Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) Approach for a Process Industry: Case Study

Abstract

Process industries, which produce paper, steel, composite sheets, etc., are considered as continuous type of industries. These industries are running round the clock to cater heavy requirements of such products. Problems, failures, or breakdowns occurring in such industries lead to heavy loss in productivity, loss of production, and expected yield from the plant. Maintenance strategy planning is a crucial part for such plant. There are several techniques adopted for maintenance such as breakdown maintenance (BM), preventive maintenance (PM), condition-based maintenance (CBM), reliability-centered maintenance (RCM). In the current case study, a process plant catering to composite sheets manufacturing required for automotive applications is considered. RCM methodology adopted includes a systematic collection of failure and repair data of systems and subsystems for several years related to a sheets manufacturing line. Based on the data collection failure modes of system, its effect, mean time to fail (MTTF), and mean time to repair (MTTR) were analyzed. A systematic model of current state of plant is simulated in ReliaSoft which has provided availability, reliability, criticality, and related data. Criticality analysis is used to calculate equipment criticality number for the critical components which are considered to be maintenance significant items (MSI). Post-criticality analysis decision for maintenance strategy planning is decided by pair-wise comparison method of analytical hierarchical process (AHP).