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All articles listed in reverse chronological order.

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Recall of the 1993 Toyota Camry

Recall of the 1993 Toyota Camry

Toyota just issued a recall of all 1993 Toyota Camrys. Tokyo-  “It’s simply time for drivers to move on.” Then added “We understand that the 1993 Camry was tremendously dependable, but, honestly, there’s just no excuse for driving a 24-year-old car at this point. You could have updated features like bluetooth and a backup camera” said Toyota spokesman Haruki Kinoshita. While Toyota is reportedly confining its recall to the 1993 Camry, it also issued a warning to owners of 1994 to 1998 models alerting them to the fact that they were really starting to push it.
I can’t take full credit for that joke.  But like most satire it is inspired by a reality. I actually just walked by this car in a parking lot a few hours ago. [Read more…]

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Life Cycle Costs

How Building Reliability Into The Equipment Design Will Dramatically Improve Your Profitability.

Feel free to use this image, just link to www.SeniorLiving.Org This microstock required lots of post processing to get the blue tint. I also needed a bounce card to get more detail in the glasses.
Feel free to use this image, just link to www.SeniorLiving.Org

Does your team procure, setup and put into operation equipment with a single focus on reducing the initial capital expenditure?

Do you work with your equipment suppliers to fully specify the equipment’s functions, performance, and reliability? Maybe not the reliability? [Read more…]

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Supply Chain Risk Management: Putting the Pieces Together

Supply Chain Risk Management: Putting the Pieces Together

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

Introduction

It is mid-year 2014 as I write this article.  We have recognized the need to better manage supply chain risks for the better part of a decade now.  Yet, we still seem to be deluded into thinking that the modern supply chain is resilient to the point of invulnerability.  Most organizations have a supply chain that is a mix of competencies, from manufacturing to professional advisory services.  [Read more…]

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Why Does Everybody Hate Me? Improve Your Pumpside Manner in Three Easy Steps

Why Does Everybody Hate Me? Improve Your Pumpside Manner in Three Easy Steps

You know the type. That person who demands the center of attention at all times and hardly pauses for a breath. The person everybody on site avoids or talks about when they aren’t around. Usually, younger people suffer the most from Knowing Everything All The Time (KEATT). Sometimes, though, it persists long after it should and people never recover.

For me, this lasted about two years after graduating. I’m not sure precisely what caused the change, but a moment came when I realized I didn’t know jack. By that time the damage had been done; many knowledgeable people didn’t like or trust me, I was frustrated and it was difficult to learn because nobody wanted to teach me. Thankfully, I did and you can recover from the disorder of Knowing Everything All The Time (KEATT).

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Physics of Failure vs: Chemistry of Failure

Physics of Failure vs: Chemistry of Failure

The term “Physics of Failure” is used when referring to the underlying mechanism that has driven a failure mode.  I have issue with the words “Physics” in this phrase as a “catch all.”  This implies we are only working with physical or kinematic interactions when studying product wear-out. Wear-out failures are rooted in chemistry as well.  Most electronic failures are chemistry based.   If a failure can be tracked back to a material property change, dielectrics, brittleness, transformation (oxidation), strength loss based on property change without fatigue, we have a chemistry problem. Mechanical physics does not play a part in understanding the input and response relationship or assist with creating an accelerated life model in these cases.

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I’m Not an Engineer!

I’m Not an Engineer!

I’m not an Engineer

Engineers want order. Everything should happen in a programmed sequence making an expected result predictable. It’s one of the traits that gives Engineers a reputation for being boring. When things happen out of order or sequence the engineers of this world become quiet while their brains churn out what they know the expected order should be and what might have occurred to upset the process. [Read more…]

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Design of Experiments Process — A Decision Making Focus

Design of Experiments (DOE) is often only taught as a series of tools. Instead, we have used it as a tool in the Decision-Making Process which enhances implementation.

Each section below contains a 2-minute video to expand on the topic provided.

Where do we get started?

The setup and project definition are important for future success. Often, people want to jump to a solution. Then, they can start implementation and testing. Briefly pulling back to define the goal and appropriate outputs will help tremendously.

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Understanding FMEA Recommended Actions – Part 1

Understanding FMEA Recommended Actions – Part 1

Actions Speak Louder than Words

Consider these questions: How many recommendations are needed to address the root cause of a high-risk problem? If the FMEA team is addressing an issue with high-severity and high-occurrence ratings, is it usual to have a single recommended action to reduce risk? Why not? Read on, to learn the essential elements of FMEA recommended actions, and answers to this questions.

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
Leonardo da Vinci

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Where Does Maintenance Fit Into Reliability?

Where Does Maintenance Fit Into Reliability?

Maintenance Provides the Key Function of Preserving

With the design FMEA complete, the equipment should have high inherent reliability.  The equipment can then be installed in the plant, and provide a high level of performance to the business, at least initially.  This is where Maintenance comes in.  Maintenance can enable a low Life Cycle Cost, by preserving the reliability of the equipment. [Read more…]

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Predictive Maintenance — What is it?

Predictive Maintenance — What is it?

The practice of maintenance has been developing for the past 300 years. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution machinery and their control systems have played a critical part in our ability to produce consumer and industrial goods. Over that time different maintenance philosophies have developed in response to changing technology and increasing costs.

The progression in philosophies started with breakdown maintenance (BM), then to time-based maintenance such as preventative maintenance (PM) and shutdown maintenance. More recently condition-based maintenance (CM) has become significant. The next step is predictive maintenance. [Read more…]

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Risk Exposure Reduction and Mitigation

Risk Exposure Reduction and Mitigation

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

Exposure to threats, hazards and risks leads to vulnerabilities that an organization must deal with.  Commonly these are addressed via a mitigation process.  Once mitigation is accomplished, often times the organization feels that the risk, threat, hazard does not need to be revisited.  However, as a result of the mitigation efforts on the part of the organization, the risks, threats, hazards reconfigure and re-emerge in a different form. 

In order for mitigation to be successful it has to be a constant and ongoing process that produces a resilience to the negative effects of risks, threats and hazards that are realized. [Read more…]

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Advanced Engineering Culture Introduction Post

Advanced Engineering Culture Introduction Post

Good day, friends and colleagues. I am excited to join Accendo Reliability to bring you a weekly column titled, “Advanced Engineering Culture.” The goal of this column is to bring awareness and solutions to common challenges technical people face in the workplace. New articles will post every Monday.

My name is Katie Switzer, and I am a Senior Reliability Engineer at a chemical manufacturing plant in West Virginia. I hold a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, and I have been an ISO Category III Vibration Analyst since 2009. Industries I have experience in include aerospace, nuclear power, corn milling and chemical manufacturing. [Read more…]

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How to Find Your Purpose as an Engineer

How to Find Your Purpose as an Engineer

Engineers, You’re Doing It Wrong!

When you woke up this morning, how did you feel?  Was it giddy excitement for what the day ahead holds?  If not, then you are likely not living your purpose.  Not pursuing your life’s work.

For me, the idea of pursuing my life’s work became exponentially more important in 2013.   Over the past 3 years, I had gotten married (yay!), became a mother to my husband’s 5 year old son (double yay!), had a daughter (triple yay!), lost my mother to 5 year battle with lung cancer (tears! lots and lots of tears!), and become pregnant with a baby boy (due January 2017!). [Read more…]