Use Reliability Centered Maintenance on the Point Machine

Point machine is one of the key equipments in the railway industry that the reliable performance of this electromechanical equipment plays a key role in increasing the level of performance safety and operational continuity. In this study, the method of reliability centered maintenance(RCM) was used to develop maintenance and repair programs for point machines. Equipment manufacturers instructions or experiences of repair teams, regardless of the patterns and consequences of failure, or even the correct identification of the causes of failure, is often the basis for developing maintenance plans and preparing preventive repair checklists in urban train complexes. In this research, an attempt has been made to investigate and show the difference between maintenance programs in traditional methods, with structured and logical methods such as reliability centered maintenance techniques. The results of this applied research show that the application of reliability centered maintenance analysis for point machine leads to increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of maintenance and repair activities, as well as reducing the cost and amount of repair activities. In the present study, the field method (interviews with experts in operation, maintenance and repair of point machine in urban train complexes and review of operations and repair offices) has been used to collect relevant data. The technical managers of urban train complexes can use the results of this research to modify the contract of maintenance and repair contractors and to develop the use of reliability centered maintenance techniques at the level of urban train complexes.