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What is Reliability Engineering?

What is Reliability Engineering?

At the start of class on reliability and maintenance engineering, one of the students asked,

“What is reliability engineering? What do you do?”

This made me think. What is it we do? How to you explain to someone our role?

Quick Answer

I like to say, “We break things” with a big wink and a smile. And to some extent, as we explore what fails and how it fails. We most likely have to test our theories and break something. Or, when working with new product designs we employ tools to discover what will break. So, I suppose part of what we do is break things. Yet, that is not a complete answer. [Read more…]

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Unreasonable

Unreasonable

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. In Maxims for Revolutionists (1903) by George Bernard Shaw

It is those that see the world as it should be that prompts change. I believe it is those resisting change to be unreasonable; I suppose it depends on your point of view. The idea or invention may be an inspiration or take diligent work, yet the real work is in changing the reasonable to a new way of viewing the world. Understanding everyone is not as unreasonable as yourself helps you prepare others for change. Challenging the resistance may label you as unreasonable. Be prepared and drive on, you are in good company. Fred Schenkelberg Reliability Quote of the Day, ISSN 2329-0099 http://www.fmsreliability.com/publishing/category/quotes/ where you can sign up for a daily quote sent to you via email —

I received a request from Quality Progress magazine to provide a quote and 100 words about the selection. The above is my submission. [Read more…]

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Reliability Modeling Options

Reliability Modeling Options

When this posts I should be just getting home from Nepal (jet lag is no place to write posts). So, this post and the next couple are homework for you. Take a look, work the problem, solve it, then show your work. Comment with why you chose your response and why you didn’t select one of the others.

From question 19 of ASQ CRE 2009 sample exam. [Read more…]

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Increasing Value

Increasing Value

Value for any business activity is a guiding principle to stay in business.

While not always about money, it is about value. We invest in product design and distribution, plant design and operation, to realize a benefit or return on the investment which makes the investment worth the effort and time. Same with our individual work- we endeavor to make a difference and realize not just a paycheck, (well some do). Increasing value is our responsibility as reliability professionals.  [Read more…]

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Corrective Action Question

Corrective Action Question

When this posts I should be near 17k ft altitude without electricity or internet – hoping for the best. So, this post and the next couple are homework for you. Take a look, work the problem, solve it, then show your work. Comment with why you choose your response and why you didn’t select one of the others.

Here is question 18 from the ASQ CRE 2009 sample exam. [Read more…]

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Lead-Free Solder Accelerated Testing

Lead-Free Solder Accelerated Testing

A common issue with solder, other than its ability to compliantly attach electronic packages to circuit boards, is its ability to fail with normal use.

Over time the normal thermal cycling causes the packages to move relative to the circuit board and the solder moves to accommodate. Each cycle the solder accumulates damage. Over time the number of cycles accumulates as does the damage. Eventually, the solder cracks and create an intermittent connection or disrupts the electron flow completely (open).

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Unreasonable

Unreasonable

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

In Maxims for Revolutionists (1903) by George Bernard Shaw

It is those that see the world as it should be that prompts change. I believe it is those resisting change to be unreasonable; I suppose it depends on your point of view. The idea or invention may be an inspiration or take diligent work, yet the real work is in changing the reasonable to a new way of viewing the world.

[Read more…]

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Do we not think

Do we not think

as reliability professionals anymore?

During a normal day, we unconsciously tie our shoes, brush our teeth and drive to work, mostly by routine and without too much conscious thinking about the tasks. Occasionally we answer the phone and have to think a little about the conversation. Or we design an experiment for the next project, thinking we can save time by using the same test as last time. Then we slip comfortably into a routine. Do we not think anymore?

Reliability engineering is thinking.

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Learning Reliability

Learning Reliability

… Or, reliable learning. One of the best things about reliability engineering is the never ending opportunity to learn. We work with materials, assembly processes, and people creating and maintaining products, machines, and systems. Other engineering disciplines tend to focus on one aspect of a design or process – mechanical engineers make allowances for the circuit board location and heat transfer requirements, yet do not word on the circuits themselves. Electrical engineers just the opposite, they focus on electronics and power and attempt to fit within the constants imposed by industrial designers. Maybe architects are close to the breadth of reliability engineering as they contribute the aesthetic and functional elements of a design, and consider the maintenance and longevity of the building. Yet, they are not involved with the actual aging and maintenance. [Read more…]

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Reliability Math

Reliability Math

Recently a question came to me about the difference between hazard rate and failure rate. A lot of literature and reference use these two terms interchangeably. I have long thought there is a difference, and to check my understanding I asked a good friend and reliability engineering consultant Chet Haibel. He provides a slide set (below) that described the various functions we use working reliability statistics and he details out the functions when using the exponential distribution.

[Read more…]