What is TRIZ and could it help you? We take a brief look and provide the basics of what it covers. Innovation is going to be key in the next several years as companies grow and emerge. [Read more…]
TRIZ – Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
on Tools & Techniques
A listing in reverse chronological order of articles by:
- Dennis Craggs — Big Data Analytics series
- Perry Parendo — Experimental Design for NPD series
- Dev Raheja — Innovative Thinking in Reliability and Durability series
- Oleg Ivanov — Inside and Beyond HALT series
- Carl Carlson — Inside FMEA series
- Steven Wachs — Integral Concepts series
- Shane Turcott — Learning from Failures series
- Larry George — Progress in Field Reliability? series
- Gabor Szabo — R for Engineering series
- Matthew Reid — Reliability Engineering Using Python series
- Kevin Stewart — Reliability Reflections series
- Anne Meixner — Testing 1 2 3 series
- Ray Harkins — The Manufacturing Academy series
Innovation
Innovation is vital for company and economic growth. What is it? How can you achieve it? We begin to explore this with you.
Agile New Product Development
Agile has gained popularity as a software development tool, however it has also been implemented in hardware situations. What is unique about it? What are the core principles? Can I use those ideas with my existing methods? This video answers those and many more questions. [Read more…]
Process Capability Analysis III – Cp vs Percent Defectives
Introduction
In the article Process Capability I – Overview and Indices, the main process performance indices were defined. In the article Process Capability Analysis II – Estimating Percent Defective, ways to calculate the percent defective were introduced.
In this article, the mathematical connection between the Cp index and percent defectives is made.
Design Of Experiments – Resolution and Aliasing Risks
A key characteristic of Design of Experiments is the resolution. This is a concept that is often misunderstood, or not understood at all. We have attempted to provide a quick discussion so a user can determine if they are at risk. [Read more…]
Process Capability Analysis II – Percent Defective Estimates
Introduction
In my prior article, Process Capability I – Overview and Indices, the process capability concept was defined for prototype samples and serial production. The data is assumed to be normally distributed and Pp, Ppk, Cp, and Cpk indices were defined. Its application to one-sided and two-sided tolerances was discussed. This article provides methods to estimate the percent defective.
The Data
The engineering tolerance for a critical characteristic is 10±0.2. So the lower specification limit (LSL) is 9.8 and the upper specification limit (USL) is 10.2. A sample of 30 parts provided measurements of the critical characteristic. The sample mean ($-\bar{x}-$) was 9.951 and the sample standard deviation (s) was 0.1825.
Understanding FMEA Occurrence Risk – Part 2
Problems and Solutions
Assessing the occurrence ranking is one of the more challenging aspects of FMEAs. This article presents problems that relate to occurrence risk assessment, based on a fictitious case study, and highlights a common mistake.
[Read more…]
How to Set Up a DOE
To be innovative, you need to resolve competing requirements. How does someone do that through testing? Over 20 years ago, we created a process that has worked for us and countless others when applying Design of Experiments. These tidbits may help you accomplish more in your new product development.
Heartbeat of New Product Development
Recognizing the heartbeat of product development will allow organizations to make the most of their resources. Using the right tools, at the right time, will lead to improved designs. This video talks in detail about what the heartbeat is made up of.
Process Capability Analysis I – Overview and Indices
Introduction
How is a manufacturing process determined to be capable of producing parts that meet engineering requirements? Some, like the finish of a gear tooth are critical, while the roughness of a non-contact surface isn’t critical. The critical characteristics need to be identified and checked to determine if the process is capable.
This article defines the analysis concepts and indices.
Prototypes and Series Production
Process capability assessments (PCA) start during the product development process and continue into series production. Prototype parts are created by a variety of methods, ranging from hand-crafted parts to short term manufacturing in a production intent process under factory conditions. The methods that are closest to series production are the most realistic.
Why Use DOE
There are several reasons why DOE could be used. This video will provide those reasons and provide the support behind it. The reasons are beyond the traditional ideas. [Read more…]
Manufacturing Projects
How do I know your projects are valuable?
We have resolved many manufacturing issues. Why do I need DOE to do this? How can we better get to root cause? Each section below contains a 2-minute video to expand on the topic provided.
Why use Design Of Experiments?
Design of Experiments is the best tool for resolving problems when our science and experience fails us. Even if we are right, we also need to prove our approach works to others. Today that includes proof with statistical confidence. We need to be efficient to reduce excessive prototypes, scrap and downtime.
Understanding FMEA Occurrence Risk – Part 1
The Scale from Remote to Certain
Some FMEA teams associate occurrence ranking with Failure Mode; others associate it with Effect. Still others connect associate it with Cause? Which is correct? This article discusses occurrence risk, including examples, and answers this question.
“Reality is not always probable, or likely.”
Jorge Luis Borges
[Read more…]
Achieving Innovation
We want to be more innovative – but how?
Many companies talk about their desire for Innovation. Can Design of Experiments (DOE) help in that process? Each section below contains a 2-minute video to expand on the topic provided.
Too often, we manage on hope
How often do we hear a design or process development team express optimism – “We are almost there!” And how long does that same response continue without progress? The key is to decide when we have tried long enough using informal methods. Predictability and confidence are important to achieve project success.
Overcoming Development Challenges
Many companies experience challenges during product development. Can Design of Experiments (DOE) help in that complicated set of activities? Each section below contains a 2-minute video to expand on the topic provided. [Read more…]
