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Change Structure before Strategy

Change Structure before Strategy

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

Organisations are systems that consist of sub-systems like sales and production. Change impacts the organisational system and subsystems in different ways and speeds – sales may react quickly to the changing external environment, but production may take time to change the process. Unfortunately, people are the hardest to change.

When organisational subsystems change at different speeds caused by external changes, it creates gaps or cracks in the system. This is where the system gets disintegrated.

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The Necessity of True Change Management in Maintenance

The Necessity of True Change Management in Maintenance

Change is an inevitable part of every industry, and maintenance is no exception. Whether it’s the introduction of new technologies, processes, or leadership, how an organization handles change can significantly impact its operational efficiency and overall success. However, when it comes to maintenance, true change management goes beyond simply implementing new systems—it’s about transforming the culture, mindset, and approach of the entire organization to ensure lasting improvement.

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Kolmgorov-Smirnov Two-Sample Test for Censored Data

Kolmgorov-Smirnov Two-Sample Test for Censored Data

Submitted to ASQC Reliability Review, Nov. 1996

A client wanted to compare the Kaplan-Meier (nonparametric maximum likelihood) estimators of the reliabilities of the old and new products. That is, he wanted me to test reliability functions, Ho: R1(t)=R2(t) for all nonnegative t vs. Ha: R1(t)≠R2(t) for some nonnegative t.

Because I’m lazy and fixed in my ways and because I thought it would be easier to explain, I chose the Kolmgorov-Smirnov (K-S) test [Gnendenko]. It’s convenient, practically every statistics text has the tables, and I can program tables and the test statistic easily. The test uses the maximum absolute difference between the Kaplan-Meier estimates of the two reliability functions. Reject Ho if maximum absolute difference, Dmn=max|R1(t)-R2(t)| exceeds a critical value, where m and n are the two sample sizes.

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Inherent Reliability Explained

Inherent Reliability Explained

Why Inherent Reliability is About More Than Just How Long Equipment Lasts 🌟

In this video, filmed at the iconic Kukulcan Temple in Chichen Itza, Mexico, I explore one of the most important concepts in Reliability: Inherent Reliability. Inherent Reliability isn’t just about how long something will last without failing—it’s about how long it will last when we “feed” it with the right proactive maintenance and appropriate default strategies.

Just as the ancient Mayans offered blood sacrifices to feed their gods, we need to feed our equipment with the right maintenance tasks at the right intervals to keep it performing as needed. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) helps us identify the precise tasks and timing to protect our assets, ensuring that we get the Reliability we need.

In this video, you’ll learn:

The true meaning of Inherent Reliability
How Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) helps define what failure means to you
The importance of performing the right maintenance tasks at the right intervals

Equip your team with the knowledge to “feed” your assets and achieve the Reliability you’re aiming for. Watch now to learn more!

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Lifetime Evaluation vs. Measurement. Part 5 – Stone Soup

Lifetime Evaluation vs. Measurement. Part 5 – Stone Soup

We are well aware of cases when Accelerated Testing is successfully creating by statisticians, here I would like to propose an engineer’s approach.

We have created a new product, there is (is) an order for it (50 products at a price of $200). Can we start manufacturing and delivery? No, we can’t. We are stopped by significant warranty obligations and lack of confidence in the reliability of the product during the warranty period.

This is a typical task with uncertainty.

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6: Design & Planning – Part 3: Design for Excellence (DfX)

6: Design & Planning – Part 3: Design for Excellence (DfX)

by Mike Freier

Design for Excellence (DfX) is a holistic approach to designing a hardware product that takes into account how the product is made at scale. In addition to understanding your manufacturing plan and target costs, there are six categories to consider: assembly, cost, manufacturing, test, service, and supply chain.

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Sample Size During Feasibility/Prototyping

Sample Size During Feasibility/Prototyping

During the first prototype stage of product development, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for the right sample size. The appropriate sample size depends on various factors, including the objectives of your research, the nature of the prototype, the variability of the measurements, and the constraints of your project such as budget and timeline.

At the prototype stages of product development, especially for electromechanical devices, understanding the safety factor in your design is crucial. The safety factor, often referred to as the Factor of Safety (FoS), is a measure of the load-carrying capacity of a system beyond the expected or actual loads. Essentially, it indicates how much stronger the system is than it usually needs to be under normal conditions. A common approach to validate the safety factor in design, particularly for new and untested devices, is through step-stress accelerated life testing (SSALT). This method involves subjecting the prototype to increasing stress levels until failure occurs, providing insights into the product’s durability and reliability under various conditions. [Read more…]

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The Rule of 3 Significant Digits

The Rule of 3 Significant Digits

Two people have shaped how I guess an answer.

Their comments and guidance have tailored how to form a quick estimate, my ability to articulate a hunch and the effectiveness of those guesses.

You probably guess or make a rough estimate regularly. How good is your gut feel? Do you keep track and score yourself?

Making an estimate should be second nature for you. It’s not something to do in public, too often. The practice can aid you in numerous ways. [Read more…]

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How to Design Operational Excellence into Your Company the Plant Wellness Way

How to Design Operational Excellence into Your Company the Plant Wellness Way

ENSURING YOUR MANAGEMENT DESIGN-IN OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE TO GUARANTEE THE LASTING SURVIVAL OF YOUR COMPANY IS WHY QUALITY GURU W. EDWARDS DEMING ASKED HIS FAMOUS “WHAT?” AND “HOW?” QUESTIONS.

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Deming would expect that managers had a solid answer to the question: “If you want your company to reach Operational Excellence in the next five years, then explain to us all, EXACTLY HOW will you do it?”

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Project Management Dashboards: Data, Decisions, & Horsesh*t

Project Management Dashboards: Data, Decisions, & Horsesh*t

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

A project controls colleague of mine recently wrote:

“Really, I never had to deal with delivery directors / managers who did not understand or appreciate the effort which goes behind a digital data fed dashboard”

Sarcasm, according to Oscar Wilde, may be the lowest from of wit but it’s the highest form of intelligence.  While being humorous at the expense of those who demand dashboards it’s a sad truth that most demanders have no idea as to the effort required in producing a dashboard.  For them dashboards can be instantly tailored to any whims or fancies at the flick of a switch or the stroke of a key on a keyboard. 

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Reliability Growth: Crow AMSAA Model with Application Case Study

Reliability Growth: Crow AMSAA Model with Application Case Study

Dear All, we are happy to release our 76th video on Crow AMSAA Model for Reliability Growth. We recommend viewers to watch the following videos before watching this video for better experience:

(1) Homogeneous Poisson Process (HPP) and Nonhomogeneous Poisson Process (NHPP)

(2) Reliability Growth Concepts and Duane Model with Illustration

We welcome your feedback!

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5 Key RCM Concepts

5 Key RCM Concepts

Why RCM is a Must for Every Reliability Professional 🛠️

In this video, I’m taking you to the foundation of our new metal building to show why learning Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) should be a must for every reliability professional—even if you never formally implement it. RCM creates the foundation for an effective Reliability Culture by teaching five core concepts that are essential for any team.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Core Concept 1: How defining Functions establishes the reliability you need.
Core Concept 2: Why identifying Failure Modes correctly is crucial for managing failures.
Core Concept 3: How to choose proactive maintenance tasks that are technically feasible and worth doing.
Core Concept 4: Understanding the role of Protective Devices and Failure Finding tasks.
Core Concept 5: The power of multidisciplinary teams in RCM and why collaboration leads to stronger, more reliable outcomes.

Whether you fully implement RCM or simply learn its core concepts, understanding these fundamentals makes you a more effective reliability professional. So, are you ready to build your foundation?

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5: Design & Planning – Part 2 Planning

5: Design & Planning – Part 2 Planning

by Mike Freier

Mapping good ideas to product development is best done in the concurrent engineering framework, a collaborative approach to new product introduction. Using the MVP and the product roadmap, you are now ready to move into balancing design concepts with business concerns like costs. 

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