In maintenance, the greatest challenge can be deciding which tasks to prioritize. When there is limited time, money, manpower, and other resources, maintenance teams must make sure that these resources are spent on the most important tasks. The Ranking Index for Maintenance Expenditures or RIME is a valuable tool that lets teams objectively assign priorities and track their progress.
What is the Ranking Index for Maintenance Expenditures (RIME)?
RIME is a ranking system that assigns a priority number for maintenance tasks. The priority number is based on the criticality of the asset and the task. The RIME system uses a simple formula to calculate these priority numbers. It also recalculates the priority number for an unfinished task, increasing its RIME ranking over time until it is accomplished.
How to Implement RIME Priority Numbers
Calculating the RIME priority numbers follows the following steps:
1. Assign the Asset Criticality Number
RIME works by first performing an asset criticality ranking. This ranking is where you assign a number from 0 to 10 for assets based on their criticality to your organization. The assets that get a 10 are those whose failure could:
- Cause your operations to stop
- Endanger the health and safety of operators and workers
- Cause environmental damage
After identifying your assets with criticality numbers of 10, you can identify the remaining assets that rank lower based on their effects on your operations and personnel safety.
2. Rank the Maintenance Tasks
The next step is to identify all your maintenance tasks and, similarly, rank them from 0 to 10 based on their criticality. The tasks that get a high score of 10 are those that need to be done immediately to:
- Resume operations
- Restore safe and healthy working conditions
- Reduce environmental damages
Fixing emergency breakdowns or dealing with safety hazards often gets assigned a 10. Preventive maintenance tasks are necessary, but they do not need immediate completion. As such, you can assign them a slightly lower criticality number.
3. Calculate the RIME
Calculate the RIME ranking by multiplying the number assigned in Step 1 by the number in Step 2. Thus, the breakdown of your most critical asset would have a RIME rank of 100 (10 x 10 = 100). Less critical assets with less emergency impact would have lower ranks.
4. Recalculate RIME
One of the benefits of implementing the RIME ranking system is that it helps you keep track of even the most minor tasks. By recalculating your RIME ranking, you review and track your uncompleted maintenance tasks. Thus, you can stay on top of your backlog and ensure that you complete all maintenance tasks, emergency or not, and critical asset or otherwise.
Recalculate the RIME ranking by adding 5 points to the rank for every week that the task is backlogged. For example, a task with a rank of 50 that was unaccomplished for the week would have a rank of 55 the following week.
Challenges for RIME
The main challenge in implementing the RIME system is the difficulty of assigning the criticality of assets and tasks. This is especially true for organizations that work with a large number of assets and complex operations. However, it helps to keep a detailed and organized record of asset maintenance and failure history. In addition, this record should be accessible and easy to search or analyze.
Furthermore, asset evaluation is not an easy task and could result in erroneous ranking. Most teams don’t know what to consider when ranking their assets. You can assign too high a score and have too many critical assets or too low and miss critical tasks.
Redlist Supports RIME Ranking
Redlist’s CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) is one of the modern solutions that help organizations implement RIME ranking effectively. Redlist is a user-friendly computer-powered software that automatically records maintenance data. It creates a database that you can access from any device from any location. This database also helps you organize and analyze maintenance history and relevant information necessary for assigning asset and task criticality. With Redlist, keeping track of assets and maintenance tasks, no matter the number of assets or complexity of operations. Also, assigning and recalculating RIME rankings is more effective with a secure database and accurate data. Experience Redlist and the many benefits it can provide your organization. Schedule your free demo with our experts today!
