RCM Turbo
and
Library Administration
Version 9.5 Release Notes
Incorporating
Versions 9.2 (and earlier versions)
Release Notes
** UPGRADE WARNING **
1. Before doing anything else, make a backup copy of your rcmt92s.mda.
When Strategic releases software to a new client, (some) security of the software is achieved by entry of the client’s name into the system file. However with update releases a default system file is provided. It is anticipated that users will have updated the Resource Table and possibly the question sets in the system file from the default set. RCM Turbo Version 9.5 now incorporates in the conversion program, rcmtto95.exe, and the facility to convert the older version of this system file up to the current version. For this reason it is necessary to have a backup copy of the old file available for conversion. The required file is called rcmt92s.mda and is normally to be found in the RCMT directory. (Note that the numbers within this filename represent the version of the software installed so simply adjust your search dependant upon the version you have currently installed.)
2. Conversion Program Creation of Additional Productive Units (PU’s)
The prior existing Major Unit field on the PU details screen has been enhanced to be a reference to a higher level PU. This allows for unlimited number of levels of PU’s. However, if this field was found to already have data in it, the conversion program will have created a new PU of this reference, with various default fields. Users may remove these additional PU’s if required, however be careful to select the option to NOT delete the lower levels! See also the section titled ‘Unlimited Production Unit (PU) Hierarchy’ below.
*Upgrade Instructions*
The recommended steps for upgrade are as follows:
- Make a backup copy of rcmt92s.mda, possibly into a different directory, e.g. c:\temp
- Remove the earlier version of RCM Turbo. This can be done by double clicking the program, Unwise.exe, which was automatically installed along with the RCM Turbo software into the same directory. Alternatively you may use the Windows, Add/Remove Programs facility found in your Control Panel. (Note it is not essential to remove the old version of RCM Turbo as the relevant files will simply be over-written by the new installation, but this will remove any unwanted files.)
- Install the new version of RCM Turbo by running Setup.exe.
- Run the conversion program rcmtto95.exe, against the rcmt92s.mda.
- Run the conversion program rcmtto95.exe, against each of your RCM Turbo databases.
- Run the conversion program rcmtto95.exe, against each of your Library databases.
- RCM Turbo version 9.5 is now ready for use.
RCM Turbo V9.5 Enhancements
The major changes in this release relate to the introduction of new security measures, further integration with SOS and an upgrade to MSAccess 2000. Details of each are given below.
Usernames and Passwords
To log onto RCM Turbo it is now necessary to be a registered user with a Username and Password. The software is distributed with a default Username and Password for an Administration level user so that this person can register additional users for the software.
Three Levels of Users
The top level user, ‘Administrator’, has the facility to create new users, plus all other actions in the software including changing various table files and full use of the software.
The second level users, ‘Administrator2’, are not able to create new users but can change the table files and user the software.
The third level, ‘User’, only have access to the software.
All users have the facility to change their own Password.
Database Password
All RCM Turbo databases now have an imbedded password. This will restrict the use of MSAccess to open databases directly. It will be the responsibility of each client to decide who in their organization will be given this password.
MSAccess 2000
The default database for RCM Turbo has been upgraded from Access 97 to Access 2000. However, both Access 97 and Access 2000 databases can still be opened by RCM Turbo V9.5. For those clients who prefer to remain with Access 97, a copy of rcmtsos95n.mda (the new database template) in Access 97 is included on the installation CD. This simply needs to be installed in place of the default Access 2000 version, to make all new and converted RCM Turbo V9.5 database remain as Access 97.
Unlimited Production Unit (PU) Hierarchy
When registering an PU, the user had had the facility to also enter two higher level references, namely a PLANT and MAJOR UNIT. This Major Unit field has now changed so that existing, ‘higher level’ PU codes can be entered creating an unlimited number of levels within the equipment hierarchy. The software will test to ensure that a loop is not created in these higher level references.
Note that when deleting a PU, the software will now test to see if it is, itself referenced as a higher level PU on another PU. If it is then the user will be asked if they wish to delete only the selected PU (along with its MI’s and their Failure Modes) or all lower level PU’s. Care must be taken in selecting the desired deletion option.
Note also that the conversion program will create new PU’s for all codes and references it finds in this field in previous versions. See ‘** Upgrade Warnings **’ above.
Failure Mode Screen Field Changes
The following field changes have been made to better reflect the recommendations of the SAE standard JA1011 on what constitutes an RCM process of analysis.
Category options changed to: Safety/Environment, Economic & Non-Economic.
Classification field added with options of: Design, Manufacture, Installation, Lubrication, Operations & Maintenance.
Measurability field has been deleted.
RCM Turbo and SOS Share Part Analysis
Since the same PU’s and MI’s exist in both RCM Turbo and SOS, and since the assessment via the question sets are now the same in both, now, whichever set of questions are answered first, these answers are duplicated into the other system. So if the questions against an MI are answered in RCM Turbo, the (first 12) answers will appear against the MI in SOS, and visa versa. In either case these answers can be overwritten and the changes will NOT be taken back to the other product.
RCM Turbo and SOS Share ‘New Database Template’
Although of no great significance to most end users, there is now a single template for creating new databases, shared between RCM Turbo V9.5 and SOS V9.5 called rcmtsos95n.mda.
Database Version Table
This new table within the database will not only show the currently version of the database, but will also show its history of conversions from earlier versions. This will assist in tracking down some of the elusive database problems that have been faced on occasions where old databases have been discovered and attempts made to convert them to the latest version, without going through all the required intermediate conversion steps.
RCM Turbo V9.2
This release incorporates improvements in a number of reports and some minor fixes to reported usage problems in 9.0. See 9.1 notes for substantial release changes.
A major enhancement is the creation of a formal link to Spares data generated from RCM Turbo's sister methodology SOS (Spares Optimisation System).
RCM Turbo V9.1 - not a global release
V9.1 Enhancements
Tree-View
In V9.0 the tree-view would only hold up to 10 scroll pages. If the displayed list was greater than this, then previous pages of the list were discarded. In V9.1 the total list is retained in memory making scrolling much faster, once the list has been created for the first time.
This facility also enhances the search facility. On opening a database and displaying the tree-view for the first time, uses should scroll to the bottom of the list by hitting the End key. From this point on scrolling will become much faster.
Further the search facility now provides for partial matches as well as whole code matches.
In addition, in the Tree-View some display initiation problems have been addressed.
Multiple Currency Handling
Since RCM Turbo is now used in various countries around the World and the format for displaying currencies changes from country to country, some minor discrepancies within the software in this area, have been addressed.
Allow Null Initiate Date
It is now possible to blank out the Action Initiate Date field in Evident, Hidden and Zonal Inspection Actions. Where this field is blank the action will be handled in the same way as leaving the Frequency field blank i.e. this action will be considered in-active and will not be included in the Maintenance Budget Report nor into the Auto-Grouping or Workload Smoothing facilities.
Tree-View Drag and Drop
The Material Costs within the Frequency Optimisation facility are now included in the Drag and Drop function.
PU Availability
It is no longer possible to enter a required availability of greater than 100% in the Productive Unit screen.
Report Updates
The Maintenance Budget Report has had a correction made to the Material Costs in special circumstances.
RCM Analysis Report has an improved way of handling very large quantities of Functional Requirements and Functional Failure text.
The Maintenance Budget Report now correctly includes resource costs for Hidden Failure Actions. As mentioned above it now excludes actions without an Initiate Date.
RCM Turbo V9.0
V9.0 Enhancements
Tree-View
The provision of a Tree-View of the data, which can be expanded to show each of the levels of the data, provides a major change in the look and feel of the software. The tree-view provides a Windows Explorer look and feel, with the tree shown in the left-hand pain and a list in the right pain. This list is either of Maintainable Items when a Productive Unit is highlighted in the tree or Failure Modes when a Maintainable Item is highlighted. Use of the right mouse button produces a menu for access to the various options available.
Drag & Drop
Within the tree-view, users may copy Failure Modes or whole Maintainable Items with their Failure Modes by simply selecting individually or in ranges (using the Shift & Ctrl keys) and then dragging the selection to the required location. Note that this location could be the same parent thereby duplicating the data in the same place. In any situation, if this function would result in a duplicate key, the software will ask for a new key code to be entered.
Changed Navigation
As a result of the introduction of the tree-view, the navigation between screens has also changed. Rather than being forced to move up and down via the various list screens, and therefore having to remember which level you are working on, now navigation is always via the tree-view. From this view the user can move directly to any item on any level either by double clicking on the item in the right-hand pain or by using the right mouse button to display a short menu and choosing an option. In particular this applies to adding new entries.
Window Resize
For some time the RCM Turbo software has been optimised for 640 x 480-pixel display. Version 9.0 brings the facility to expand the display to any size, including full screen regardless.
Job Group Field Expansion to 30 Characters
This field has been expanded from 12 to 30 characters to allow for more meaningful Job Group codes to be entered.
Evident Failure Mode Display Changes
The order of the action buttons in Evident Failure Details screen has been changed to better reflects the preferred order of analysis. The new order is, FM, BD, PA, SA, OH.
Also the Warning Time and Typical Warning Time fields have had their locations reversed, so that the Typical Warning Time is now the more visible field. The name of the Warning Time field, which now only appears after using the AC (Advanced CBM) button, has also been changed to Confidence Time i.e. the time over which there is a high confidence of non-failure.
Question Set Review No Longer Mandatory
The mandatory nature of the question sets has been relaxed. This allows far greater flexibility for copy/paste etc. It is still highly recommended that the questions are reviewed but use of the software should now be faster.
RCM Turbo V8.33
V8.33 Enhancements
Hidden Failure Fields Expanded
On the Hidden Failure details screen, the fields, Part/Component and F/Mode Description & Effect have both been made memo fields effectively making them of unlimited length.
Material Cost Update Carried Through
Any changes made to the entered Maintenance Action Material data is now immediately carried through to the Frequency Optimisation data tables. This allows all reports that use this data to be updated without the need to run frequency optimisation.
Report Updates
RCMTPU1 – Productive Units in Sequence – Increased field sizes to match database.
RCMTOT7 – Analysis Sheet (RCM) – Change display of Warning Time to Typical Warning Time.
RCMTOT8 – Failure Mode Assumptions and Material Notes – As above.
RCMTFM4 – Annual Resource Summary - Correction of calculation of Secondary Action totals to accommodate Age Factors.
RCM Turbo V8.32
V8.32 Enhancements
Merge and Purge Update
The enhanced Merge and Purge facility updated in V8.3 has been further enhanced. It now checks on a field by field level for new and updated data rather than simply at a record level. As a result, if an existing PU or MI has had any field updated, then the newest data will be copied (or retained) as appropriate.
Resource Histogram Week Ending Update
The displayed dates now conform to the Week Ending date as per the screen label.
Report Updates
The following report were also updated as follows:
RCMTOT8 – Annual Budget Report – Correct of calculation of Secondary Action totals to accommodate Age Factors.
RCMTFM6 – Top 100 High Cost Primary Actions, Annualised – As above.
RCMTFM5 – Top 100 High Cost Primary Actions – As above.
RCM Turbo V8.31
V8.31 Enhancements
Material Copy Update
The previous version (8.3) included a very powerful facility for entering material against each Maintenance Action. The Copy facilities for both PU’s and MI’s have now been upgraded to ensure the full and correct material data is also copied where this data exists.
RCM Turbo V8.3
V8.3 Enhancements
The major change incorporated in version 8.3 is the facility to nominate and list spares for each maintenance action. A brief description follows.
This enhancement has had a significant impact in regard to the conversion of existing databases. It is important the notes on this are studied carefully.
There have also been a number of small changes such as field names updates, improved On-Line Help and something of a cleanup of the report fonts and layouts. All the significant ones of these are listed below.
Maint. Action Spares
On each of the Maintenance Action screens, PA, SA, O/H & BD there is now an additional button on the toolbar. This is the Maint. Action Spares button and takes the user to the screen of the same name. Here users may list the spare parts and their quantities, required to perform the specific maintenance action.
Spares may be selected from the list of spares previously registered for the current Maintainable Item or from the list of all spares entered against all MI’s. In addition new items may be entered directly into the Action Spares list. Any items that were not previously registered against the current MI may be added to the MI Spares list. Also items may be entered without a stock number. These items will not be available for copying to other action.
The total cost of the spares listed will be carried forward to the Frequency Optimisation Data screen and entered as the material cost against the relevant Action.
** WARNING Database Conversion **
Where an existing database has a figure in the Material Cost field in the Freq. Opt. Data screen, this figure will be stripped and a spares line item created to replace it. Each spare will be given a description of Converted Data, a quantity of 1 and the value as per the original entry. This information can be replaced with ‘real’ data and the converted line item deleted, if required. Be careful to make sure the replacement items (plus the figure in the Consequential Damage Cost field) still add up to the figure(s) previously entered as this effects the optimisation calculations.
PU and MI Code Fields
Both these fields have been increased in size from 20 characters to 30 characters. This has been carried through to all relevant screens and reports.