Talk to others in your industry or users of similar equipment who have implemented RCM to get a feel of the resources needed and time taken. This will help you to avoid being over-optimistic, but it may also point you towards areas that have been effectively tackled by others.
Planning for success
How do you ensure that an RCM project is a success? Here are a few pointers that could help.
You do not necessarily need to employ a consultant to help you with any of these steps, provided that you have access to someone who has experience of estimating the time needed to carry out an analysis. In fact, you could argue that you should actively avoid employing anyone at this stage who has a vested interest in selling you long-term training and consulting.