What You Need to Know About MTBF

By Chris Jackson

June 11, 2019 / 9am Pacific Time

MTBF stands for ‘mean time between failure.’ This sounds intuitively easy to understand. But … if you haven’t taken the time to understand MTBF, and your organization relies on the reliability of its products, you are almost certainly in trouble.

For example, it is statistically possible for almost all of your equipment or products to have failed by the MTBF. Did you know that? Most equipment and products ‘age.’ That is, they go through stages of infant mortality, useful life, and wear out. Did you know that just talking about MTBF (and nothing else) means that you are assuming that your equipment or products never age? Did you know that (by definition) it is impossible to understand when you should service your equipment based on the MTBF.

This presentation is a simple introduction that doesn’t use complex words to explain some of the basic concepts of reliability engineering. In particular, how things like MTBF are so easy to misunderstand, and how relying on the ‘easy’ metrics do more harm than good.

Lubrication Excellence and Oil Sampling

By Terry Harris

June 11, 2019 / 8am Pacific Time

$45

A Reliable Process Solutions 1-hour webinar event focused on providing you practical content to improve your reliability program today.

This webinar will include presentation and discussion on:

• Fundamentals of Lubrication Excellence
• Benefits of Lubrication Excellence
• How to filter and clean your lubricants
• Proper Oil Sampling and equipment use to properly sample
• How to interpret Oil Analysis reports

Sign up is direct with Reliable Process Solutions. After payment they will forward the link for the GotoWebinar event or provided access to the recording. There are also options to buy bundles of webinars (3 for $129, 6 for $209 and all 12 in 2019 for $329. You determine which 3 or 6 topics you’d like to include in your bundle.

Use Case 7

By Adam Bahret

June 13, 2019 / 9am Pacific Time

“Use Case 7” is a new meme being introduced. Use Case 7 is the way a customer may use your product in a manner that is way beyond anything you expect. Foreseeable only under the influence of a mind altering additive. Yet these cases tend to show themselves and need to be in scope to ensure adequate margins of safety and performance. Tune in to be a part of this unique experiential perspective.

Improving Reliability of Assemblies from a Soldering Materials Development Standpoint

By Shantanu Joshi

June 4, 2019 / 9:30am India Time (June 3, 9pm PDT)

Free for members / $10 non-members

In recent years, a growing number of electronic devices are being incorporated into automotive and other high reliability end products with the challenge to make these devices more reliable. The package size of the devices is largely driven by the consumer industry with their sizes getting smaller making it harder to assemble and be reliable at the same time.

For automotive and other high reliability electronics product, it is of the utmost priority to secure high reliability because it directly involves human life and safety. Challenges include selecting an appropriate solder alloy and having good reliability of the solder paste flux residue with the presentation discussing ways to improve lead-free solder joint reliability/robustness. Though SnAgCu solder alloys fulfill most soldering requirements, alternative solders are needed to meet more stringent environmental regulations, requirements for greater mechanical reliability, and more demanding high temperature service environments such as under the-hood in automobiles and in avionics systems.

Development was done on alternative lead-free alloys with varying percentages of tin-silver-bismuth-indium in comparison with a number of conventional lead-free solder alloys in soldering evaluations. Accelerated thermal cycling test was performed on boards assembled with various different alternative alloys and the results were compared with conventional lead-free alloys. For the solder paste flux, there is a need in automotive and other high reliability applications to have reliable and high insulation resistance even in an atmosphere of high temperature and high humidity. Development was done on a type of ‘crack free’ flux paste to inhibit flux residue cracking under extreme environments making it more reliable to stringent surface insulation resistance and electro-migration criterion from automotive and other high reliability product manufacturers. Testing was done to various industry electro-migration and dew test standards.

Are Risk Matrices Hazardous?

June 4, 2019 / 6pm-7:30 UK Time (10am-11:30 PDT)

The use of risk matrices for safety decision making is common place. But how well are they used? Are they actually suitable for purpose? Do we really understand the technical, psychological, legal and political implications and whether the results add value, or could be potentially hazardous in themselves?

Over the years we have seen occasions when the use of risk matrices actually allows for an unintended increase in risk, so this SaRS London Branch event will scrutinise the methodology; how it is used and sometimes abused; and highlight ways in which risk matrices can lead to poor risk management that may actually be hazardous.

We will have three talks covering the use of risk matrices addressing these issues, together with practical examples and followed by what promises to be a lively Q&A session.

Weibull Engineering Intro Using Weibull Plotting Software

By Wes Fulton

June 5 / 8:30am-11:30 Pacific Time

$300

There’s Weibull, and then there’s Weibull Engineering (WE). The Weibull model was promoted originally by Waloddi Weibull before, during, and after the 1950’s. Weibull is the most widely-used probability model for how failure mechanisms affect product lifetime, key for problem analysis and problem solving and problem forecasting, but that’s not the only application. Although Dr. Weibull is no longer with us, his methods and insights carry on in countless new applications here in the 2000’s. WE extends the Weibull model to real engineering application throughout all product cycle phases especially for continuous improvement efforts.

This 3-hr WE DEMO session features overview of topics in The New Weibull Handbook(c) latest edition authored by Dr. Bob Abernethy, the #1 world expert in Weibull for over 35 years. Each session attendee receives unlimited use of the free SuperSMITH(R) DEMO software for installation on Microsoft Windows(R) platforms or Windows simulators. Also, a free PlayTIME(TM) DEMO tutorial booklet in “.PDF” format will be available. The tutorial booklet has over 50 case-study examples with step-by-step instructions for solution and covers every type of problem and every related software option. Each session attendee is encouraged to follow the steps on their own computer to solve using the free DEMO software and tutorial.

This overview is designed to bring the novice up to rigorous understanding of WE capability. Topics include type of input data to acquire, how to make a Weibull plot, alternate fitting methods, alternate models, better solution for small data sets, failure analysis, failure forecasting, optimal preemptive parts replacement for parts that wear out, cost analysis, confidence, test planning, accelerated testing, and the importance of a Weibull database especially for Weibull slope values. Relevant questions at any time are welcome during the session.

Process Validation: Statistical Justification for Sample Size and the Use of Only 3 Lots

By John N Zorich

June 5, 2019 / 10am Pacific Time

$150

This webinar explains how to choose and justify a sample-size for Lots that are included in Process Validation studies.

The statistical methods discussed during the webinar include the following:

• Confidence intervals
• Confidence / Reliability Calculations (for variables & attributes)

It then explains how to analyze those samples in such a way that they provide statistically valid final %Reliability for the production Process itself. One example is worked through completely.

Introduction to Prescriptive Maintenance: The Future of Maintenance, now!

By Joel Levitt

June 5, 2019 / 12pm Pacific Time

Free for members / $29 non-members

This talk concerns where all the new technology fits into today’s maintenance. This class is designed for people familiar with maintenance practices (like CRL, CMRP, CPMM) who want to get up to speed with all the new technology (like wireless sensors, cloud computing, analytics, and AI- all in 45 minutes).

Six Common Errors in Problem Solving

June 7, 2019  / 8am Pacific Time

Organizations apply a variety of tools to solve problems, improve operations and increase reliability—many times without success. Why? More than likely, they make one or a combination of six common errors. Overcoming these errors involves knowing why they happen and how to prevent them. Armed with this knowledge, both employees and managers can improve problem-solving in any organization.

Tools for Human Error Reduction

By Ginette Collazo

June 10, 2019 / 10am-11:30 Pacific Time

$150

Human error is known to be the major cause of quality and production losses in many industries. Although it is unlikely that human error will ever be totally eliminated, many human performance problems can be prevented. Human errors start at the design stage. From procedures, training, and workplace environment many variables that affect human behavior CAN be manipulated reducing the likelihood of these occurrences.

To work with these challenges it is really important to understand human behavior and the psychology of error as well as understand exactly where the systems weaknesses are, so they can be improved and/or fixed. This course offers practical approaches and tools to address human performance issues in GMP related environments by using a specific methodology to correct, prevent and avoid re-occurrence of these issues.

Validation Sampling Plans for Process Validation, Design Verification and CAPA Effectiveness Checks

By Wayne Taylor

June 10, 2019 / 10am-11:30 Pacific Time

$150

This course is designed to help you select sampling sizes and acceptance criteria for one-time studies like process validation, design verification, component qualifications and CAPA effectiveness checks including:

• How to link risk with the confidence statements associated with the sampling plans
• Identify a variety of sampling plans, that all make the desired confidence statements
• Select from among these sampling plans that plan which offers the best balance between the number of units tested and the risk of failing the validation
• How to identify when sampling plans for other properties are required for things like precision, accuracy, homogeneity and failure rates

Implementing Effective CAPA Systems

By Charles H. Paul

June 10, 2019  / 10am-11:30 Pacific Time

$150

How CAPA’s are executed and managed is crucial to maintaining a compliant organization. Inadequate CAPA processes continue to be a major GMP deficiency and consistently make the FDA’s top five list for adverse observations.

The primary objective of this webinar is to heighten awareness of the importance of the proper execution of the CAPA process to the organization, to the efficacy of the product and to the safety of patients and customers, and to describe the structure and function of an effective CAPA system.

Acoustic Lubrication with Ultrasound

By Bob Lees

June 11, 2019  / 8am Pacific Time

Acoustic Lubrication is an essential tool for increasing uptime, reducing costs and eliminating reactive mainetnance tasks. But what is grease and how does lubrication affect your process and equipment. In this webinar, SDT provides a basic understanding of grease, lubrication and the role ultrasound plays in acoustic lubrication of rolling element bearings.

Takeaways:
1. Understand Grease – its composition and types
2. Understand Lubrication – why we lubricate bearings
3. Learn the basics of Ultrasound
4. How Ultrasound and Lubrication work together as Acoustic Lubrication

Como Prevenir La Degradación De Las Estrategias De Mantenimiento

Y Gestionar El Riesgo

June 11, 2019  / 9am Pacific Time

Este seminario web presentará la Gestion de Estrategia de Activos (ASM) como un proceso que permite a las organizaciones capturar y revisar los datos de todas las fuentes y aprovechar los aprendizajes para mejorar las estrategias de los activos, identificando los bolsillos de la excelencia de la estrategia y desplegando esas estrategias en la organización, donde sea relevante.

Exposing Risk in Your Electrical Safety Program

By H. Landis “Lanny” Floyd II and Bob Vavra

June 11, 2019 / 11am Pacific Time

Assuring the prevention of injuries from electrical hazards involves continual assessment of risk and effectiveness of your electrical safety program. Are you aware of latest developments in regulations, codes, standards and technology impacting your program? Do you know who is at risk of injury? What is the best measure of the effectiveness of your program? Whether you are just starting to develop or have a mature and robust electrical safety program, this webinar will help you identify gaps and opportunities for improvement in prevention of electric shock and arc flash injuries.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the top 3 scenarios for exposure to hazardous electrical energy
• Describe categories of workers exposed to hazardous electrical energy
• Apply OSHA Recommendations for Safety and Health Programs to identify gaps in electrical safety programs
• Describe leading indicator metrics for prevention of electrical injuries.

Mejora Continua en Mantenimiento – Uniendo la Confiabilidad y Rentabilidad

Y Manuel Belaochaga

June 13, 2019 / 9am Pacific Time

Free for members / $35 non-members

En el seminario se plantea un modelo de gestión de mantenimiento que utiliza como base el ciclo de Deming para contar con una herramienta de mejora continua en el manejo del Mantenimiento Industrial. Se plantea cual es el esquema de maduración de un sistema de gestión de mantenimiento y cómo correlacionar la confiabilidad y la rentabilidad de la compañía apuntando a ser un socio estratégico dentro de la operación. Se describirán conceptos, indicadores y un cuadro de mando de los mismos que nos permita de manera ágil entender el estado de salud de nuestro sistema.

Accelerated Aging Techniques for Medical Device Packaging

By Karl J Hemmerich

June 13, 2019 / 10am Pacific Time

$150

Accelerated aging (AA) is testing that uses aggravated conditions of heat, oxygen, sunlight, vibration, chemicals, etc. to speed up the normal aging processes of items. It is used to help determine the long-term effects of expected levels of stress within a shorter time, usually in a laboratory by controlled standard test methods.

AA is used to estimate the useful lifespan of a product or its shelf life when actual lifespan data is unavailable. The ability of product designers to accurately predict changes in polymer properties is of critical importance to the medical device, consumer, and industrial markets.

Join this Webinar to better understand and start taking advantage of accepted Accelerated Aging Techniques. Understand General Aging Theory – The Simplified Protocol for Accelerated Aging (10 Degree Rule) and Iterative Test Designs.

In order to design a test plan that accurately models the time correlated degradation of polymers, it is necessary to have an in-depth knowledge of materials composition and structure, end product use and mis-use, assembly and sterilization process effects. Basic polymer chemistry will be reviewed as well as the changes in polymer characteristics that can be anticipated and designed for. Learn how to plan for post-production and lifetime functionality.

5-Why Dos and Don’ts

June 14, 2019 / 8am Pacific Time

A widely known tool that is regularly misused. An accurate 5-Why provides a simple way to start a cause-and-effect analysis. This Webinar covers some important DOs and DON’Ts that will explain how the technique is confused and how it should be used. Topics will include:

• 5-Why Basics and Benefits
• Drawbacks and Misuse of a 5-Why
• Does a 5-Why align with a Cause Map?

Lead-Free Selective Soldering, Design, Quality Control & Practical Defect Solutions

By Bob Willis

June 17, 2019 / 6:30-8am Pacific Time

$25 for members / $95 non-members

For many organisations through hole components will remain a reality for many years. More and more surface mount components are used in design, through hole is in decline, however the reality is connectors, transformers, switches, LCD displays and electrolytic capacitors are still necessary in many products. So what is the most reliable and cost effective solution to through hole soldering in a lead-free environment? Selective soldering has become more popular in the last few years for small and large companies alike. Selective wave and point soldering are both options but what are the realities with lead-free and high temperature solder alloys.

How Safe is Safe Enough?

By Ron Bell

June 19, 2019 / 1pm UK Time (5am PDT)

The presentation will set out the key elements that form the foundation for determining what is deemed “safe” in the context of Safety Critical Systems to judge “How Safe is Safe Enough”? The term “safety critical systems” refers to those systems that are intended to achieve, together with the other risk reduction measures, the necessary risk reduction to meet the required tolerable risk.

Lead-Free Solder Joint Reliability Basics

By Dr. Jean Paul Clech

June 19/ 8:30-Noon Pacific Time

$350

Given the proliferation of lead-free solder alloys, and the dearth of lead-free reliability data and modeling tools, taking care of the basics is of utmost importance to designers and product engineers having to build in long-term solder joint reliability. This webinar reviews basic board, component and board assembly parameters that effect solder joint reliability regardless of solder composition, tin-lead or lead-free. Rules-of-thumb and design-for-reliability guidelines are presented that are of help to improve solder joint life under both thermal and mechanical loading conditions. Accelerated testing procedures and acceleration factors are also discussed briefly. This introductory webinar will be of interest to beginners as well as experienced technical staff needing a refresher on designing for solder joint reliability in electronic assemblies.

This webinar is introductory in nature with emphasis on board and component effect and generic guidelines that can be used to minimize the risk of solder joint failures in circuit board assemblies. While the webinar ends with an overview of lead-free solder joint reliability trends, solder alloy specifics are not covered. Numerous rules-of-thumb (do’s and don’ts) are presented based on established industry practices and field failures encountered by the instructor.

Maintenance Cultural Transformation: A Guide to TPM

June 19, 2019 / 10am Pacific Time

Early detection of failures is the #1 factor in breaking the pattern of reactive maintenance. Join us to discover what can happen with an engaged organization, where everyone is responsible for maintenance reliability!

IR Camera Resolution: Spatial, IFOV, IFOVmeas

June 19, 2019 / 10am Pacific Time

We will be discussing the difference between what we can “see” and what we can “measure” when using infrared thermography. Why is there a difference? Why can’t we measure what we can see? What information do the manufactures provide to us and how do we use that information?

How Hot is Too Hot?

By Dr. Craig Hillman

June 20, 2019 / 8am Pacific Time

In this webinar, Dr. Craig Hillman will discuss the challenges of knowing how hot is too hot when it comes to the parts and materials that make up electronic hardware. Dr. Hillman will describe how increasing number of electronic design teams leverage sophisticated thermal simulation tools, like Icepak, but then revert to spreadsheets and design rules to decide if the temperature is appropriate for the application. Dr. Hillman will show how to use the reliability physics analysis within ANSYS-Sherlock to identify which components should be of the most concern in regard to temperature, how these components will fail, and how to validate potential mitigations.

Key Takeaways:

• The factors contributing to inaccurate thermal reliability predictions
• The electronic components engineers need to be most concerned with in regard to temperature
• A solution to ineffective feedback loops within design teams

Energized Electric Motor Testing

June 20, 2019 / 8am Pacific Time

Electric motor testing has been around for several decades with few people using the equipment as part of their reliability program. The effectiveness of this technology has finally caught the attention of many, and it is being used more and more by an ever-increasing number of commercial and industrial facilities. This webinar will show some of the various testing capabilities and provide some examples of significant finds identified utilizing these tests.

Valid Statistical Rationales for Sample Sizes

By John N. Zorich

June 20, 2019 / 10am-11:30 Pacific Time

$150

This webinar explains the logic behind sample-size choice for several statistical methods that are commonly used in verification or validation efforts, and how to express a valid statistical justification for a chosen sample size.

The statistical methods discussed during the webinar include the following:

• Confidence intervals
• Process Control Charts
• Process Capability Indices
• Confidence / Reliability Calculations
• MTBF Studies (“Mean Time Between Failures” of electronic equipment)
• QC Sampling Plans

Where do You Slice the Cheese? Leveraging the Real Value of the Cheese Model to Drive Down Risk

June 21, 2019 / 9am Pacific Time

The Swiss cheese model of accident causation is a conceptual model that visually represents how a high severity problem is comprised of a system of breakdowns within an organization. Its value lies in its ability to demonstrate that a problem must pass through “layers of protection” that organizations have already designed and built into their systems and processes. This webinar will explain the important lessons within the model, address criticism, and highlight the most important takeaways that are often overlooked. We will demonstrate how to leverage the valuable lessons the model reveals on risk and reliability into real world application for your organization.

5 Ways to Reduce Energy Waste with Ultrasound

By Adrian Messer

June 25, 2019 / 8am Pacific Time

Energy conservation using airborne & structure-borne ultrasound helped to catapult the technology to the forefront of the energy sector back in the early 1980’s. Even today, reducing energy waste with ultrasound is still the application where the user can show a quick ROI and through its use, can have a tremendous effect on reducing a plant or facility’s energy usage. This presentation will show 5 ways where ultrasound technology can easily be deployed to help reduce compressed air waste, compressed gas waste, reducing carbon footprint, identify failed steam traps, and increasing motor efficiency through properly lubricated bearings. Attendees of this presentation will also be shown ways to document the savings associated with finding and repairing compressed air leaks, compressed gas leaks, and failing steam traps.

Learning Takeaways:
1. Learn how advancements in ultrasound technology have made it easier to report compressed air leak cost and CFM loss.
2. Learn how to reduce a plant’s carbon footprint emissions through the repair of compressed air & compressed gas leaks.
3. Learn how to quantify steam loss through a steam trap when the trap is leaking by or failed open.
4. Learn how improperly lubricated bearings affect the efficiency of a motor.

Lead-Free Solder Joint Reliability Basics

By Dr. Jean Paul Clech

June 26, 2019 / 8:30-Noon Pacific Time

$350

Given the proliferation of lead-free solder alloys, and the dearth of lead-free reliability data and modeling tools, taking care of the basics is of utmost importance to designers and product engineers having to build in long-term solder joint reliability. This webinar reviews basic board, component and board assembly parameters that effect solder joint reliability regardless of solder composition, tin-lead or lead-free. Rules-of-thumb and design-for-reliability guidelines are presented that are of help to improve solder joint life under both thermal and mechanical loading conditions. Accelerated testing procedures and acceleration factors are also discussed briefly. This introductory webinar will be of interest to beginners as well as experienced technical staff needing a refresher on designing for solder joint reliability in electronic assemblies.

This webinar is introductory in nature with emphasis on board and component effect and generic guidelines that can be used to minimize the risk of solder joint failures in circuit board assemblies. While the webinar ends with an overview of lead-free solder joint reliability trends, solder alloy specifics are not covered. Numerous rules-of-thumb (do’s and don’ts) are presented based on established industry practices and field failures encountered by the instructor.