So far, there has been a gradual build-up in describing and linking RCM to the overall product lifecycle. In the
context of a wind turbine project, the systems representation of the lifecycle is shown in Fig 5 below. The two
clouds represent the production (in blue) and services/operations (in green) stages of the lifecycle showing the
important interactions between major constituents of both systems. In a quick run through, a gearbox after being
designed will go through a series of tests and then once manufactured will have to be integrated with other subsystems
of the wind turbine (product integration). After integration with other components, the turbine is then
installed in the field (construction) after which the service and operations lifetime begin in the field. The fieldoperation is characterized by plant operations and platform management. Plant operations are responsible for
running individual wind farms while the platform management consists of those responsible for managing specific
wind turbine type across different regions. Both the plant operations and platform management are responsible for
overseeing service and maintenance of the turbines. The diagram also shows the connecting links from design to the
field O&M stages and also the links between the quality team and other upstream stages of the lifecycle. Finally, the
top management oversees all the different stages emphasizing the importance of aligning all stages of the lifecycle
to the overall business strategy.