Everyday RCM

RCM in a Nutshell | Free RCM Overview Course – Understand the RCM Process, what RCM (really ) is, How to Apply it Properly, and What Can Be Achieved

Welcome to Hartley Whitney, England—a charming town dating back to the 12th century, whose enduring beauty inspires our discussion on Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM). In this first unit of our RCM overview course, we explore the pressing issues that gave birth to RCM over 50 years ago in the commercial airline industry. Discover how catastrophic failures led to groundbreaking research, revealing that equipment failure behaves in unexpectedly random patterns, contrary to the then-prevailing belief that failures mainly occurred due to aging. This revelation paved the way for the development of RCM principles, fundamentally changing maintenance strategies to better align with reality. Join me in this picturesque setting as we delve into the history and transformation brought about by RCM.

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At the SMRP Conference, a panel discussion about workforce development — and the value of college versus the trades — reminded me of a lesson I’ll never forget.

When everyone around me said I had to go to college, my mother said something that changed the course of my life forever.

In this story, I share a moment from high school that taught me the power of intuition, trust, and having someone who believes in you enough to say, “It’s okay to wait.”

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What is Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)? Learn the basics of RCM in under 90 seconds. This short explainer covers the 7 steps of the RCM process:

1. Functions
2. Functional Failures
3. Failure Modes
4. Failure Effects
5. Failure Consequences
6. Proactive Maintenance and Intervals
7. Default Strategies.

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What makes Failure Effects so powerful in Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)?

In this video, I dive into step four of the RCM process: writing Failure Effects. I explain how these “little stories” of what happens if we do nothing to predict or prevent a failure mode are essential for assessing consequences—whether they impact safety, the environment, operations, or have non-operational consequences.

I also share a real-world example from the nuclear industry, where identifying specific operating restrictions in a failure effect uncovered an opportunity to improve reliability by rethinking how procedures impact operations.

Writing failure effects isn’t just about documenting failure—it’s about uncovering opportunities to improve your reliability.

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Can Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) reduce proactive maintenance? The answer is: It depends.

In this video, I share real-world examples of organizations that reduced proactive maintenance by over 50% after implementing RCM. But there’s more to the story—what if your organization is reactive and struggling with downtime? In that case, RCM might actually increase proactive maintenance to improve reliability and reduce chronic issues.

The key is to focus on identifying proactive maintenance tasks that are technically appropriate and worth doing. RCM helps ensure your equipment serves you reliably, whether that means reducing or increasing proactive maintenance.

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Should you use Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), or Condition Based Maintenance (CBM)?

In this video, I explain how RCM incorporates all of these processes into one comprehensive approach. By following the RCM process — steps like identifying Functions, Failure Modes, Failure Effects, and assessing Consequences — you naturally create an FMEA, a FMECA, and consider CBM as a potential failure management strategy.

With RCM, you don’t have to choose — you do it all! Watch to learn how this powerful methodology ensures you get exactly what you need from your equipment.

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In this video, filmed at the historic La Popa Monastery in Cartagena, Colombia, I dive into the importance of Failure Effects in the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) process. Failure Effects might seem like just one step in the RCM journey, but they’re essential for understanding the impact of Failure Modes — and that’s what makes them so special.

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Why do we practice Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)? In this video, I share a real-life example from a recent trip that perfectly illustrates RCM’s purpose: managing the consequences of failure.

When my flight faced an issue with its auxiliary power unit (APU), the pilot used alternative methods to keep us moving safely. This experience highlights how RCM principles guide us in deciding which failures need proactive maintenance and which can be managed with other strategies. Join me, Nancy Regan, as I walk through the essence of RCM and how it helps us focus on what truly matters.

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Do we need comprehensive failure data to perform Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)? This question brings us to Resnikoff’s conundrum, a thought-provoking concept introduced by mathematician Resnikoff in the 1970s. Resnikoff pointed out that while failure data is useful, data on critical failures—which we aim to prevent—is often missing or minimal. So, how do we manage RCM effectively without it?

In this video, I explain how a facilitated working group approach to RCM fills in these data gaps by leveraging the knowledge and experience of equipment experts. Join me, Nancy Regan, as we explore this unique aspect of RCM!

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In this video, we’re testing our knowledge of how to write Failure Modes correctly — a crucial step in the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) process. As my mentor John Moubray taught, we manage physical assets at the Failure Mode level, so it’s essential to get them right. I’ll walk you through a few examples to show what separates a properly written Failure Mode from a Failure Effect.

Learn how to identify specific Failure Modes that will help you get on the “right road” to creating safe and effective proactive maintenance tasks, intervals, and Default Strategies. Let’s dive in and see how well we know Failure Modes!

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In this video, we’re exploring the best way to conduct a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) analysis. When it comes to RCM, there’s definitely a “recipe” for success that includes two key ingredients: firsthand knowledge of the equipment and its operating environment, and a strong understanding of RCM principles and how to apply them.

We’ll break down three common approaches to RCM—outsourcing, single analyst, and the facilitated working group approach. Discover why the facilitated working group approach stands out as the best way to ensure a comprehensive, effective RCM analysis. I’m Nancy Regan, and I hope you enjoy the video!

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Welcome to Storytime! In this video, I’m sharing the most valuable lesson my mentor, John Moubray, taught me. Years ago, I visited John and his wife at their home in Asheville, North Carolina. When I arrived, the first thing he asked me was, “Look around my house and tell me what’s missing.” I had already noticed that there wasn’t a single TV in sight. John believed that time is our most precious asset, far more valuable than money, and he didn’t want to waste a moment of it.

This story left a deep impression on me, and I carry it with me to this day. Time is the great equalizer—we all get 24 hours a day, and it’s up to us to decide how we use it. Thank you for choosing to spend some of yours with me today!

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The First Maintenance Lesson I Ever Learned—and How It Applies to Reliability Today

In today’s storytime, I’m sharing the first maintenance lesson I ever learned, back when I was eleven years old and eager to change the oil in my father’s car. As you’ll see, this experience taught me a valuable lesson about quality assurance and accountability—and it reveals one of the biggest mistakes many Reliability Teams make today.

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True or False? Is an Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Analysis Ever Really Complete?

In this video, I tackle a common question: Once you’ve completed a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) analysis, is there any need to revisit it? The answer is False! RCM is a living program that should be reviewed whenever key circumstances change, like operational tempo, the operating environment, or even what’s required from the equipment.

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True or False? Is Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) a Proprietary Process?

In this video, I explore a common question: Is Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) proprietary? The answer is False! While the foundational book on RCM was written by Stanley Nowlan and Howard Heap of United Airlines, it was funded by the U.S. government, making RCM a public domain process. Although you’ll find various proprietary training materials, the core principles of RCM are accessible for any organization to apply.

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