ABSTRACT
Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) is the process of determining the most effective maintenance approach. The RCM philosophy employs Preventive Maintenance (PM), Predictive Maintenance (PDM), Real-time Monitoring (RTM), Run-to-Failure (RTF- also called reactive maintenance) and Proactive Maintenance techniques in an integrated manner to increase the probability that a machine or component will function in the required manner over its design life cycle with a minimum of maintenance. The goal of the philosophy is to provide the stated function of the facility, with the required reliability and availability at the lowest cost. Reliability centred maintenance requires that maintenance decisions be based on maintenance requirements supported by sound technical and economic justification.
In this research an individual section machine was considered for an automated production system. The machine parts and working mechanisms were analysed to gain information on critical components using failure modes and effect analysis(FMEA) as a tool to come up with an optimal and efficient maintenance program using the reliability data of the equipment’s functional components. A case study of individual section forming machine in Beta glass plc Delta plant was used for this research. Various components on the machines where selected for RCM program using failure modes and effect analysis. Among the component selected include; plunger mechanism, pusher cylinder, ware transfer, baffle mechanism, take out mechanism and the invert arm. A ranking order was done for the following components to determine the component that has the most effect on productivity in terms of criticality of failure, ease of replacement, frequency of occurrence, ease of detection and time taken to repair when a failure occur. After a careful analysis, the plunger mechanism and pusher cylinder ranked high respectively. The two component was selected for further RCM analysis through data collection from manuals, machine operations staff and company’s records to come up with the best maintenance plan for the components selected.
After a careful reliability centred maintenance analysis was done on the components selected, results showed that failure modes and failure rates were understood and this lead to a great decline in the time spent on troubleshooting and repairs. This in turn reduced breakdown hours of machines and the practice of run to failure was aborted, hence productivity was enhanced. According to the RCM done on the components, online monitoring and preventive maintenance was selected as the best maintenance approach.
