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Reliability Engineer
The role of the reliability engineer in the maintenance department is detailed in the following sections.

Organizational Relationships
The reliability engineer reports to the maintenance manager. Reporting to the reliability engineer is the predictive maintenance engineer. The major lateral relationships are as follows: Predictive Maintenance EngineerConsults and advises on predictive maintenance techniques that could replace preventive maintenance work tasks Electrical/Instrument EngineerAdvises on the results of predictive analysis and surveys of electrical equipment, components, and instrumentation Site Maintenance EngineerAdvises on the generation of work orders as indicated by predictive maintenance findings and advises on the results attainable by predictive maintenance techniques Maintenance Planner/SchedulersAdvises and consults regarding the specifics of predictive maintenance generated work orders Maintenance LeadAdvises on the content of work indicated by predictive maintenance findings and advises on the results attainable by predictive maintenance techniques EngineeringAdvises on the use of predictive maintenance techniques for the acceptance of new facilities and equipment and requests that the needs of the reliability recovery program be included in procurement specifications OperationsConsults on the uses of reliability technologies (i.e. failure modes, effects analysis, root cause failure analysis) for nonmaintenance applications in operations

Supervisory Activities
The reliability engineers supervisory responsibilities are as follows: Directs and supervises reliability program activities designed to achieve the goals of the reliability recovery program Ensures that predictive and preventive maintenance activities support the overall reliability program Ensures that failure reports are prepared and distributed as faults are found during the predictive analysis process Ensures the preventive and predictive maintenance programs are current and equipment is added and removed from the programs as changes take place in the remediation process

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Ensures that cost-benefit reports are kept current to maintain ongoing management support of the reliability program Ensures the predictive analysis program stays up to date on technological improvements in predictive techniques and approves training requests as justified for the analysis technicians Ensures expansion of the use of predictive techniques as needs for the service dictate

Staff Services
The reliability engineers staff services responsibilities are as follows: 1. Reviews modifications, installation drawings, and specifications and recommends what predictive maintenance techniques should be used for accepting new installations and modifications 2. Provides technical assistance to the maintenance and operations departments on equipment reliability issues and technologies 3. Recommends innovative solutions to increase equipment and facility life and to reduce maintenance costs through the analysis of repetitive equipment failures 4. Make personal inspections to determine the results of the reliability recovery program with the objective of reducing maintenance and repair costs 5. Performs intensive root cause failure analyses of equipment failures and associated costs concerned with each piece of selected equipment. In providing this analysis the reliability engineer will: Adjust the frequency of preventive maintenance and/or predictive maintenance activities to ensure optimum equipment reliability and availability are attained with minimal annual costs of ownership Review the content of completed work orders to determine if the work could have been avoided using predictive maintenance techniques Ask typical analytical questions including: Why did this equipment or component fail? Is this the proper equipment for the particular service application? Is the design of the equipment faulty for this application? How can future failures be avoided? Is the preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance work being performed in the best possible manner? Are inspections being performed at the right frequency? Are there other materials or lubricants that would provide better service? Are there other preventive maintenance or predictive maintenance techniques or activities that would better serve the equipment than the present maintenance tasks?

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Should an engineering evaluation be conducted on the economics of replacing the equipment?

Control Services
The reliability engineers control services responsibilities are as follows: Reviews predictive analysis reports and when abnormal conditions exist, supports recommendation of corrective action. Reviews and refines the preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance master schedules based on breakdown repair costs and the current activities being performed on that equipment. Audits the equipment numbering system in the CMMS to ensure the data is accurate and suitable to meet the needs of operations, accounting, maintenance, and the administration of the reliability program. Ensures that the equipment is properly tagged. Alerts the maintenance and operations managers to situations of equipment and facility abuse. Reviews predictive maintenance analysis reports and supports recommended corrective action based on the conditions identified during preventive maintenance or predictive maintenance activities. Submits to the maintenance and engineering managers labor saving devices and equipment, which reduce maintenance and repair costs and increase reliability, for inclusion in the capital budget. Submits to the maintenance manager a year-end report detailing all aspects of the reliability program, including the overall cost-benefits of the reliability recovery program, the number of finds made by predictive maintenance analysts, and the number acted on by the maintenance department. The report will detail a specific path forward with goals for improving maintenance performance and reducing operating costs.

Authority
The reliability engineer is authorized to: Act in both a supervisory and staff capacity to actively advance the reliability recovery program across the entire client site. Conduct equipment failure analyses to overcome repetitive maintenance and repair problems and/or to reduce maintenance costs. Consult with facility owners and maintenance personnel on the results of predictive maintenance surveys. Requisition materials, forms, equipment, and consumables as necessary to operate the reliability recovery program.

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Request formal training for maintenance personnel to increase their technical knowledge for their particular area of expertise. Request maintenance and repair work for the reliability office and shops as necessary to keep the reliability recovery program in continuous operation. Request measuring and test equipment as necessary to keep aligned with the latest technological advances where those advances provide cost-effective upgrades to the reliability recovery program. Stop any activity or job observed to be creating a dangerous situation for personnel, equipment, facilities, or the environment.

Accountability
The reliability engineer is accountable for: The operation of the reliability recovery program at the least possible cost that is consistent with a high degree of effectiveness in terms of the optimum economic level of facility and equipment condition, the greatest possible contribution to facility productivity, and the lowest overall level of equipment and facility ownership costs Gathering the economic benefit data for the corrective actions generated by the reliability recovery program Producing economic, productivity, and performance reports (charts and graphs) that highlight the benefits of the reliability recovery program The accumulation and proper control of reliability records and files and for making them available to maintenance and site personnel as needed Providing technical direction and supervision for personnel in the reliability recovery program Upgrading analysis techniques as improvements are made in these rapidly changing technologies Expanding the reliability recovery program consistent with the needs at the client site Initiating reliability centered maintenance studies to reduce maintenance and repair costs and to establish maintenance strategies for equipment analyzed

Performance Criteria
The performance of the reliability engineer will be evaluated using the following indices: The cost to manage the reliability recovery program The cost of analysis programs in terms of overall labor and material costs The annual benefits derived from the reliability recovery program The quality of the finds derived from the various analysis techniques used on-site

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The expansion of analysis technologies into remediation and waste handling operations The impact of all preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance activities on the maintenance program and the potential elimination of some preventive maintenance or predictive maintenance work The means by which new installations and modifications start up through the use of reliability analysis technologies during the acceptance process The number of failure analyses performed, the economic benefits derived from those studies, and the recommended corrective action

A Day in the Life of a Reliability Engineer

Below is a sample daily schedule for a reliability engineer. 7:00 A.M. to 7:15 A.M. Review operators logs to gain insight on specific equipment reliability impacts on production; discuss failures with production personnel; make field observations of the equipment described in the logs as creating operating problems Review closed work order remarks by inspectors and maintenance on work orders written as a result of inspections; this review is to gather knowledge of, provide feedback, and bring closure to inspections and resulting corrective actions. Answer mechanics questions Review CMMS history reports for opportunities for reliability improvement and investigate the exceptions With inspector, review the maintenance basis document for changes or additions determined by failure analysis, new technology introduction, RCM analysis, or new equipment installation

7:15 A.M. to 7:30 A.M.

7:30 A.M.8:00 A.M. 8:00 A.M.9:00 A.M. 9:00 A.M.10:00 A.M.

10:00 A.M.10:15 A.M. Review with maintenance planners the repair work orders written by inspectors that need high priority attention and pick up the completed work orders for that or previous days 10:15 A.M.11:00 A.M. Develop new technology implementation plan with central reliability function staff; this process will introduce new condition diagnostic/test technology into the assigned area 11:00 A.M.11:30 A.M. Review inspectors routes; assist with analysis of collected data; review any new work orders written by inspectors

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11:30 A.M.12:00 P.M. 12:00 P.M.1:00 P.M.

Lunch Organize and assist in failure analysis as required; the analysis will be prioritized by equipment criticality so that the most important analysis is performed first Review, approve, or initiate a formal approval process of PM's to be entered or changed in CMMS Review in field the equipment repairs described in the operators logs as creating delays and operation interference Review the next days schedule with inspectors and complete documentation of daily work

1:00 P.M.1:30 P.M. 1:30 P.M.2:00 P.M.

2:30 P.M.3:00 P.M.

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