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Save 20 % of your Maintenance Costs

Save 20 % of your Maintenance Costs

Saving 20% of your maintenance costs is achievable in many operations. Are you running your production equipment to failure? Is your maintenance spending consistently higher than you budget allows? Are you frustrated that breakdowns cause delays in delivery schedules? If you answer “yes” to any of those questions, then savings and production gains are possible. The 20% figure is arbitrary but truly indicative of what is possible. Reliable production equipment is far cheaper to maintain simply because it is reliable, but it must be maintained. It requires the right maintenance being done the right way, and at the right times. Get that right and you save operating costs, AND you gain productive uptime with its attendant revenue.

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Targeted RCM Analysis: How to Identify Equipment That Needs It

Targeted RCM Analysis: How to Identify Equipment That Needs It

Join Nancy Regan in the serene setting of Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman, Alabama, as she demystifies one of the biggest Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) analysis misconceptions – the necessity of applying RCM to all assets. In this enlightening video, Nancy draws parallels between the selective craftsmanship of Brother Joseph Zoettl — who created 125 meticulous replicas of the world’s most significant structures — and the strategic approach required for effective RCM. What You’ll Learn:

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Hypothesis Testing Part-1: Introduction and One-Sample Z-Test

Hypothesis Testing Part-1: Introduction and One-Sample Z-Test

Dear friends, Our best wishes to all for a great Quality Month and Year Ahead for your Quality Initiatives! In this Quality Month, we are starting a new series of videos on Hypothesis Testing in our Channel! we are happy to release our first video on Hypothesis Testing! We will be releasing a complete series of videos on Hypothesis Tests! In this first video on the subject, Hemant Urdhwareshe explains the basic concepts and discusses an illustration of One-Sample Z-Test!

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Understanding the Difference Between Statistical and Practical Significance

Understanding the Difference Between Statistical and Practical Significance

Data-driven decision-making is central to designing and improving products and processes. Professionals are often presented with statistical analyses, with key outputs such as p-values or confidence intervals that indicate whether results are “statistically significant.” However, statistical significance doesn’t always translate into meaningful changes on the shop floor or within a product’s design. Understanding the difference between statistical significance and practical significance is crucial to making well-informed decisions that genuinely impact the business.

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Using Contour Plots in RCAs

Root Cause Analysis Overview

A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a structured approach to identifying the underlying factors that result in the unwanted/unexpected outcomes of chronic or sporadic events. It is a highly methodic and rigorous process. And highlights what assets, systems or behaviors need to be modified in order to to limit or eliminate the recurrence of similar outcomes. The fundamental driver is to address, correct or mitigate the root causes that lead to the unwanted event rather than addressing the symptoms. Bob Latino, a renowned RCA expert, summarizes this concept as “the establishing of logically complete, evidence based, tightly coupled chains of factors from the least acceptable consequences to the deepest significant underlying causes.”

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The Army Memo to Stop Using Mil HDBK 217

The Army Memo to Stop Using Mil HDBK 217

Over 20 years ago the Assistant Secretary of the Army directed the Army to not use MIL HBK 217 in a request for proposals, even for guidance. Exceptions, by waiver only.

217 is still around and routinely called out. That is a lot of waivers.

Why is 217 and other parts count database prediction packages still in use? Let’s explore the memo a bit more, plus ponder what is maintaining the popularity of 217 and ilk.

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How Many Steps Are Needed in SOPs and Standard Instructions?

How Many Steps Are Needed in SOPs and Standard Instructions?

Project managers are challenged by creating, implementing, and maintaining workflows, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and standard instructions. The same applies to maintenance and reliability professionals who develop preventative maintenance (PMs) and job plans. Knowing the difference between each type is the first step. Then, the number of steps in each of these often depends on the audience’s experience, the task’s complexity, and preference. It’s most important for project managers to find the sweet spot. 

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ALT or Durability Test?

ALT or Durability Test?

Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) on subcomponents and durability testing for whole products are two strategies used to assess the reliability of products. ALT involves subjecting a product to conditions beyond its normal service parameters to uncover faults and potential failure modes in a short time, allowing engineers to make predictions about its service life and maintenance intervals. On the other hand, durability testing for whole products involves testing the entire product under normal operating conditions to assess its long-term reliability and performance.

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Stability Studies and Estimating Shelf Life with Regression Models

Stability Studies and Estimating Shelf Life with Regression Models

Stability studies are used to understand and model the degradation of key product characteristics over time.  They are often used to determine the product’s shelf life (the length of time a product may be stored without becoming unfit for use or consumption).

Shelf-Life studies should identify the potential “failure modes” and how they will assessed/ measured.  Examples of characteristics that are measured often include appearance attributes, texture, taste, microbial counts, and product effectiveness/performance.

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Fixing the ISO9001 Quality Problem

Fixing the ISO9001 Quality Problem

Turn ISO 9001 Clauses into Your Business Quality System Specifications.

In 1987 the ISO9000 quality management series was launched; superseding the earlier BS5750 document. It has progressed from its initial product quality focus to its now customer satisfaction focus. During all its life the question of the usefulness of ISO9001 to business growth and performance has dogged it. The greatest fault of ISO9001 is its lack in setting quality performance. It mistakenly asks companies to select their own quality standards to work to. That is its single greatest problem—the lack of quality benchmarks and is the reason why it is common to hear managers call ISO 9001 a waste of time. But if you address ‘quality’ correctly in your ISO 9001 quality management system you can turn your company into a world-class performer within three years.

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What to do in the Event of a Crash

What to do in the Event of a Crash

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

The Focus of driver safety is on preventing accidents and implementing the necessary protocols to control risk across commercial fleets, but crashes do happen, so, the question I ask is are fleets doing enough to help drivers when they are involved in a collision?

The size of the problem

Globally an estimated that 1.3 million people die every year due to a road traffic collision, in addition there are between 20-50 million more suffering non-fatal injuries. These often result in life-changing injuries, which have far-reaching consequences for both family and friends. Research has shown that up to 40% of people will be trapped in their vehicles following a collision. [Read more…]

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Staying True to RCM: Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Staying True to RCM: Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Frank Lloyd Wright was a master architect, known for designing structures that harmonized with their environment. Just as he had a clear vision for his designs, the original architects of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) had a specific intent for how the process should be carried out. Unfortunately, RCM is often implemented in ways that stray from these foundational principles. In this video, recorded at the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Florence, Alabama, I explore the parallels between Wright’s architectural genius and the importance of adhering to the true principles of RCM. Learn how SAE JA1011 can guide you in evaluating and ensuring that your RCM process is done as its creators intended—leading to more effective, transformative results. Join me as we bridge the worlds of architecture and reliability.

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Acceptance Sampling plan (Part-2)

Acceptance Sampling plan (Part-2)

Dear friends, we are happy to release this video on Acceptance Sampling plans for Attributes. In the video, Hemant Urdhwareshe explains how to select appropriate sample size using Sampling Plans such as MIL-STd-105E, ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, IS 2500 Part-1 (or ISO2959 -1). The video also explains interpretation of Operating Characteristics from the standards and in Microsoft Excel. Additionally, Hemant also illustrates how to generate a Sampling Plan in Minitab software.

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