CMRP Maintenance Strategy Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) primarily used to determine?
- Equipment purchase prices
- The most appropriate maintenance strategy for each asset based on failure consequences (Correct answer)
- Employee staffing levels
- Equipment operating speeds
Correct answer: The most appropriate maintenance strategy for each asset based on failure consequences
RCM is a systematic process for determining the most effective maintenance approach by analyzing failure modes, effects, and consequences.
RCM follows SAE JA1011/JA1012 standards and answers seven questions for each asset about functions, failures, causes, effects, consequences, and appropriate maintenance tasks.
Question 2: When is a run-to-failure maintenance strategy most appropriate?
- For safety-critical equipment
- For non-critical equipment where failure consequences are minimal and repair cost is low (Correct answer)
- For high-value production equipment
- For environmental compliance equipment
Correct answer: For non-critical equipment where failure consequences are minimal and repair cost is low
Run-to-failure is appropriate when failure consequences are minimal, PM cost exceeds failure cost, and there is no safety impact.
Run-to-failure is a deliberate strategy choice appropriate when failure has no safety or environmental consequences, does not significantly impact production, and spare parts are readily available.
Question 3: What is the purpose of maintenance task interval optimization?
- To maximize the number of tasks
- To find the optimal frequency balancing failure risk against maintenance cost (Correct answer)
- To eliminate all maintenance
- To increase staffing
Correct answer: To find the optimal frequency balancing failure risk against maintenance cost
Task interval optimization determines the ideal frequency that minimizes total cost by balancing maintenance cost against potential failure cost.
Optimal intervals consider the P-F interval for condition-based tasks, failure patterns for time-based tasks, cost trade-offs, production impact, and resource availability.
Question 4: What distinguishes proactive maintenance from reactive maintenance?
- Proactive costs more
- Proactive addresses root causes to prevent failures; reactive responds after failures occur (Correct answer)
- Reactive is always better
- There is no meaningful difference
Correct answer: Proactive addresses root causes to prevent failures; reactive responds after failures occur
Proactive maintenance focuses on preventing failures through root cause elimination, while reactive maintenance responds after failures happen.
Proactive maintenance encompasses precision installation, contamination control, proper lubrication, and operating within design limits. Organizations with mature proactive programs achieve less than 5% reactive maintenance.
Question 5: What is the purpose of failure-finding maintenance tasks?
- To locate missing tools
- To detect hidden failures in protective devices not apparent during normal operation (Correct answer)
- To find new suppliers
- To identify training needs
Correct answer: To detect hidden failures in protective devices not apparent during normal operation
Failure-finding tasks discover whether standby or protective equipment has experienced a hidden failure.
Hidden failures occur in dormant equipment like emergency shutdown systems, relief valves, and backup pumps. Failure-finding tasks periodically test these devices to ensure they function when demanded.
Question 6: What role does asset criticality ranking play in maintenance strategy development?
- It determines equipment color coding
- It prioritizes which assets receive the most rigorous maintenance strategies (Correct answer)
- It sets operating temperatures
- It defines warranty terms
Correct answer: It prioritizes which assets receive the most rigorous maintenance strategies
Criticality ranking ensures maintenance resources and sophisticated strategies are focused on assets where failure has the greatest impact.
Assets are classified into tiers: critical (A) assets receive full RCM analysis and predictive monitoring; important (B) assets receive streamlined RCM; general (C) assets may receive basic PM or run-to-failure.
CMRP Maintenance Strategy Development 2
What is Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) primarily used to determine?