E07: PLE Queries for RCM

This article explains how to create queries that show PLEs defined, PLEs assigned, and PLEs used. These queries are used to manage and update PLEs in RCM. For when and why to use a query in RCM, see RCM Queries – Background; for day-to-day query tips, see Working with Queries.

Query - PLEs Defined (with Rates and Timing)

This query gives insight into the number and values of the PLEs present in the units. As there can be multiple PLEs across multiple units, it produces an overview list of all of them.

Use this query (with its base view: "FlocPLE") for listing PLEs defined in units, while reporting the Rates and Timings:

Query setup showing the FlocPLE base view with Rate and Timing fields.

The query result shown in the Excel pivot table (Rate 5 values), compared with the PLEs defined at Unit level:

Pivot table of Rate 5 values against unit-level PLEs.

Query - PLEs Used (with MEI)

Use this query for listing PLEs Used in Analyses, while reporting the MEI, MEI Category, and Criticality. Residual Risk data is also available.

Query listing MEI, MEI Category, Criticality, and Residual Risk.

This query can show the PLEs actually used in analyses, where copy actions can sometimes leave ‘alien PLEs’ in a unit. The query uses the Base view "vwRCMData" and shows PLE, FLOC, Equipment, System data, MEI, and Criticality data.

When new PLEs are created, you should decide from this query how the existing PLEs should be replaced. The effects of PLE replacement on criticalitites and MEIs can be shown by running this query before and after the PLE update.

If you want to show progress while updating PLEs, run the same query as a pivot table with unit selected as a row criterion:

Pivot table tracking PLE update progress, with Unit as the row criterion.

The same query is also useful for illustrating criticalities per system, and MEI class per system, run before and after the PLE update. (Class 0: MEI = 0; Class 1: 0 < MEI < 1; Class 2: 1 < MEI < 2; Class 3: 2 < MEI < 5; Class 4: MEI > 5.)

Criticalities per system, before and after the PLE update.

MEI class per system, before and after the PLE update.

Query - PLEs Assigned to Functional Failures

Use this query for listing PLEs Assigned to functional failures of systems.

Multiple Systems can reside under a unit. Each system can have multiple functions defined, and each function can have multiple functional failures defined, each with its own PLE.

This query lets you verify that old PLEs have been updated and are no longer referenced anywhere. If a functional failure still uses an outdated PLE, newly created analyses will inherit that outdated PLE, which can produce incorrect results.

Functional failure list, showing an outdated PLE still assigned.

The same query after the PLE has been updated.

To see how a query can be created, see the video: RCM Analyses Changes - Query.