COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RCM AND FMEA IN THE CONTEXT OF ECO-MAINTENANCE SUSTAINABILITY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Abstract

Environmental challenges, particularly those relating to waste disposal from industrial processes, are increasing around the world and therefore require the adoption of sustainable maintenance techniques. The notion of eco-maintenance is the application of environmentally conscious approaches in equipment maintenance to reduce waste, conserve resources, and extend the useful life of the machinery, practices consistent with sustainability and circular economy. This research compares two maintenance systems, namely Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) and Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) under eco-maintenance philosophy. While FMECA enables anticipation of potential failure modes and their prevention by prioritizing risks through Risk Priority Number (RPN), it can be time-consuming and complex. RCM offers maintenance strategies that lead to reduced consumption of resources while maximizing the useful life of the equipment, although extra cost will be incurred in the initial stages.