The PDFs below explain basic concepts, principles, definitions and applications of a logical discipline for development of efficient scheduled (preventative) maintenance programs for complex equipment, and the on-going management of such programs. Such programs are called reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) programs because they are centered on achieving the inherent safety and reliability capabilities of equipment at a minimum cost.

Authors F. Stanley Nowlan and Howard F. Heap prepared this document for United Airlines in 1978. According to many maintenance professionals – including Michael Eisenbise, global reliability implementation specialist for BP Downstream and past chairman of SMRP – this document is the bible for maintenance and reliability professionals.

There are four types of tasks in a scheduled maintenance program. Mechanics can be asked to:

1. Inspect an item to detect a potential failure
2. Rework an item before a maximum permissible age is exceeded
3. Discard an item before maximum permissible age is exceeded
4. Inspect an item to find failures that have already occurred but were not evident to the equipment operating crew.

These PDFs address how to determine which types of scheduled maintenance tasks, if any, should be applied to an item and how frequently assigned tasks should be accomplished.

NOTE: These are large files, so please be patient as they download.