of the refinery. So, naturally, you need that you should understand the concept of RCM and the application of RCM.

Reliability Centered Maintenance, actually, is an analysis process. For example, if you have a refinery which is running, you might be having in place with you a centralized maintenance management system, organized organization for the maintenance. You might be having your software, vibration management tools, or many things are there. Manpower, trained manpower, everything is established. So, I am assuming that you might be having some systems, maintenance systems, where you are already doing the maintenance. But RCM is a project. Project, in a sense, it is a beginning and it has an end. You might have done it earlier, but if already four or five years have happened, then you have to review and see whether whatever the RCM you have done four or five years ago, can you do it again and whether you will get the benefit or not.

So, this video is related to all the people, whether they know about RCM, or they have already done RCM, or they want to remove the RCM analysis. Why I am telling you that it is very, very important, particularly in the refinery and petrochemicals, and in the power industry, fertilizer industry, pharma, wherever you are. If you have RCM here, it will give you a lot of benefits. There is no question about it. But to have an RCM analysis, you must not be convinced yourself. You have to convince your management, top management, because it entails money and energy, not of only yours, but your colleagues. So, it is a team phenomenon. It is not that only you will do the RCM.

So, what is to be done regarding RCM and why it is important? So, I would like to tell you that each machinery, each equipment has some functions. Functions for the operations. For example, capacity. So, if you have a capacity of 10,000 meter cube per hour of any compressor, take it here simply. This is an instrument air compressor. Compressors related to for the production of the instrument air. Now, already the capacity is fixed, and the pressure is fixed. Maybe the pressure may be in the range of 7-8 kg per centimeter square gas. So, now you have this function that this compressor should continuously supply 10,000 meter cube per hour. Now, this is the main function. So, this is the primary function. And secondary functions may be others, like you know, this machine running without any problem, without any vibration, without any capacity sections, other things, many things. Other things are there. So, that is, you can say, secondary functional problems. So, mainly there are primary functions and secondary functions of any machines.

So, first part of the RCM is that you have to understand the functions in the operating context of that plant or that area. Second thing comes now, the failures. Whether these functions are, you know, any failure is there for this function? I mean, is the compressor having any problem? So, we now troubleshoot the problem. Suppose the problem is in lubrication. It may be an operation problem, or you can say that the temperature of the bearing is very high in the compressor. So, now you have a problem. Although it is running, it is giving you the capacity, but now the temperature is why? That's why you are concerned about that whether it will be, you know, running or not. So, for that, you already take some, you can say, corrective actions. You see, inspect and troubleshoot whether some restriction is in the cooling water, or some restriction in the oil, or something like that. And you bring it, the temperature back. So, this is what you generally do in the operations.

But because of some reasons, suppose the bearing is giving high temperatures, and you do not know what to do, and it gets fails. So, this is a failure. Once failure of the bearing is happening, it is a catastrophic failure. It can lead to another failure, like, you know, breakage of the casing or the shaft, anything you can say, can happen. So, what I am saying that the failure is going to happen if you are not taking any proactive steps. So, already you are taking the proactive steps. Part there may be some situations where you don't have any corrective actions, and thus it will give some alarm, and if the compressor will trip. In case, suppose this protective function of alarm and trip is not working, you would not know the situation when the compressor is going in high temperature trip or high vibration, and it suddenly will fail. And it suddenly fails, what happens? You don't know. And that is why it is a catastrophic failure. It can happen. We have given the protective systems that it should not happen, but it is not guaranteed that the protective systems also work all the time.

So, what I want to say that there is a chance of failure. In the failure also, some are the potential failure. As I said, with varying temperature is getting higher, then you know there is an indication, there is an evidence. But in case the protective function is not working, for example, if alignment is not working, this is a hidden. So, there are, you know, two types of failures. What you call that functional failures, that sometimes it is evident, and sometimes it is not evident. And how does it fail? What is the cause of the failure? That is known as a failure mode. So, you have to identify for each machine, the failure mode. RCM analysis is about the failure modes. Every machine has typical failure modes. These failure modes, in operating context, the frequency of the failure may be less, frequency of the failure may be higher, but there is a cause for every failure, and that is a failure mode.

Failure mode, in terms of, you can also say these are the mechanisms. Some failure is because of the age. You cannot run a bearing more than four or five years, as you know, whether it is your home bearing or any other bearing. The maximum life you will get is four or five years. So, this is because of age. But bearing can fail prematurely because of any other reasons, like if you don't have the lubrication properly, or the fitting is proper, it is not proper, or other reasons may be there. There is misalignment, there is high vibration. There is vibration, bearing noise is too much there because of the looseness or something like that, and the bearing will fail prematurely. So, even after, even, you know, despite the age and something like that, the bearing may fail because of other reasons. So, these are the failure modes. Mechanism. Bearing is failing, that is a failure. Function. The machine is not working because of the bearing failure, that is a failure, you can say functional failure. Potential failure. When you know that it is going to fail because of the high temperature of the bearing, or whether it is a hidden or not. Whether it is a failure of the protection or not.

So, once you know about the function of the machinery and the failures, you can know how many ways the machinery can fail. You cannot have the, you can say, motor not working, or steam turbine not working, that's why it gets stuck. Compressors are from whatever your driven machine is there. So, machinery is failing because of some failure mode. So, you have to identify the failure mode in your operating context. The failure modes may be, some failure modes may be higher. Suppose you have a lot of leakage in a steam drum. So, leakage failure is a little bit more. Or in case you have a vibration because you have not properly done the installation of the machine. From the beginning, you have a higher vibration always. Or you take the reciprocating compressor, you generally have the failure of the your suction valve as well because of the liquid. The, you know, gas, the recycling gas. The reciprocating compressor is compressing, is having the contamination, it has the leakage. So, there are a number of failures of the valves. So, your operating context, in your machinery, you must be having a peculiar, you can say, failure modes, failure causes. So, identification of the failure modes and the frequency is a prime job in the RCM analysis.

Once you know the failure modes, you might be having already, you know, placed some maintenance strategies. In case of, you know, that the failure of the valves in the reciprocating is happening every three months or six months. So, what will you do? You will replace the valve by taking the strategy of either preventive maintenance or predictive maintenance or any other, you can say, strategy of replacement or whatever you want to do. So, once you have the failure modes identified, you know what is the effect of the failure. Failure effects means when anything is failing, what is happening? Whether you are getting, was damaged, or whether you have a safety, for a valve failure, or anything, any component, mechanical seal, or any performance is deteriorated because of this failure. Maybe even in the vibration, or maybe having the less capacity, or maybe you are having the cavitation. So, these are the failure modes. Are you having a heavy leakage? You have to start the machine. These are the failure modes. Have the effects. Effects means you have a final result. Then you know the machine has failed.

Now, for every failure, there is a consequence. Now, consequences, you can categorize in terms of whether it is a safety hazard. For example, if you have a leakage of some toxic gas or hydrocarbon, it is a potential hazard for any event, particularly safety-related. It can, you can say, the operator surrounding there, if the toxic leakage is there.

The operators or any other people. So, you have to identify that if there is a leakage, there is a failure at the machine. Suppose compressor is failing without gaining, without giving any alarm or trip, or you can say coupling has failed, and suddenly, you know, God is not there, and something happens. So, I mean to say that that failure can lead to some safety problem. Our failure can lead to some environmental form. Maybe fire hazard may be there, or toxic leakage is there. When the toxic leakage is very heavy, the surrounding villages and surrounding people may get affected. And so, this event is environmentally affecting also. So, the failure can lead to the environmental hazards. In a similar way, naturally, the operation will be. For which the machine is there, mainly objective of the machine is that it should run safely without harming anyone and giving the production. In case, have I taken the centrifugal compressor is giving you the instrument air? So, it should give the instrument air, 10,000 meter cube per hour, or 7 kg or 8 kg per centimeter square of the pressure. It should continuously. But if it is not giving, it is getting failed because of any failure mode, and the affected machine getting stopped, you will have the consequences. Consequences that your downstream plant, where the instrument air is going, that is going to be affected. You have to shut down the plant, or any other reasons. So, you might be having the losses, what do you call the production losses or operation losses. So, you have to categorize what are the consequences. Because this consequences determination of the consequences will determine your maintenance strategy. What is to be done to check the failure does not happen? What are the proactive actions you have to do?

Generally, already we are doing. We are making maintenance strategy depending upon the criticality. The depending upon the failure mode that we have a preventive and predictive. So, what the proactive action is there? It is a predictive or preventive maintenance. Predictive sometimes maintenance you call the condition-based or online, or this is done through the condition monitoring. Now, you have to fix the intervals. How would you fix the intervals? That you have to identify what type of failure mode is there? Whether it can you can identify without the machine is failing? So, potential failure. You identify and then you fix the intervals of monitoring. Half of the, at least minimum potential failure. So, suppose failure potential failure is six months, then you will give the monitoring thing. You might be having the LED that you are going to have a practice of vibration taking through your portable meter every one month, every 15 days, or every three months, depending on the criticality of machines. Also, criticality of machines, you categorize like ABC category, or vital. So, you can say vital, essential, and critical. You might be having the CMMS, computerized maintenance management system, what you call SAP PM, where you keep all the data, or everything related document. You might be having the failure history also.

So, what I would like to say that RCM analysis is mainly about the failure management analysis. So, what are the failure causes? What is the history of your equipment of the failure? How your equipment in a particular industry, particular environment can fail, in what manner? That is related about the failure modes. So, it is about the functions and failures, failure modes, failure effects, and the failure consequences. Then what is to be done proactively? Whether preventive or productive. In some cases, you are not having these functions technically feasible. You are okay. You said, okay, we will do the vibration monitoring, or we will have a protection, you know, productive instrumentation check every six months, so that it doesn't happen. Whether it is a hidden or evident. So, in such a way that you are putting all the, or you already might be doing very well. But what I am saying that whether in the operating context, whether I reviewed, whether you are doing proper or not. For example, will preventive maintenance, you are checking the coupling or not, every six months or every one year, or you don't need to, because you already have in place the vibration monitor program. So, vibration monitoring program already will give any problem related to the coupling. So, it is not needed.

In another case, suppose if you have a number of pumps in the hydro carbon. So, then it is a criticality is different. And number of pumps in the supply of the water. So, in case of the water, if something happens, something fails, it will not lead to safety hazard too much, or environmental hazard, something like that. But in the case of hydrocarbon, it is going to give. So, a maintenance strategy and you can say, and the type of procedures, functions, and manpower training, and all those are contributing. What proactive action you are going to take, and whether they are appropriate. And then what you are doing? In some cases, you are doing over too much, too much preventive maintenance. You are replacing the spare parts or refurbishment, or you are doing too much frequently, you know, vibration management monitoring, even you cannot manage the analysis. The name, but lot of data you are generating, and you are not using that those data in preventing your failures. So, all these things will come out in the RCM analysis, and it is a teamwork only. RCM facilitator generally is taken from outside, but experience in your areas, at least if he is to do the RCM related to the machinery in the refinery and the petrochemical, in a similar case, for example, you can do some job in the power and utilities, because process industry is less, and more are same, and the equipment is less, and more same. But failure modes will be different, and the maintenance system will be different, the procedure will be different, the safety aspects and safety hazards and other hazards will be different, depending upon the type of industry.

So, what I would like to say that it is directly linked. What are your failure causes and consequences? When you want to have some maintenance strategy. Now, once you know the maintenance history, once you know what is the task is to be done, and how much interval you should have, whether it is a condition-based or for the preventive maintenance, then you know whether it is worth it or not. Whether it is technically feasible or not. Only then you decide what is to be done to stop or check the failure. I would like to say again, FSI, that you cannot stop the failures, and it should not be interested in stopping each and every failure, depending upon the failure consequences. Let the machine fail if it is not having a serial consequences. And you should not have the strategy of stopping all the failures. Maybe that is technically feasible, but it is not worth doing.

Now, I come that there are many things you will have, you will get revealed. And I am certain, I will tell you, why my experience, that in case you are doing the RCM analysis, I would say certainly you will have something where the machine is getting failed, and you don't know what to do. In some cases, you have to take this technology default strategy. Strategy means whether you have to look into the design or alternate solution or some modifications, or you can say some totally different method for purpose, for which this machine has been taken. I will give you one example that mostly for the air, are using the air blower in somewhere, you know, some plant. This blower was getting failed, and it was the screw type of blower. We were having the blower, screw type blower. So, people have analyzed us, and then they have decided because in other cases, they have seen the centrifugal compressor is better, our centrifugal blower is better than this screw blower. So, they replaced it, and they had a lot of savings in the spare parts, and they have a lot of frequency saving in the headache, and whatever others, you know, unnecessary unwanted things were being done to maintain this blower. So, in some cases, if you don't have the proactive actions which is technically feasible and worth doing, you can seek alternatives or modification.

Another example I will give related to the lubrication system of a steam turbine. Here, you know, we generally have the governor and mop at the end of the shaft, integrated. But this shaft was, you know, getting failed, and a particular this joint where the mop is located. So, what the people have done? They said, key, this mop, we should, in case of the mop, we should have a robust centrifugal pump, isolated from the steam turbine at another place, and let us not have this integrated mop. So, they have done the modification. I was part of it, that's why I'm telling you. And we have reduced this problem of the failure of the mop and governor, which was running because of the end of the shaft. We were, you know, having the integrated small shaft for this purpose. So, rather than having the mop on the same shaft of the steam turbine, these had the mop separately. So, this was the alternate modification was done after, you can say, analysis. I'm not saying it is a part of RCM. What I am saying that when you do the RCM, we will certainly have such type of solutions.

So, what is RCM? RCM is a very wonderful. If you do the analysis, if you get nothing else, you will get that your people get trained. How should they look into the maintenance? And whether your maintenance strategy is, whether is your maintenance functions, whether they are really worth doing, whether they are technically okay or not. This insight you will certainly get. And I will say you should not go suddenly for all the whole complex. You may go for one plant or two or three plants. If you are totally new to the RCM, if you are already practicing RCM, you are very much experienced people, you know, a lot of things are there, then you can have for the complex. But I would recommend that you must do it because it is going to give you only benefit, no harm if you are doing it.

So, what I would recommend, let us do the RCM analysis. Whether you are a small plant or big plant, or you are having a lot of decision-making people there, what is terminal or what is not to be done. But yes, this RCM analysis will not give you immediate returns, you can say proven. You will not see. But in the process, you will understand. And the process, when your people are engaged in this analysis, you will know that there is a lot of care. Thank you very much. If you have any question related to that, you can give the comments here, and I would like to have suggestions from you in what manner our this video should be improved, so that I can communicate properly, and it will benefit you. Thank you very much. Thanks a lot.