Reliability program for plant maintenance

With the increased emphasis on cost containment and reduction, the reliability of equipment has become an area of great concern. Many managers now see reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) as a method of gaining an advantage over the competition. What does reliability entail, and how can a RCM process be implemented? This article defines what a reliability process involves and illustrates how a reliability process was implemented at the Catawba, SC, USA, site of the Bowater Coated Paper Division. Both the successes and the growing pains experienced are discussed with thoughts on how the implementation could have gone smoother. The greatest benefits gained from the process are mentioned and plans for where to carry the process in the future are explored. The benefits of a successfully implemented reliability program have already been proven. In several process industries, such as refining and petrochemicals, reliability has been used to reduce maintenance budgets by up to 50%