We have been performing streamlined/modified RCM studies for several years at our facilities. These studies have been particularly benficial for our FDA validated GMP(Good Manufacturing Practice) systems. Even the modified/streamlined RCM process has its limitations, particularly the time and resource requirements to perform a study.

We are looking to use a software tool to perform Reliability Block Diagram analyses on our non-GMP and facilities support systems. We plan to perform these studies on both existing systems and new systems at the concept design level.

I would like to hear from any users who use these tools and their experiences. I am contacting vendors for their information as well.

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,
Dan Wise

Dan,

At ARMS Reliability Engineers we use Avsim+ from the Isograph software suite for the development of an RBD.

AvSim+ is a powerful availability and capacity modeling software that lets you make better decisions about plant design, maintenance strategies, and spares placement.

With AvSim+ you can build Reliability Block Diagrams and populate them with information about failure mechanisms, maintenance costs, and operational impact. The powerful Monte Carlo simulation package then lets you make forward looking projections about plant capacity, maintenance costs, spares usage, resource usage, operational losses, safety, environmental, and operational risk.

I facilitated the building of a site RBD which included approx 5000 blocks with Avsim+, it took 60 days to complete, and the output was basically a roadmap that would drive us down a path of improved overall plant availability. It identified the bad actors contributing to plant unavailability and the capacity restraints within the plant. These items were then targeted for further RCM or RCA approaches.

We have also developed RBD’s at the design stages of plant to help optimize and to project the business impact of the design.

For further information have a look at www.reliability.com.au or www.isograph-software.com/


Cheers - Gary

Gary,
That is interesting information. Any idea of initial software costs, training costs (for a knowledgeable Reliability engineer familiar with simulation modelling and RBDs FTAs etc).
To model 5000 blocks in 60 days is pretty impressive, the blurb on their website is also pretty good. If you have this info. please share it with us, thanks.

Thank you. I was not aware of the isograph software. I will request more information through their site.

Any other experience with available software tools? Raptor? Reliasoft? Relex? Lots of "R" applications available.

Thank you.

Dan Wise

Hello Vee,

Thank you for your reply.
The RBD I was referring to actually took 68 days and for 50% of the time I had a second person populating the RBD with data. The RBD was done at a high level and did not go down to the failure modes.
Regards software/training costs if you would like to send an email to info@reliability.com.au with your request, they will be returned to you along with our training matrix for a Reliability Engineer.

Cheers - Gary

In the following two links of dissertations on this subject there is a overview made with pro's and cons from some programs.

http://www.tbm.tudelft.nl/live/binaries/fce56ad5-04ff-4...A.%20van%20Luijk.pdf

http://repository.tudelft.nl/consumption/idcplg?IdcServ...ased&dDocName=203423

I have some experience with the free raptor version i think is fine for a high level study for a more detail study look at the commercial version.

Another nice program I tried is SPARC (System for Production Availability and Resources Consumption) from Shell Global Solutions

See for a descrition the document of the following link
http://www.pragma.co.za/Documents/downloads/ASSET%20MAN...e2fed3792369488146a3