RCM Level 1 Certification

The RCM Level 1 Certificate is awarded once the candidate has demonstrated the required level of knowledge by successfully completing all online assessments and the final examination.

The following requirements apply:

  • All online practice assessments must achieve a minimum score of 80%.
  • Practice assessments may be repeated an unlimited number of times until the required score has been achieved.
  • The final examination must achieve a minimum score of 80%.
  • The final examination may only be taken once.
  • The examination consists of 30 multiple-choice questions.
  • The time allowed is 45 minutes.

Successful completion demonstrates that the participant has acquired a solid understanding of the fundamental principles and terminology of Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM).

RCM Level 2 Certification

The RCM Level 2 Certificate is intended for future RCM Facilitators and consists of two separate phases:

Phase 1 – Theory

Candidates must successfully complete the theoretical examination by achieving a minimum score of 80%.

The examination consists of:

  • 60 multiple-choice questions
  • 60 minutes
  • Minimum pass mark: 80%

Phase 2 – Practical Assessment

Following successful completion of Phase 1, candidates have a maximum of three months to complete the practical assessment.

During this period, the candidate must submit:

  • One complete Quick Maintenance (QM) analysis
  • One complete Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) analysis

The RCM analysis shall be developed in accordance with:

  • SAE JA1011 – Evaluation Criteria for Reliability-Centred Maintenance Processes
  • SAE JA1012 – A Guide to the Reliability-Centred Maintenance Standard

The submitted work is independently evaluated by two certified examiners.

To obtain the RCM Level 2 Certificate, the candidate must achieve an overall score of at least 80% for both the theoretical examination and the practical assessment.

Practical Assessment Criteria

The practical RCM analysis is assessed against 40 evaluation criteria. These criteria do not all carry the same weight; each criterion is assigned a weighting reflecting its importance within the overall RCM process.

The assessment covers the following areas:

1. Operating Context

  • Selection of the process
  • Supporting analyses
  • Global description
  • Detailed description
  • Black Box documentation
  • Functional locations
  • Function verification
  • ESCAPES verification
  • Cost overview
  • Protective functions
  • Workgroup composition
  • Process documentation

2. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

  • Functions
  • Functional failures
  • Failure modes
  • Failure effects

3. Consequence Evaluation

  • Hidden consequences
  • Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) consequences
  • Economic consequences (operational and non-operational)

4. Task Selection

  • Scheduled inspections
  • Scheduled discard tasks
  • Scheduled restoration tasks
  • Combination of tasks
  • Failure-finding tasks
  • Failure-finding interval calculations
  • Run-to-failure decisions
  • Mandatory redesign recommendations
  • Desirable redesign recommendations
  • Task descriptions
  • Roles and responsibilities

5. Project Management

  • Meetings
  • Achievement of objectives
  • Time management
  • Consistency between both analyses
  • Lessons learned
  • Presentation ppt

6. Maintenance Programme development

  • Delivery of the maintenance programme
  • Motivation and justification

7. Quality Management

  • Operating Context quality
  • FMEA quality
  • Correct application of the RCM Decision Diagram

Certification Standard
The RCM Level 2 practical assessment is based on the principles of SAE JA1011 and SAE JA1012. Candidates are assessed not only on the correctness of the analysis, but also on their ability to consistently facilitate a complete RCM study to an internationally recognised professional standard.