Reliability Growth

Concepts, Strategy, Duane Model and Application Case Study

We are happy to release this video on Reliability Growth which is a very important strategy to assure reliability of new products. In this video, Hemant Urdhwareshe has explained the basic concepts and strategy of reliability growth, the related mathematical relationships, and the Duane Model with an application case study of introduction of new model of Diesel engine. 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. If you like the video, do not forget to click the like button.

[Read more…]

by André-Michel Ferrari 6 Comments

Evaluating Equipment Redundancy using RAM Models

The Concept of Equipment Redundancy

Adding equipment redundancy to a system can improve uptime and reliability leading to increased output. When adding new equipment, it is cheaper to evaluate the benefits, or lack of thereof, on paper before implementing the change. Typically done as part of the design phase. However it can also happen after commissioning but its is more expensive. In other words, its better to get it right before “shovels go in the ground”.

[Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg Leave a Comment

Why HALT is not HALT

An excellent short white paper by Craig Hillman that is worth reading. It underscores why I claim HALT is the second worst 4 letter acronym in our profession.

[Read more…]

by Greg Hutchins Leave a Comment

Why and How to Merge Agile with Waterfall Methodologies

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

This article focuses on the task level of a project which is the key to merging the different methodologies. There is a lot of articles on line that explain what the merger will look like and the pros and cons of it but I found nothing to explain HOW TO DO IT? This article goes into quite a bit of detail but I felt I had no choice to convey to the reader how to merge the two methodologies with examples.

Agile was created for software development projects. Some of the key benefits of this methodology are flexibility, speed, high quality, and continuous improvement. These features are implemented at the Scrum level. One major problem with Agile is that it does not scale up to large projects due to lack of structure, changing requirements and scope, and lack of a baseline to measure project performance. In my opinion, it works well for small software and IT projects that are less than a year in duration and less than $1M in value

[Read more…]

by Mike Sondalini Leave a Comment

How ACE 3T Precision for Standard Operating Procedures Was Discovered

How the 3T’s of Human Error Prevention and Mistake Proofing – Target, Tolerance, Test – were Discovered

Human errors and mistakes cause 80 percent of industrial equipment failures. That humans cause most problems has long been known. It has been difficult to find reliable ways to prevent human error, but an Arab craftsman taught me the 3Ts of error prevention and mistake proofing work.

[Read more…]

by Hemant Urdhwareshe Leave a Comment

Hazard Plotting Approach and Case Study

to analyze failure data of shock absorbers

In this video, Hemant Urdhwareshe explains how to use Hazard Plotting to estimate parameters of Weibull Distribution using Excel with an application case study. Hemant also explains related mathematical concepts in Hazard plotting. Hemant is a Fellow of ASQ, and is certified by ASQ as CRE, CMBB, CSSBB, CQE and CMQ/OE. Viewers may like to watch our previous video on Weibull Probability Plotting.

[Read more…]

by Fred Schenkelberg 10 Comments

Acceleration Factors

Temperature acceleration factor for ALT planning (question posted to Linkedin Society of Reliability engineers group, 5/7/12

Hello, can anyone advise me how to calculate temperature acceleration factor for a complex system including cards, RF elements, cables, motors and moving parts? Is the Arrhenius model valid for such systems, or there are more precise models? Thank you!

[Read more…]

by Greg Hutchins Leave a Comment

Agile, Agile 2, and Agility, Part 1

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

If you are running a business today using Agile methods, it’s likely that you are not getting the productivity boost from it that you should, and your time to market for new features is probably not what it could be either.

Is that the end of the world? By and large, yes! The problem is that your impaired delivery capabilities have a substantial impact on your business agility. How is that? Your digital development process is at the center of your product management capability and if you can’t iterate quickly enough it will limit the opportunities for your product managers to redirect the evolution of your products while they’re in development. When you are in a hurry to get new or updated products to market, they will be less evolved, less marketable and less competitive.

[Read more…]

by Mike Sondalini Leave a Comment

Maintenance Planner Performance-Based Job Description

This job description begins detailing the attributes, skills and knowledge required for a person to competently do the duties of a maintenance planner focused on improving equipment reliability. It uses an outcomes approach to set the standards that must be reached in the performance of the work. It leaves the person doing the job the flexibility and initiative to find their own way to reach those standards.

[Read more…]

by Hemant Urdhwareshe Leave a Comment

DOE-5: Fractional Factorial Designs, Confounding and Resolution Codes

In this video, Hemant Urdhwareshe explains basic concepts of Fractional Factorial Design, Confounding or Aliasing and Resolution of designs. View earlier videos in this series: Introduction, Application, Coded and Uncoded Values, and a Case study.

Hemant is a Fellow of American Society for Quality (ASQ) and is certified by ASQ as Six Sigma Master Black Belt (CMBB), Black Belt (CSSBB), Reliability Engineer (CRE), Quality Engineer (CQE) and Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE).

The video would be useful to all those who wish to learn about use of fractional factorial designs to reduce number of runs in experiments. It will be also be greatly useful for preparing ASQ certification exams!

[Read more…]

by Ramesh Gulati Leave a Comment

Maintenance and Reliability Best Practices: Reliability Engineers

George Williams and Ramesh Gulati discuss the importance of Reliability Engineers in the work space. -Why is Reliability important? -What does it take to be a Reliability Engineer? -What type of skillsets are needed? -Why is it important to have Reliability Engineers?

[Read more…]

by Larry George 1 Comment

Semi-Nonparametric Reliability Estimation and Seasonal Forecasts

I estimated actuarial failure rates, made actuarial forecasts, and recommended stock levels for automotive aftermarket stores. I wondered how to account for seasonality in their sales? Time series forecasts account for seasonality but not for age, the force of mortality accounted for by actuarial forecasts. I finally figured out how to seasonally adjust actuarial forecasts. It’s the same method, David Cox’ “Proportional Hazards” model, used to make “Semi-Parametric” estimates and “Credible Reliability Predictions”.

[Read more…]

by Ray Harkins Leave a Comment

Student Questions from My Root Cause Analysis Class, Part 2

In part two of this three-part article series, I am continuing to showcase some of the best questions I’ve received over the past 5 years from students of my online Root Cause Analysis class, along with my answer to them.

And as Indira Gandhi once said, “The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” And so, it is my hope that by sharing these questions and answers, others may all learn and progress as well.

[Read more…]

by André-Michel Ferrari Leave a Comment

Effective Quantification of RCA Benefits

Barringer Process Reliability – Your “factory” performance on a single page

Paul H. Barringer invented the Barringer Process Reliability (BPR) process. Paul was a fellow Reliability Engineer “extraordinaire” and an outstanding mentor for myself and countless others in this field of practice. BPR highlights operational issues. If not addressed or mitigated, those could have significant revenue impacts on an operation. A BPR analysis uses the Weibull probability plot which happens to be a very well-known tool in the field of Reliability Engineering. On one side of a sheet of paper only, the BPR plot can tell the true “story” on the operation. One of those “stories” relates to high impact events best tackled by a Root Cause Analysis.

[Read more…]

by Carl S. Carlson Leave a Comment