Using Statistical Process Control in Environmental Root Cause Analysis

We often jump to the wrong conclusions when non-compliance occurs. Non-compliance occurs when the standards and regulations designed to protect public health and the environment are unmet. Obviously, we must reduce immediate risks. However, these measures often address the symptoms and not the root causes. This leads to further delays or doubling down on the wrong things as we move through mitigation that misses the mark. Using statistical process control in environmental root cause analysis is one way to make sure you’re getting it right!

[Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg Leave a Comment

Life Data Analysis with only 2 Failures

Life Data Analysis with Only 2 Failures

Here’s a common problem: You have been tasked with peering into the future to predict when the next failure will occur.

Predictions are tough.

One way to approach this problem is to analyze the history of failures of the most typical system. The issue looms larger when you have only two observed failures from the population of systems in question.

While you can fit a straight line to two failures and account for all the systems that operated without failure, it is not very satisfactory. It is at best a crude estimate.

Let’s not consider calculating MTBF. That would not provide useful information as regular readers already know. So what can you do given just two failures to create a meaningful estimate of future failures? Let’s explore a couple of options. [Read more…]

by Debasmita Mukherjee Leave a Comment

Understanding Data Distribution in Reliability Analysis

Having a knowledge of how the data is distributed is critical to model failure times and life in reliability analysis. Every distribution is unique and suitable for different types of reliability data.

[Read more…]

by Semion Gengrinovich Leave a Comment

DOE – What are You?

The history of Design of Experiments (D.O.E) can be traced back to the work of various individuals, including Genichi Taguchi, a Japanese engineer and statistician. Taguchi made significant contributions to the field, particularly in the area of robust design, which aimed to improve the quality of products and processes. His work was influenced by the need for quality improvement in post-World War II Japan. Taguchi’s methodology, known as the Taguchi methods, was based on the concept of “robust parameter design,” which aimed to make processes and products insensitive to environmental factors or other variables that were difficult to control.

[Read more…]

by Mike Sondalini Leave a Comment

Preventing Failure Using Physics of Failure Science

Physics-of-Failure warns us to keep the sum of all static and cyclic loads on a part’s microstructure below its fatigue stress limit.

The image below shows two example metal fatigue limit failure curves. These curves were determined based on controlled laboratory experiments. These experiments use a machine with a fixed load to test the selected piece’s microstructure stress levels. Curve A shows that at a high stress level, close to the Ultimate Tensile Strength of steel, the test piece failed after 10,000 cycles. As the fatigue stress level is reduced, the test piece lasts longer. When the imposed stress is limited to around 50% of the UTS, the cycles to failure had no measurable limit. On the other hand, Curve B shows that at all levels of fatigue stress the component would eventually fail. However, the same outcome can be seen, that as stress reduces the service lifetime before failure increases.

[Read more…]

by Greg Hutchins Leave a Comment

Roadblocks on the Way to Leadership

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

Black Lives Matter is a slogan that we see at major sporting events, and on social media, however it is a fact that female managers of color are five times more likely (21%) than their white female counterparts (4%) to say they have quit a job after being overlooked for a new leadership opportunity at work.

While it’s not really news that women and especially women of color are more likely to encounter roadblocks in the journey to a leadership role, it’s very disconcerting to how it’s affecting not just the women, but the companies that are losing out on this talent.

[Read more…]

by Hemant Urdhwareshe 1 Comment

Accelerated Life Testing (Part 1)

This is our first video on ALT in a series of videos on this important topic in reliability engineering. In this video, Hemant Urdhwareshe has introduced basic concepts of ALT. In our subsequent videos on ALT, we will do a more detailed discussion on mathematical treatment, selection of appropriate model and statistical distribution. We will explain these with application example on Minitab software. Hemant is a Fellow of ASQ and is ASQ CRE, CMBB, CSSBB, CQE and CMQ/OE. We are sure that viewers will find it useful.

[Read more…]

by Nancy Regan Leave a Comment

Why should I learn about RCM?

Have you ever tried to implement any asset improvement activity but it didn’t go so well? Couldn’t rally the troops? Couldn’t get the kind of management buy-in that you really needed to get things off the ground? If so, you’re not alone.

I’ve read too many articles describing that up to 70% of asset improvement initiatives fail. And I think it’s because a lot of people don’t have a basic understanding of maintenance and reliability principles. So they don’t understand why “change” needs to take place.

[Read more…]

by Carl S. Carlson 2 Comments

Key Teaching Principle # 8: Pace of Teaching

As covered in the first article in this series, Principles of Effective Teaching, reliability engineers, FMEA team leaders, and other quality and reliability professionals are often called upon to teach the principles of reliability or FMEA. Whether you are a student who wants to enhance your learning experience, an instructor who wants to improve teaching results, or an engineer who wishes to convey knowledge to another person, this series will offer practical knowledge and advice.

Manage pace of teaching to optimize learning

“The way we spend our time defines who we are.” Jonathan Estrin [Read more…]

by JD Solomon Leave a Comment

FINESSE Fishbone: The First E Stands For Empathy

Reliability engineers are challenged to effectively communicate their technical information to senior managers and the public. The FINESSE fishbone diagram is a proven, systems-based approach for meeting the communications challenge. The first E in the FINESSE fishbone diagram stands for Empathy. These are four tips to help you improve your empathy and empathetic listening.

Essentials Elements of RCA

IS ALL RCA CREATED EQUAL? In this short ‘Getting Back to Basics’ video, Bob Latino attempts to breakdown what the term ‘RCA’ actually means to those who implement it. He will strip away the RCA marketing labels and focus on the elements/functions of an effective approach to analyzing undesirable outcomes. In end, viewers will reflect if their approach is consistent with ‘Root Cause Analysis’ or ‘Shallow Cause Analysis’.

What do you see, in practice, as the difference between RCA and Shallow Cause Analysis?

[Read more…]

by Christopher Jackson Leave a Comment

And Now to the Biggest IT Outage … Ever!

It is no small irony that a software application that is designed to protect IT systems from malicious actors was behind the biggest IT outage in the history of computers. A company called Crowdstrike provides a ‘Falcon Sensor’ product that is intended to scan computers that use Microsoft operating systems for vulnerabilities. And this product is deployed so deeply into its host operating systems that it has access to the ‘kernel,’ which is the program that runs the basic code that links applications to the computer hardware (like memory, central processing unit and other devices). Unfortunately a Falcon Sensor update that Crowdstrike sent to its customers had a bug that was not picked up by its own validation programs (because it too had a bug). And unfortunately, it accesses a ‘forbidden’ part of the memory that causes the infamous BSOD or ‘blue screen of death.’ So airlines, hospitals, banks, hotels and lots of other companies simply couldn’t operate.

[Read more…]

by Semion Gengrinovich Leave a Comment

What is Acceptable Test Duration?

And again there is no one answer for such simple question. Strongly depends on what type of test you need to conduct.

It is also very important to understand at which stage, design of the product. Usually at very early stages of the design there is many unexpected failures, when design is mature enough – failures become predictable, and there is one last period, called – wear out/aging stage.

[Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg 6 Comments

Reliability Predictions

Who are you fooling with MTBF Predictions?

All models are wrong, some are useful. ~ George E. P. Box

If you know me, you know I do not like MTBF. Trying to predict MTBF, which I consider a worthless metric, is folly.

So, why the article on predicting MTBF?

Predicting MTBF or creating an estimate is often requested by your customer or organization. You are being specifically asked for MTBF for a new product.

You have to come up with something.

[Read more…]

by Mike Sondalini Leave a Comment

Defect Elimination needs to be Systematic to Stop Failures in Your Company

Focus on failure elimination, otherwise equipment failures never stop because they are forever being introduced and perpetuated by poor procedures and practices, poor quality control and poor business management systems.

Knowing defects cause future equipment failures, production downtime, unnecessary costs and lost profits, it is necessary to put defect elimination strategies into place to purposely stop defects occurring and to remove the defects that are already present.

[Read more…]