Why Set a Reliability Goal
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss the importance of (trying to) set a reliability goal. Simple … right?
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SOR 1048 Why Set a Reliability Goal
Confidence is a Measure of You (not our product)
Confidence is a Measure of You (not our product)
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
We like to think that we make decisions based on the information we have available to us. We don’t. We instead make decisions based on emotions. And the most dominant emotion we rely upon when making a decision is confidence. You can have all the information in the world, but if you don’t understand it, don’t trust it, or otherwise don’t believe in it, then you won’t have the confidence to make the right decision. And we often try and generate ‘false’ confidence by having lots of clauses in contracts, schedule lots of tests, and demand people comply with standards. But the confidence these things create is a façade that quickly gets broken down when our products don’t meet our expectations. Want to understand the only way you should be generating confidence when it comes to reliability engineering? Join us for this webinar! [Read more…]
SOR 1047 Review of RAMS 2025
Review of RAMS 2025
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss the success or otherwise of the Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS) 2025 … with a focus on AI. What are your thoughts?
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What is the Lognormal Distribution and How does it Help Me
What is the Lognormal Distribution and How does it Help Me
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
Some of you might have heard of the ‘bell curve.’ Some of you might have heard that the ‘bell curve’ is sometimes called the ‘normal distribution.’ There is a reason it is called normal … but that is not always obvious. But then there is the ‘lognormal distribution.’ What is this? … and how does it relate back to the ‘bell curve?’ There is a really good reason for this link. And the good thing is that all you need is just a little bit of knowledge about how something breaks (and is repaired) to help use the lognormal distribution to help you make lots of important decisions … easily!
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SOR 1032 Available Reliability Information
Available Reliability Information
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss how to deal with trying to find ‘reliability characteristics’ when you don’t have a lot of information. Sound familiar?
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SOR 1031 Warranty Analysis for Repairable Systems
Warranty Analysis for Repairable Systems
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss how we do warranty analysis … which usually means trying to understand how many things fail during a warranty period (before you need to start paying for it …) Where do you start?
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SOR 1025 Getting Started with Vibration Testing
Getting Started with Vibration Testing
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss how we get started with vibration testing. We are often told (or feel like) we need to conduct vibration testing on new products and components. But what does that mean? Where do we start?
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SOR 1024 MTBF and an Indicator
MTBF and an Indicator
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss this thing called the MTBF … and how it (perhaps!) can be used in some reliability engineering applications … sometimes!
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Why don’t LED Lightbulbs last as long as they say they will?
Because the people that make them lie.
Not ‘obvious’ lying where lightbulb manufacturers calculate one reliability number and deliberately choose to put another number on their lightbulb packaging. But ‘insidious’ lying where they deliberately choose to measure the wrong thing to get a better number.
[Read more…]SOR 1019 Can Manufacturing Improve the Design
Can Manufacturing Improve the Design
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss how reliability and quality is destroyed by organizations that like to have a ‘razor’ split between design and manufacturing teams. Why?
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SOR 1018 Calculate Equipment Reliability
Calculate Equipment Reliability
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss how we can go about calculating equipment reliability … when you only have a small amount of information. Help!
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SOR 1013 Two Approaches
Two Approaches
Abstract
Chris and Fred use the safe return of the Boeing Starliner … without the crew! What does this tell us about its safety and reliability?
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SOR 1012 The Trouble with Habits
The Trouble with Habits
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss the issues we often have with ‘habits.’ Habits can be good for us. But ‘bad habits’ are just that. Ever heard the excuse ‘but that’s the way we have always done it?’
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What’s Wrong with Using FITs?
What’s Wrong with Using ‘FITs’ to Measure Electronic Component Reliability?
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
Every industry has its own way of characterizing reliability metrics. For example, the ball bearing industry uses the metric ‘B_10’ to represent the time by which they expect 10 % of all ball bearings of a specific type to fail. Electronic component manufacturers use the term ‘Failures in Time’ of ‘FITs’ to describe the reliability of their products. But what is a FIT? And how can you use it to measure reliability? Did you know that many electronic manufacturers advertise ‘FIT values’ that imply a mean time to failure of over 1 000 years? If you are involved in electronic component reliability, then join us for this webinar!
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SOR 1009 Reliability and Vacations
Reliability and Vacations
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss reliability engineering … and vacations/holidays! … how are we going to make this topic relevant …
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