Your Reliability Engineering Professional Development Site
All articles listed in reverse chronological order.
Traditional SPC methods were developed to support high volume production and long production runs. However, with the trend toward product specialization, product diversity, and flexible manufacturing, short production runs have become more common. Applying SPC in the traditional manner presents challenges in short production runs, because by the time enough data is collected to establish valid control charts, the production run may be over! [Read more…]
In our last series highlighting the 4 primary Failure Modes (FM) of component failures (erosion, corrosion, fatigue and overload), we discussed how to read fractured surfaces. In this follow up series, we will take a look at tips on how to collect, preserve and examine such failed components.
The Critical Equipment Series has covered design and design risk reduction. A Laboratory Test Program (LTP) is the final step in validating the equipment design after updating it with all improvements determined through design risk reduction and related activities.
Determining which parts of stock can be a very overwhelming process. As such, many choose to blindly accept the OEM or Manufacturer’s recommendations. And why shouldn’t they? The OEM has many years of experience in building these types of assets and supplying spares, right?
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Business processes are often talked about, yet not well understood. The big problem with them is that too few people know what the whole process actually should be. Whenever you are following a set of steps to achieve some goal you are following a process. Sometimes various people follow different steps to achieve the same goal. You rely on processes in order to deliver results. If they are ill-conceived or inefficient, then things move slowly and results are more expensive to obtain than they need to be. Well designed, efficient, and consistent processes that integrate with other related business processes keep things running smoothly, costs down, and help to keep people motivated.
Mature organizations seeking a competitive edge are familiar with the term Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM). A maintenance philosophy encompassing predictive, preventative, and maintenance, RCM uses defined processes to find latent or hidden failure modes, customizing maintenance processes to maximize system performance. Most understand that the RCM philosophy enhances equipment availability through improved reliability, increasing annual earnings before interest, tax, and amortization (EBITDA). Yet, some businesses fail to understand that equipment availability comprises two crucial inputs, not one. Equipment reliability, yes, but also equipment maintainability. [Read more…]
On July 17, 2020, the American Council for Technology – Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) issued a report entitled “Delivering Outcomes, Building Trust”. The ACT-IAC is a non-profit educational organization established to create a “more effective and innovative government”. The report provides some ideas on how the United States Federal government can become “more resilient, adaptable, and responsive.” This piece will look at the report and its recommendations.
In the last article, we learned how to determine the coefficients of a predictive model for 2-level screening designs. It is more complex to determine model coefficients for multi-level experiments so for those, we rely on statistical methods software.
In this article, we look at using the model to develop solutions. So that we learn the basics, we first use some simple algebra to find a solution. Then, in the next article, we will explore some common tools that are found in DOE software programs to help uncover solutions. [Read more…]
Author’s Note: I want to reiterate that this Series about reading the basic fracture surfaces, is for novices who often first come into contact with such failed components. This Series is about the basics (101), and is intended to give readers an appreciation for the value of such ‘broken’ parts to an effective investigation/RCA. While this information will be rudimentary to seasoned materials engineers, I know they will all appreciate heightening awareness to the need to retain such failed parts for analysis, versus throwing them away and just replacing the part. Throwing away failed parts is a recipe for a repeat failure, when one does not understand why the part failed in the first place.
Installing an asset is a critical step that can impact reliability short term and long term. Often times assets are installed without much thought. They are thrown on the machine base, anchors drilled and away the operation goes.
But while focusing on the Installation – Potential Failure – Failure curve, it becomes obvious that time and precision during the installation point can greatly extend the life of the asset. By investing in the installation, the asset will experience less premature failures and extend any wear out mechanisms that are present in the asset.
[Read more…]
Maintenance and Reliability improvement are keys to Operational Excellence – without them, you’ll suffer high costs and reduced outputs. This interview by Ryan Chan of UpKeep gives insight into what Uptime is, how it works towards Maintenance and Reliability improvement. The value it can deliver is high, how it does it is straight-forward, and leaders are needed to make it happen.
Fifty years ago, having your own car was a sign of adulthood and your ticket around town. But that is all going to change within the next five to ten years due to rising CO2 levels and a new trend called Transportation as a Service. TaaS sits at the intersection of four technical macro trends. These are:
When processes trend naturally due to tool wear, traditional control charting methods fail. The trend (which is expected) results in inappropriate “out-of-control” signals. Control charts should detect unexpected changes in the process. If the trend is expected, we do not want to be alerted to this trend. If no accommodation is made for this trend, the chart will incorrectly produce “out-of-control” signals. [Read more…]
Refer to Article 7 for the expansion joint project. This project had progressed – perhaps beyond lab testing – before it was realized that the design could not meet ASME LRFD criteria. LRFD was considered necessary for reliability. The engineering manager had to consider a redesign.
Missing the LRFD may be the result of not conducting a design failure modes and effects analysis (dFMEA). FMEA is a risk discovery process. Discovering design risks early in the project improves reliability and increases profitability by avoiding redesign and schedule delays. [Read more…]
Author’s Note: I want to reiterate that this Series about reading the basic fracture surfaces, is for novices who often come into contact with such failed components. This Series is about the basics (101), and is intended to give readers an appreciation for the value of such ‘broken’ parts to an effective investigation/RCA. While this information will be rudimentary to seasoned materials engineers, I know they will all appreciate heightening awareness to the need to retain such failed parts for analysis, versus throwing them away and just replacing the part. Throwing away failed parts is a recipe for a repeat failure, when one does not understand why the part failed in the first place.