Published: May 06, 2025  Updated: May 02, 2025

What Is RIME? A Guide to Implementing Ranking Index for Maintenance

Some companies face the challenge of limited resources but a multitude of pressing tasks. They must learn to prioritize. The ranking index for maintenance expenditures (RIME) presents itself as a solution.

In this article, we'll look at the following:

⮚ What Is RIME (Ranking Index for Maintenance Expenditures)?

⮚ How to Calculate RIME to Determine Maintenance Procedures.

⮚ The Life Cycle of a RIME Score in Maintenance Operations.

⮚ Benefits of Implementing RIME in Maintenance Strategy.

⮚ Challenges of Implementing RIME and How to Overcome Them.

⮚ Real-World Industrial Examples of RIME in Action.

⮚ How a CMMS Supports RIME Implementation and Scoring.

What Is RIME (Ranking Index for Maintenance Expenditures)?

This systematic approach prioritizes maintenance activities based on the impact on operational efficiency and cost. It assigns a numerical score to each maintenance task and provides an objective ranking for resource allocation. This prioritization helps facility managers and maintenance teams in several ways.

• Focus on critical tasks. RIME ensures critical equipment receives the necessary attention. This achieves the goal of preventing potential breakdowns and production losses.
• Resource allocation. Again, technicians and inventory go towards tasks with the highest impact. You look for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Equipment reliability.: By addressing issues proactively, RIME helps prevent equipment degradation and future failures.
• Improve decision-making. RIME provides data for prioritizing tasks.

How to Calculate RIME to Determine Maintenance Procedures

The heart of this formula lies in the calculation of a score for each maintenance task. This score typically involves a formula that multiplies two key factors.

1. Asset Criticality. This reflects the importance of the equipment involved in the maintenance task. A critical piece of machinery that directly impacts production will have a higher asset criticality score compared to a non-essential asset.
2. Task Criticality. Here, you look at the severity of the consequences should you ignore or delay the maintenance task. A task that could lead to a complete production shutdown would have a higher task criticality score than routine preventative maintenance (PM).

An additional consideration comes in the form of the Backlog Age Factor (Optional). Some RIME implementations incorporate a factor that increases the score over time for unaddressed tasks. This creates a sense of urgency for tackling neglected maintenance needs.

The specific formula and weighting of factors can vary depending on the chosen RIME implementation. However, the core principle remains the same – to combine asset and task criticality into a single, objective score for prioritization.

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The Life Cycle of a RIME Score in Maintenance Operations

Once you have the RIME score for a maintenance task, you'd return to your usual supervisory decisions.

• Prioritization. How important is the job? With your calculations on hand, you'd see the higher the score, the more importance that job receives.
• Scheduling. Create the work order and place it on a scheduling calendar with those priorities in mind.
• Resource Allocation. With a RIME score, you have better oversight on inventory, to keep parts and supplies in stock. You also know your technicians' skills. With the score and the priorities of the jobs, you assign the best workers. You have the skilled teams allocated based on the priority ranking established by RIME scores.
• Re-evaluation. When technicians complete tasks, you recalculate the RIME scores to reflect the updated status. Then, you address any changes in asset or task criticality.

This continuous evaluation ensures that RIME remains a dynamic tool for optimizing maintenance efforts.

Benefits of Implementing RIME in Maintenance Strategy

We've touched on some of these above. However, let's look at others you'll realize as you continue the process.

• Improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). By focusing on critical tasks, RIME helps prevent breakdowns and equipment failures.
• Reduced Maintenance Costs. Better efficiency and oversight lead to reduced overall maintenance expenses.
• Informed Decisions. RIME removes subjectivity from prioritization. You focus more on the goals of the department and the company.
• Improved Communication and Collaboration. A clear and objective system allows everyone to see that focus.
• Increased Uptime. Mentioned before. Since you handle the most important first, you keep critical systems operating.

Challenges of Implementing RIME and How to Overcome Them

With every hard-earned goal, you'll face obstacles.

• Data Collection and Accuracy. RIME relies on accurate data regarding asset criticality and task consequences. Gathering and maintaining such data requires ongoing effort.
• Dynamic Environment. Asset and task criticality can change over time. You must regularly review the process and your operations. Don't take current success as the norm. You have to monitor and adjust to keep it the norm.
• Organizational Resistance. Say your team changes from a reactive mindset. You pay attention to assets only when they fail. With this system, you have a change in operations.

You might see resistance, hesitation, and caution from coworkers. Discuss the benefits and the goals so everyone understands.

Determining Asset Criticality for RIME Scores

How do you judge the importance of one asset over another? Consider the following factors.

• Impact on Production. As mentioned above, look for assets essential for production. They should receive higher criticality scores compared to non-critical equipment.
• Replacement Cost. The cost of replacing an asset can influence its criticality score. Higher replacement costs often translate to higher criticality.
• Safety Considerations. Assets that pose safety risks in case of failure warrant high criticality scores.
• Downtime Costs: Downtime affects the aforementioned production. Judge the costs of non-operational assets.

Of course, companies will develop a customized scoring system based on their specific needs and priorities.

Discover how streamlined maintenance processes can elevate production. Learn more.

Real-World Industrial Examples of RIME in Action

To better answer the question of what is ranking index for maintenance expenditures, let's look at how RIME works in specific industries.

1. Transportation

A commercial aircraft engine, due to its critical role in flight safety and operational efficiency, receives a high asset criticality score. Routine maintenance tasks like oil changes and visual inspections would receive a moderate task criticality score.

However, if a vibration sensor detects an anomaly in an engine bearing, the task of investigating and potentially replacing the bearing would receive a considerably higher score. This prioritization reflects the potential for catastrophic failure if the bearing seizes during flight.

RIME would prioritize the engine inspection. Safety tops the priority list here.

2. Food Production

For food processing facilities, part of critical systems includes maintaining consistent temperature control. You give a higher score to a large walk-in freezer used to store perishable goods. Routine maintenance tasks like defrosting coils and replacing air filters would receive a moderate task criticality score.

However, what if a temperature sensor within the freezer malfunctions? You'd prioritize the task of replacing the sensor. This reflects the potential for spoilage and food safety risks if the temperature within the freezer rises above safe levels.

3. Hospitality

The hospitality industry relies heavily on maintaining a positive guest experience. An example of high asset criticality—the central air conditioning system. This system directly impacts guest comfort, particularly during peak summer months. A malfunctioning AC system could lead to negative reviews and lost revenue.

Routine preventative maintenance for the AC system, such as filter cleaning and coil inspections, would receive a moderate task criticality score. A refrigerant leak ranks higher, therefore the task of repairing the leak would receive a significantly higher score.

How a CMMS Supports RIME Implementation and Scoring

How can CMMS software help a maintenance department with determining RIME? With this system, you have better organization of your existing operations.

First, you have a central database for all your records. Assets. Inventory. PMs. Work orders. Let's look at each of these.

Assets – You list all your assets with any relevant information. Some equipment will have readings to track. You might include these when determining criticality.

Inventory – As mentioned above, with the RIME score known, you plan for purchases to have enough stock on hand. The CMMS auto adjusts inventory, provides a record of all your parts, again with the needed information, and can even assist with purchasing.

Preventive Maintenance – Near the heart of the CMMS and the reasons companies depend on the system. Knowing the critical nature of each asset, you assign the priorities for PMs. You have a list of what PM goes with what asset. You know the cycles based on history and manufacturer recommendations.

Work Order Creation and Management – Flowing through the process, you come to work orders. You know the RIME score. You know the job. Create the work order with all those details including that all-important priority setting.

As mentioned before, you'd then place that work order onto a CMMS scheduling calendar. This assigns the job to a technician, crew, or specialized craft.

Reports – Review the part about continuous observation. You don't just finish a job and move on. You use everything associated with the job to shape future RIME scores. A CMMS offers numerous reports on key performance indicators (KPIs) for asset reliability and functionality.

Using RIME to Improve Asset Reliability and Maintenance Efficiency

What is the ranking index for maintenance expenditures? That score comes from numerous factors but centers around the importance of an asset to a company's operation. If the asset goes down, what impact does it have?

Of course, numerous assets could have similar RIME scores. The processor that produces Product X and the truck that delivers it. Both have importance to the company. Which deserves the higher score…or maybe they receive an equal score. Using the above determining factors you have to come to a feasible solution. Yes, you'll have challenges. Communication and historical records will help.

So will a CMMS. Don't underestimate the value of this system. It provides information for better insight, oversight, and foresight.

For the best CMMS that adapts to any industry, call Mapcon Technologies at 800-922-4336. Ask for a free demonstration and start on the road to maintenance management success.