Writing Skills
Abstract
Carl and Fred discuss the role of writing skills in conveying information to others and influencing the reliability of products and processes.
ᐅ Play Episode
SOR 1147 Writing Skills
CR157: Full Speed or Nothing Baby! Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation Renee Richardson on CMMSradio
Full Speed or Nothing Baby! Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation Renee Richardson on CMMSradio
In this episode, we’re joined by Renée Richardson, Director of Philanthropy for Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation (AWMH). It’s over a year in the making and well worth it! We learn about Renée’s journey from Bay Area radio into the nonprofit world showcasing AWMH’s deep commitment to building better futures through workforce education and community support. A central focus is the Metallica Scholars Program, which connects individuals to technical training and career opportunities through community colleges across the U.S. A special shoutout to ShopFloor Coffee for their support of All Within My Hands, the trades, and manufacturing culture.
- Former radio host at KFOG and Live 105.
- Now leading philanthropy for Metallica’s AWMH foundation.
- AWMH supports disaster relief, food security, and skilled trades education.
- Metallica Scholars Program Now active in all 50 states and Guam.
- Helps fund short-term, affordable training in skilled trades and manufacturing.
- Supports both students and adults seeking career change or upskilling.
- Major Partners: Includes Carhartt, Wolverine, and the Lowe’s Foundation.
- AWMH works with Metallica’s M72 tour stops to connect students and community partners.
- Renée shares how the foundation helps transform lives—often leading to real job opportunities.
Reach out via info@allwithinmyhands.org or support through their Month of Giving merchandise sales at https://www.allwithinmyhands.org and support this amazing foundation! They are making a real difference! Keep an eye out for more update from All Within My Hands on CMMSradio!
SOR 1146 Customer Expectations
Customer Expectations
Abstract
Dianna and Fred discuss the “fuzzy and shadowy” world of customer expectations, discussing how to set reliability requirements that actually keep customers coming back.
ᐅ Play Episode
CR156: From Poultry to Asset Management Champion with Joe Caetano of Elevotec from Streamline 2025
From Poultry to Asset Management Champion with Joe Caetano of Elevotec from Streamline 2025
Meet Joe Caetano of Elevotec! From poultry to asset management champion! It’s just a slice of the journey story and it’s loaded with insights, laughs, and a real talk on maintenance management! Just what we like!! Thank you, Joe, for an awesome discussion! Your passion is obvious!
Connect with Elevotec here: https://www.elevotec.com/
CR155: Meet team WearCheck International Ahead of Reliable Plant 2025
Meet team WearCheck International Ahead of Reliable Plant 2025
In this episode of CMMSradio, we meet the team from Wear Check International – Jon Fazenbaker, Leila Morzan-Lantos, Andreas “Andy” Lantos, and Bill Quesnel – To hear about their plans for RP2025 and their passions for the maintenance and lubrication industry.
Connect with Team WearCheck here: https://wearcheck.com/
SOR 1145 Standard Reliability Methods
Standard Reliability Methods
Abstract
Dianna and Fred discuss the importance of standard reliability methods within a company, to ensure teams are using effective, proven techniques rather than just following a generic recipe.
ᐅ Play Episode
CR154: CMMS Ain’t Magic – Know Your Business First with Bryan Bieschke CMRP
CMMS Ain’t Magic – Know Your Business First with Bryan Bieschke CMRP
This week we sat down with Bryan Bieschke (“Just a Mechanic”) of UpKeep for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about CMMS implementation.
Spoiler alert: most failures aren’t about the software — they’re about unclear roles, leadership gaps, and chasing tools instead of outcomes.
💡 Some 🔑 takeaways:
- Start with a RACI chart — define who owns what before you even log in.
- Leadership matters — don’t expect teams to use what you won’t touch.
- Forget the sales pitch — make vendors prove it works in your world.
- Training isn’t about screens — it’s about empathy and trust.
- Data migration? Do it clean. And use it to reset your standards.
If you’re implementing a CMMS or thinking about it, this one’s a must-listen. No fluff. Just hard-earned lessons from the field. 🎧
Grab a discovery call and demo here: https://upkeep.com/cmmsradio/
SOR 1144 Trick Questions
Trick Questions
Abstract
Kirk and Fred discuss questions that can reveal some job candidates’ knowledge or lack of understanding of new product reliability development ᐅ Play Episode
CR153: Train, Clean, Optimize Using A CMMS Implementation Formula by Andy Gager
Train, Clean, Optimize Using A CMMS Implementation Formula by Andy Gager
On this episode of CMMSradio, Andy Gager of AMG International lays out the no-nonsense path to CMMS success. From selecting the right system to avoiding common pitfalls, Andy shares what works—and what derails even the best intentions.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Choose smart: Research and narrow down 3–4 systems that match your business needs.
- Watch the fine print: Make sure vendor promises align with real requirements—get it in writing.
- Clean it up: Don’t migrate junk. Data cleansing is non-negotiable.
- Train with purpose: Multi-stage, hands-on training works better than rushed rollouts.
- Fix the foundations: Optimize PMs, validate asset hierarchies, and eliminate bad processes.
- Let AI help (but clean first): Good data makes AI smarter—not the other way around.
10 Reasons to do FMEAS with AI
10 Reasons to do FMEAS with AI
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
Amazing products are 90 % identical to mediocre products. It is that last 10 % where failures, forgotten features, overlooked interfaces, and all manner of other things reside. FMEAs and FMECAs are tremendously powerful tools (when done right) at finding the ‘vital few’ things you can address in your first and early design iterations that make everything else that follows a breeze. FMEAs and FMECAs are also awful (when done wrong), as they waste everyone’s time, create no meaningful design guidance, and are just forced upon the tragic few. Then there is AI … which promises to do it all for us! This is not the case. Beyond what standard ‘ISO/IEC 23894:2023 – AI and Risk Management’ says you can and can’t do, AI can only help you get on top of that 90 %. That 90 % is absolutely essential – but at best, AI can quickly get you to mediocre. It is the human brain that takes care of the rest. This webinar gives you 10 reasons why you should do FMEAs and FMECAs properly – and use AI to accelerate getting on top of that 90 % so you can focus on that amazing new product.
[Read more…]
RM 185: How Accuracy & Force Compliance Contribute to Better Quality & Reliability with Michael Sivigny
How Accuracy & Force Compliance Contribute to Better Quality & Reliability with Michael Sivigny
In electronics manufacturing, defects don’t usually announce themselves. They happen in milliseconds, far faster than human perception, and often long before anyone realizes a process has drifted out of control. By the time failures show up in test, inspection, or worse, in the field, the root cause may be buried deep inside machine behavior that no one thought to question.
When machines are assumed to be accurate instead of proven to be accurate, and when force is set but not verified, hidden variation creeps in. That variation can translate directly into cracked components, misalignment, latent damage, and long-term reliability risk.
My guest today is Michael Sivigny, SMT Productivity & Profit Strategist and owner and General Manager CeTaQ Americas, a company that has spent decades doing what most factories don’t, objectively measuring machine performance under real production conditions.
Michael’s work has repeatedly shown that even well-maintained, recently serviced equipment can operate outside of specification, quietly generating defects at high speed.
In this conversation, we’ll dig into how accuracy validation and force measurement expose problems traditional troubleshooting misses, why OEM calibration alone is no longer enough for today’s miniaturized electronics, and how statistically sound measurement practices improve not only yield and uptime, but long-term product reliability.
If you believe reliability starts long before functional test, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
CeTaQ Americas
msivigny@cetaq-americas.com
RH013: Manuel Cifuentes / Giving Maintenance a Voice
Manuel Cifuentes / Giving Maintenance a Voice
In this insightful episode, Andrew Daddo interviews Manuel Cifuentes, Head of Maintenance Strategy Governance at BHP. Manuel reflects on his 18-year journey with the company, discussing the evolution of maintenance from a “nerdy” technical focus to a critical business strategy. He explains the challenge of translating complex technical data into language that resonates with business leaders. By simplifying terms like MTBF and highlighting the financial impact of equipment failures, Cifuentes helped shift organizational culture. He emphasizes that success required not just technical improvements but also fostering better communication and soft skills across the company.
CR152: The Maintenance Journey so far with Dan Anderson of ReliabilityX from Streamline 2025 on CMMSradio
The Maintenance Journey so far with Dan Anderson of ReliabilityX from Streamline 2025 on CMMSradio
Dan Anderson, of ReliabilityX, joins CMMSradio from the 2025 Streamline Asset Management User Conference in Greenville, SC. We learn about part of his journey – including the Datastream days – and his views on the overall asset management space from a maintenance and reliability perspective.
Dan has been around the game – Tune in and hear what he has to say. He’s a real pro and knows how to add value! Thank you, Dan, for being on CMMSradio!!
SOR 1143 Getting Hired
Getting Hired
Abstract
Kirk and Fred discuss the process of finding a job in Reliability Engineering ᐅ Play Episode
CR151: Paul Crocker ReliabilityX Talking Photography and Maintenance on CMMSradio
Paul Crocker ReliabilityX Talking Photography and Maintenance on CMMSradio
Paul Crocker, CMRP is with ReliabilityX! We jumped on to record about his interest in photography and how that fits well into the maintenance and reliability space. It’s fascinating to see how these worlds converge, or maybe collide, only to find out how much value comes from combining an interest like this in a valuable, impactful way, to the industry we all love!!
