This is the wheel of the Curiosity Rover after millions of rotations on Mars.
This is how I feel after I ask customers about legacy product performance. [Read more…]
on Product Reliability
A listing in reverse chronological order of articles by:
- Kirk Grey — Accelerated Reliability series
- Les Warrington — Achieving the Benefits of Reliability series
- Adam Bahret — Apex Ridge series
- Michael Pfeifer — Metals Engineering and Product Reliability series
- Fred Schenkelberg — Musings on Reliability and Maintenance series
- Arthur Hart — Reliability Engineering Insights series
- Chris Jackson — Reliability in Emerging Technology series
Never Purchase a Retired Rental Car
If you look around you day to day you can see a lot of examples of reliability testing.
When you are at the hardware store and looking at new power tools, notice which have broken switches, triggers, handles. Many of us often just think it’s a defective one. But it’s not. It’s the weakest model of the bunch.
If all the models were put on display at similar times they have all been going through life cycle testing. Every person that walks by picks it up and pulls the trigger, flips the switches bangs it around a bit.
It’s getting its life cycle testing done right in front of you. The one with the broken features is the model with the shortest life. [Read more…]
Introduction to the 6 Sigma Design Approach
Sigma, σ, is the Greek character we use to represent standard deviation. 6 σ represents the spread of data about the mean. For data with a normal distribution, 6 σ includes 99.7% of the data.
The 6 σ design approach incorporates knowledge of the variation that will occur within the design such that the design has is unlikely to fail.
According to Mikel J. Harry, the foundation of excellence in product quality rests on achieving six sigma product quality. [1] [Read more…]
The Fundamental Set of Reliability Engineering Tools
In a single meeting, you may need to structure a reliability model, create estimates, outline test plans, and discuss a field failure. The breadth of tools and knowledge to be effective is staggering.
No two problems, questions, situations, or industries are the same. Thus, the solutions you provide must differ as well. If you enjoy a complete set of reliability engineering tools at your disposal, you are well situated to address any question.
Plot Your Derating Guidelines
The concept of derating is similar to the mechanical engineering concept of a stress–strength analysis.
The intent is to ensure that the selected component or the mechanical design has sufficient strength to withstand the expected applied stresses.
Components operating at or near their rated values have short lives. Consequently, the general practice is to use components for materials well below their rated values to extend the operating life of the items.
This is where derating comes into play. [Read more…]
Introduction to Derating
Derating is the selection of components and materials according to a set of standardized safety-margin definitions.
It is used by design engineers to ensure the selected elements of the design do not experience performance problems due to overstress conditions.
Derating, like stress-strength analysis, assists the designer when selecting elements for the product or system.
The outcome is a robust design able to withstand the expected, and some of the unexpected, stress applied. [Read more…]
Starting a Career in Reliability Engineering
Reliability engineers all have a start.
A point zero.
The transition point from pursuing something else, or nothing at all, then we begin our journey as a reliability engineering professional.
Getting started can be difficult and at times overwhelming.
Then you find Accendo Reliability and there is a lot of great content, maybe too much. So, this short article has the intent to create a starting point for you.
Plus, for those well along in their career, a request.
What is your advice to those just starting their career? My plan is to gather the advice from this community and assembly a start here guide just for those just starting their career.
Leave a comment below with your words of wisdom. [Read more…]
Guiding Programs by Product Goals
A term that I use when describing product goals that are tangible and drive program decisions is “Product Asset.”
A Product Asset is “a fundamental attribute of a product that can be characterized as a quantitative measurable goal.”
The five Product Assets that I commonly select are the following:
- technology features
- reliability/quality
- time to market
- product cost
- development program cost (considered an anchor asset)
5 Ways You Know a Reliability Program is Working
When your reliability program is working well, it may be difficult to recognize the benefits incurred.
Likewise, when the program is not working, it is obvious.
As you work to improve your program, keep in mind you may need to include elements to ensure your efforts remain visible.
I don’t mean staging field issues that you can solve quickly, rather that you are able to show the impact you and your program make to the organization. [Read more…]
ESS and HASS
Two of the most common acronyms used regarding manufacturing screening processes are ESS and HASS.
ESS stands for “Environmental Stress Screening” and HASS stands for “Highly Accelerated Stress Screening.” [Read more…]
Reliability Questions to Ask Your Suppliers
Here’s a question for you: Do you ask your suppliers the right questions concerning reliability?
Probably not.
If you are getting the right information from your suppliers, then you would enjoy few supplier related field issues, or as little downtime or low warranty costs.
Asking the right set of questions will help you gain the understanding you need to improve your reliability performance. [Read more…]
The Side Swipe (part 2): A Surge in Technology Growth
It’s no longer an option to be the strong household name brand in an industry.
You have to expand your technology capabilities to stay in the market.
There are product lines that have had a consistent core technology for long periods of time.
Companies that are leaders in these are “the experts” and they hold maximum market share because the customers know what brand to buy if they want the best.
But if there is a sudden change in the technology, then that “bulletproof” brand name can be tarnished in one product cycle.
What if the core technology suddenly changes to include new electronics or software controls or something we would never have imagined.
The competitors are about to gain market share based on feature add, sometimes “jumped into the future” feature add; The iPad, Tesla electric vehicles, Tesla assisted autonomous driving, smartphone, Solid State memory, automotive electronic fuel injection, jet engines, desktop printer – this is a “Side Swipe”. [Read more…]
Rewards and Incentives Have an Impact On Reliability
A maxim of business management is to measure what is important.
The focus on aligning metrics, rewards, and incentives is not a new concept. Many businesses create target focused incentives with the expectation it will assist achieving those important business goals.
In many cases, simply monitoring a metric improve the team’s ability to achieve a specific goal.
In some cases, though, achieving the goal and associated incentive has an associated negative impact on the business.
If you offer a bonus for a short-term behavior or goal and offer nothing to balance with the long-term impact.
Your incentive may actually damage your business in the long term. [Read more…]
The Side Swipe: When Innovation is your Wheelhouse
Many companies achieve great success based on their ability to create, invent, and develop a technology.
If this is the dominant focus of their product development programs they will maintain a high market share by continuing to be cutting edge.
These industries and technologies are highly competitive with respect to new features and functionality for a period of time, but the growth of any specific technology slows as it matures.
When this occurs, customers begin to put more weight on cost point and reliability when deciding which model or brand to purchase.
Are Prototypes Useful for Reliability Estimates
Prototypes are precious items. A vendor sample or beta version of factory parts may provide necessary insights.
They are not real though.
The prototypes and samples we hold, admire, examine and test are just a representation of the final product or system.
It is extremely rare we will learn exactly what we need to know with these few items. [Read more…]
