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Electric Motor Variable Speed Drives Operation

Electric Motor Variable Speed Drives Operation

Electric motor variable speed drives operation. Alternating current electric motor speeds can be changed by the use of a frequency converter. This device changes the frequency of the alternating current to the motor. This then changes the rotating speed of the motor’s internal magnetic field. The speed of the rotor responds accordingly and so allows for variable speed control of connected items. When these devices are used there are several issues that need to be addressed to insure successful selection and long-term operation. Keywords: VSD, precise speed control, over- speed, motor controller, frequency inverter. [Read more…]

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Small Satellites, Emerging Technology and Big Opportunities (part seven of seven) – Ok … now what?

Small Satellites, Emerging Technology and Big Opportunities (part seven of seven) – Ok … now what?

There is no question that standardizing processes, techniques and best practices has contributed greatly to technological evolution. Just writing down or passing on what has worked well in the past helps anyone’s learning process. But there are many problems associated with this approach when blind obedience kills critical thinking.

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How to analyze Design of Experiment Data

How to analyze Design of Experiment Data

Many times, a complete analysis is not performed with DOE testing. However, the learning value is substantial for model building situations and only takes a small amount of additional time if you know what you are looking for. In this video, we give an overview of the key items we look for to develop break throughs in product and process development. This same process has been used for the majority of our 25+ years of DOE experience. [Read more…]

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The Key 3 Asset Management Documents

The Key 3 Asset Management Documents

Understanding these asset management documents will set the stage for an asset management program.

Aligning an organization is a critical step to implementing and ensuring the success of an asset management system.  Various change management techniques will be used to bring about the change, but how do you ensure the message, direction, and principles of the asset management program are communicated consistently and clearly? [Read more…]

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Good Communication — Illusional, Accidental, or Premeditated

Good Communication — Illusional, Accidental, or Premeditated

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

Firstly, what is ‘good communication’?  Many people have views, but my definition is “the effective and efficient transfer and receipt of information by the right people, at the right time, in the right medium, at the right place and in the right amount”. [Read more…]

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The Good DFMEA The Bad DFMEA and Ugly outcomes

The Good DFMEA The Bad DFMEA and Ugly outcomes

If you finish the Design Failure Mode Effects Analysis (DFMEA) before the product is out in the field, you have made a horrible mistake. The worst DFMEA that can occur is one that is completed and filed away mid-program. A high value DFMEA is a live tool that has both inputs and directive outputs throughout the program. A tool that is interwoven into the day to day activity of the program.  The DFMEA drives actions and aids decisions both technically and in project management.  It is updated with design changes that change risk and mitigative strategies.

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Understanding RPN Limitations – Problems and Solutions

Understanding RPN Limitations – Problems and Solutions

In this week’s FMEA problems and solutions article, the intermediate problem challenges readers to prioritize a series of RPNs (with their corresponding S, O, and D). In the advanced problem, readers are asked to weigh in on a fictitious debate between advocates of traditional RPN, and advocates of criticality assessment, using only severity and occurrence.

If you haven’t yet read the article titled “Prioritizing risk for corrective actions in an FMEA – Know before you go!“, you can access it by clicking on the link.

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Reliability Benefits from Product Support

I was reading an article recently about Apple MacBook Pro keyboard issues, affecting the current generation of products, on which this article is being written.  I also have an iPhone sitting next to me playing “music” whilst I wait for a call-center agent to reply on a travel issue.  In both cases, I am dependent on their correct functioning.  My past experience across many products is that my overall experience is also dependent on how product support is delivered in case of hardware failure.

Design and business choices strongly affect in-life support capability.  They affect not only the basic ability to repair a product but also, through the cost and availability of spare parts, the economic policies for repair.

How do we influence and make these choices?

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Reliability Green Belt Training from a Teaching Perspective

Reliability Green Belt Training from a Teaching Perspective

I joined the Reliability Belt training team in 2018 and have delivered 2 Reliability Green Belt and 1 Reliability Black Belt courses so far.  This is article is a review of my experience and the feedback from the participants.  Further information about the course is available on the Accendo website and on the Reliability Engineering Academy website.

This first article looks to the Reliability Green Belt.  A future article will look at the Reliability Black Belt experience.

“Les, you were awesome. One of the characteristics I liked the most was your cadence of speech. The metered delivery of each word and concept was very effective for me and my style of learning. If the words and concepts get delivered too quickly, I don’t have enough time to connect with the concept, write down my notes, and still keep up with the next thing being said. I found your analogies and examples of real world applications to be very relevant and helpful. Overall, I feel I have received value well above my expectations for the course, and with your instruction I was able to hit the ground running on the first day I got back. Thanks for teaching the course, and I look forward to continuing my education with the Reliability Black Belt program.” — Chris, Reliability Engineer

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Accelerated Tests

Accelerated Tests

Introduction

Reliability and durability are essential in today’s competitive market place. However, component reliability verification tests and system durability tests take a long time, cycles, or miles to complete. This puts these tests in direct conflict with program timing, product development budgets, and limited testing resources. To minimize this conflict, it is essential to accelerate these tests.

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Small Satellites, Emerging Technology and Big Opportunities (part six of seven) – A Call for ‘Evolutionary Production’

When is the biggest ‘improvement’ in the reliability of a new ‘type’ of product? This is a very broad question with no doubt lots of answers that aren’t wrong. But what we do know is that the more experience we have with building something, the more reliable it gets. And this effect is most marked at the start of the product’s life. [Read more…]

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Critical Thinking for Product Development

Critical Thinking for Product Development

Previous articles have covered product development tools and methodologies such as lean product development, agile, design for six sigma, product life cycle (PLC) and project management processes.

In this article, lets consider “the product” being developed any hardware product, software, IT system, service or new business process.  We’ll use the acronym “PSSBP” (Product, Service, Software, Business Process) as an all-encompassing placeholder and to illustrate critical thinking on the topic as follows:

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