The document emphasizes the importance of properly identifying failure modes in the Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) process, which is crucial for managing physical assets. It highlights that vague or overly detailed descriptions can lead to ineffective results and analysis paralysis. The author advocates for writing failure modes at the right level of detail to facilitate effective failure management strategies.

1. AVOID THIS
RCM
MISTAKE
Nancy Regan

2. The third step in the RCM process is
identifying Failure Modes.
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3. A Failure Mode is what causes a
Functional Failure.
It can also be referred to as a
Failure Cause.
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4. Identifying Failure Modes is a vital
step in the RCM process because we
manage physical assets at the Failure
Mode level.
That's why we must write them
properly to get the results we need.
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5. But writing Failure Modes is often
done poorly. It's a major reason why
RCM "fails" for so many
organizations.
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6. When we write Failure Modes too
generically, we get generic results.
And when we write Failure Modes
too detailed, we end up in analysis
paralysis.
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7. The key it to write them at the right
level of detail so that an appropriate
Failure Management Strategy can be
identified.
Here are two examples.
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8. Failure Mode
Hydraulic line chafes
due to normal
equipment vibration.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to improper
routing. routing.
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9. Hold on!
These look
like the same
Failure modes!
Failure Mode
Hydraulic line chafes
due to normal
equipment vibration.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to improper
routing. routing.
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10. They are! And they
don't have enough
detail to get
meaningful results.
Watch what
happens when we
fix them!
Failure Mode
Hydraulic line chafes
due to normal
equipment vibration.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to improper
routing.
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11. Failure Mode
Hydraulic line chafes
due to normal
equipment vibration.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to improper
routing.
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12. Failure Mode
When we add more
detail, we can
arrive at an
appropriate Failure
Management
Strategy.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to normal
equipment vibration.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to improper
routing.
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13. Failure Mode Failure Management Strategy
Hydraulic line chafes
due to normal
equipment vibration.
Hydraulic line chafes
due to improper
routing.
Visually inspect
hydraulic lines every 25
hours of operation.
Augment training for
proper routing of
hydraulic lines.
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14. A Failure Mode is like a road. You've
got to be on the right road to get to
the right destination.
With RCM, the destination is safe
and cost effective proactive
maintenance and other strategies.
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15. Don't make one of the most
common RCM mistakes!
Write your Failure Modes properly so
you can identify the right Proactive
Maintenance and other actions that
will get you the Reliability you need!
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16. Thank you for
reading!
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