Your Reliability Engineering Professional Development Site
It’s been a few years since I have had a Porsche 911 in the stable. It seemed like the right time since were down to only two 
sports cars in addition to the daily drivers. I think five cars is the bare minimum these days. “It’s only a problem if you want to stop but can’t.” I don’t want to. There are some less free spirited individuals in the house who have expressed differing opinions.
Guest Post by Geary Sikich (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)
There seem to be a lot of sightings of “Black Swans” lately. Should we be concerned or are we wishfully thinking, caught up in media hype; or are we misinterpreting what a “Black Swan” event really is? The term “Black Swan” has become a popular buzzword for many; including, contingency planners, risk managers and consultants. However, are there really that many occurrences that qualify to meet the requirement of being termed a “Black Swan” or are we just caught up in the popularity of the moment? [Read more…]
Whenever I’m at an airport, I always get nostalgic because RCM principles were first conceived in the commercial airline industry. It’s an exciting story. Join me as I recount the details! [Read more…]
Interview of Paul Crocker from 04 May 2019. We discuss Paul’s involvement with KC SMRP chapter, his work in reliability, his journey, and his continued improvement in public speaking. [Read more…]
There is no more important task in an FMEA than correctly identifying the “Cause.” Finding the root cause is the heart and soul of FMEA procedure. When you have the right cause, it opens the door to solutions. When you have the wrong cause, nothing gets accomplished.
By continuing to ask “why,” the team will be able to discover the progression of cause-and-effect relationships behind a problem and the root cause that is below the surface.
Wisdom begins in wonder – Socrates
People claim a trend in selfish people. But what is selfish? In work and in basketball? The answer may catch you off guard! But it has proven to be true. [Read more…]
In many manufacturing plants, managing equipment breakdowns and can seem like an overwhelming task. Machine failures occur without warning, production lines go down, managers and supervisors point fingers, and maintenance personnel continually chase parts and problems.
It’s often the case that these plants do not use a CMMS to gather data, plan preventative maintenance, or schedule repairs. This lack of planning contributes to a reactive maintenance environment where personnel is constantly trying to ‘keep up’ with production line problems.
In a galaxy far-far-away a Jedi Knight said, “Integrated Matrix” and, with a sweeping wave of his hand, the project organisation was immediately taken from the Dark side of chaotic confusion and the Force was with them…
This could be the end to a Star Wars movie about project management (LOL). However, and with few earthbound Jedi project management practitioners, our project organisations are rarely perfect and not what they would claim to be. [Read more…]
How to calculate crew weeks of backlog to aid in determining if you have adequate staffing of maintenance technicians. [Read more…]
Join me and my seat-mates, Kyle and Wesley, on Southwest Airlines as we explore one of the most important tools that Reliability Centered Maintenance has to offer! [Read more…]
What does it take to be competitive in New Product Development? We have created speed records in several industries. Our research has shown where the advantages lie, and how to do it. [Read more…]
The term resilience is used in reports and studies by numerous government agencies and international institutions. For instance, in 20014 the Organization forEconomic Cooperation and Development issued a report entitled “OECD Reviews ofRisk Management Policies: Boosting Resilience Through Innovative Risk Governance”.
In 2015, the Rand Corporation conducted a study to the UnitedStates Department of Energy. It was entitled: “Measuring the Resilience of Energy Distribution Systems”. Resilience is considered important by insurance experts. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine note the need for resilience when updating the National Highway System. This piece examines why it is important, what resilience means and its relation toEnterprise Risk Management (ERM). [Read more…]
In this video we touch on all 7 steps of the RCM process as we introduce one of the most important aspects of the application of RCM…asking the people who really know! [Read more…]
A fun discussion on root cause analysis and associated tools. Join us in our discussion. If you like the video, please hit the like button, subscribe and hit the notification bell. [Read more…]
How can I tell when I have a situation that could benefit from Design of Experiments? What if and what else are two phrases that indicate a need for additional information and knowledge. This video provides a simulated scenario to understand how that may happen. [Read more…]
