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Supplier Management Fundamentals

Supplier Management Fundamentals

I’ve managed suppliers at multinational, US-based firms, and I’ve worked for a large electronics manufacturing services company, and those experiences have given me the opportunity to think a lot about the power dynamics on both sides of the table.

I know it seems obvious, but it’s important to remember that at the core it’s a business relationship based on a payment for a product or service, or an expectation of an ongoing revenue stream.

Suppliers are in business just like you are, and their decisions are based on the same concerns about profit and growth and predictability.

[Read more…]

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The Importance of Work Management in the Maintenance Process

The Importance of Work Management in the Maintenance Process

Welcome to part three of my 10-part series of blogs called “Uptime Insights”, where we explore a journey of excellence in maintenance. To stay on top, managers must implement strategies that keep operations performing at high levels. In these articles I will show you how to achieve excellence in maintenance – a critical business process in any capital intensive industry. [Read more…]

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Introduction to Physics of Failure Models

Introduction to Physics of Failure Models

When we understand how something fails, we can create a mathematical model of the effect of stress or load on the time to failure behavior.

The model may take different forms, yet it is the ability to related the conditions surrounding the use of a device to its eventual demise that is essential. The specifics include a molecular level of detail in some cases.

Physics of Failure models focus on the particular relationships between stresses and materials. [Read more…]

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Building Resilience into Your Supply Chain

Building Resilience into Your Supply Chain

Guest Post by Stuart Rosenberg (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)

The supply chains of most companies, large and small, exploit a world of opportunities.  But increasing global exposure comes with an increasing range of risks.  These companies’ complex networks of suppliers and customers are as diverse as the goods and resources they manage.  Within the same supply chain, giant multinational companies can sit side-by side with small to medium enterprises (SMEs). Yet among companies large and small there is growing awareness that extreme weather and a changing climate pose new risks and opportunities to old ways of doing business. [Read more…]

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When to Take Action on Field Failure Data?

When to Take Action on Field Failure Data?

Not much. You need just enough field failure data to identify the root cause and determine if and how to resolve the problem.

Field data will accumulate even if your program works diligently to prevent failures.

The actions taken before the reported failure will frame when you need to take action.

Gathering failure data and evaluating the trigger points for action is a reactive approach. This approach means you will only respond to problems.

You will also likely not spot the important emerging issues before they become significant problems. [Read more…]

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Improving Part Quality

Improving Part Quality

There are three things that can happen when a non-conforming part appears on the production line.

(1) The part is immediately rejected and never makes it into an assembly.

That’s good, but the additional handling of the part is a waste of time and resources.

(2) The part is added to an assembly, but the assembly fails an inspection or tests further down the line. This adds more cost for rework and re-testing.

(3) The part is added to the assembly, isn’t caught by downstream testing and the product ships to a customer. Now it’s a bigger problem, depending on what characteristic of the part doesn’t meet requirements.

This could be a latent problem that will eventually cause the product to fail, leading to a return and an unhappy customer.

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People Are Your Most Important Assets

People Are Your Most Important Assets

Welcome to part two of my 10-part series of blogs called “Uptime Insights”, where we explore a journey of excellence in maintenance. To stay on top, managers must implement strategies that keep operations performing at high levels. In these articles I will show you how to achieve excellence in maintenance – a critical business process in any capital intensive industry. [Read more…]

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Effective Concurrent Engineering Reduces Producibility Risk

Effective Concurrent Engineering Reduces Producibility Risk

Guest Post by John Ayers (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)

Most companies have policies and procedures for concurrent engineering but many are ineffective for various reasons resulting in poor implementation of improved producibilty in their products. I have made this observation based on working for a variety of companies in different industries. Three examples of different approaches I encountered are presented below for your consideration. Two of the examples were used by defense companies, one of which I consider excellent and the other poor. One method was used by a commercial company is one I consider to be very good. [Read more…]

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The Basics of Derating Electronic Components

The Basics of Derating Electronic Components

As with strength-strength analysis, derating is a means to design robust systems.

Derating is an intentional process applied to every component of a product to reduce the opportunity of a component witnessing more stress than it is capable of withstanding.

The additional robustness also reduces the amount of damage the stress may impart, thus prolonging the life of the component. [Read more…]

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A Different Way to Consider Derating Guidelines

A Different Way to Consider Derating Guidelines

The component choice an electrical engineer starts with the functional requirements of the circuit. Another consideration is the rated values of the specific component selected.

Derating guidelines provide information to compare the component rated values to select stresses or conditions. The intent is to assist the engineering team to select robust enough components for the application.

Robust here implying the component within the circuit will operate for a suitable length of time. [Read more…]

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Developing A Strategy To Achieve Excellence In Maintenance

Developing A Strategy To Achieve Excellence In Maintenance

Welcome to my latest 10-part series of blogs called “Uptime Insights”, where we explore a journey of excellence in maintenance. To stay on top, managers must implement strategies that keep operations performing at high levels. In these articles I will show you how to achieve excellence in maintenance – a critical business process in any capital intensive industry. [Read more…]