Reliability-Cenetred Maintenance (RCM) is a well-known maintenance process developed in the aviation industry. It has yielded great success and hence was the process adapted to be used in the more industrial environments, such as the process developed by Moubray (1997) called RCM2. The RCM process is considered by many to be a very effective and comprehensive maintenance process that can, if implemented correctly, improve reliability and plant availability substantially. However, many maintenance practitioners and maintenance experts who have used RCM will tell you that it is an overcomplicated process and that it is difficult to implement. In many cases the process is abandoned and left incomplete due to the amount of resources required and the slow initial results delivered by the process. This dissertation investigates the reason for this and considers the viability of implementing the RCM process on an industrial level. The Hot Strip Mill (HSM) at the ArcelorMittal Vanderbijlpark plant was used as a case study. The viability of using RCM to improve the HSM maintenance practices was investigated. A suggested maintenance improvement plan was developed that is more suitable for the HSM maintenance environment and culture. / MSc (Development and Management Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Reliability-Cenetred Maintenance (RCM) is a well-known maintenance process developed in the aviation industry. It has yielded great success and hence was the process adapted to be used in the more industrial environments, such as the process developed by Moubray (1997) called RCM2. The RCM process is considered by many to be a very effective and comprehensive maintenance process that can, if implemented correctly, improve reliability and plant availability substantially. However, many maintenance practitioners and maintenance experts who have used RCM will tell you that it is an overcomplicated process and that it is difficult to implement. In many cases the process is abandoned and left incomplete due to the amount of resources required and the slow initial results delivered by the process. This dissertation investigates the reason for this and considers the viability of implementing the RCM process on an industrial level. The Hot Strip Mill (HSM) at the ArcelorMittal Vanderbijlpark plant was used as a case study. The viability of using RCM to improve the HSM maintenance practices was investigated. A suggested maintenance improvement plan was developed that is more suitable for the HSM maintenance environment and culture. / MSc (Development and Management Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015