Your Reliability Engineering Professional Development Site
Find all articles across all article series listed in reverse chronological order.
Guest Post by John Ayers (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)
There are many design rules of thumb I have heard over the years. For example: KISS (keep it simple stupid); make it idiot proof; be realistic with tolerances; do not make assumptions that are not realizable (zero gap for instance); and many more. The most important rule of thumb I have experienced is “common sense”. To illustrate my point, I have a few examples that are below. [Read more…]
This article covers some of the problems that can occur with bucket elevators and provides possible remedies.
Bucket elevators lift bulk materials from one level to another.
They are used on powders, granules, grain, chip shaped products and lumpy materials.
They function well when designed properly for the duty, and used as designed. [Read more…]
Benchmarking is the systematic process of observation and analysis.
The evaluation of a project, method or process best practices as performed by recognized industry leader may reveal improvement opportunities for your organization.
Benchmarking may focus on diverse business processes and with both internal and external subjects.
The intent is to understand what makes the subject’s process work well.
Understanding a system that operates well may reveal the elements in your process that may benefit with a change.
Keep in mind that not all best practice processes may apply to your specific situation. (Lapide, 2005) [Read more…]
A maxim of business management is to measure what is important.
The focus on aligning metrics, rewards, and incentives is not a new concept. Many businesses create target focused incentives with the expectation it will assist achieving those important business goals.
In many cases, simply monitoring a metric improve the team’s ability to achieve a specific goal.
In some cases, though, achieving the goal and associated incentive has an associated negative impact on the business.
If you offer a bonus for a short-term behavior or goal and offer nothing to balance with the long-term impact.
Your incentive may actually damage your business in the long term. [Read more…]
Guest Post by Geary Sikich and Joop Remme (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)
In this article we posit three questions. The first question is: “Is it a social responsibility of companies that they undertake a comprehensive risk assessment?” The second question: “Does the notion of conscience and its application to the generation and use of risk information and information in general, create an obligation for the organization to disclose the results of the comprehensive risk assessment?” The third question “How do the people in the organization communicate the information from the comprehensive risk assessment to stakeholders and yet preserve security and protect the organization?” [Read more…]
Many equipment breakdowns and stoppages occur because of improper clearance between holes and shafts.
The shaft is too tight in the hole; the center of the hole is not at the center of the shaft making it off-center; one part is loose on another and slips out of place or does not seal as it should. [Read more…]
Initially, the CRE Prep blog aimed at providing refresher material for those preparing for the ASQ CRE exam.
In discussions with readers, it has become clear to me that many new to reliability engineering have found the series of articles useful.
That is should not be surprising since many of the tutorials are introductory and practical.
The problem those new to the field have is related with where to start.
There is a lot of information related to reliability engineering.
From defining reliability to working with teams to Weibull analysis, there is a lot to know. [Read more…]
Many companies achieve great success based on their ability to create, invent, and develop a technology.
If this is the dominant focus of their product development programs they will maintain a high market share by continuing to be cutting edge.
These industries and technologies are highly competitive with respect to new features and functionality for a period of time, but the growth of any specific technology slows as it matures.
When this occurs, customers begin to put more weight on cost point and reliability when deciding which model or brand to purchase.
Prototypes are precious items. A vendor sample or beta version of factory parts may provide necessary insights.
They are not real though.
The prototypes and samples we hold, admire, examine and test are just a representation of the final product or system.
It is extremely rare we will learn exactly what we need to know with these few items. [Read more…]
Entropy is a thermodynamic concept that represents chaos and degradation. It occurs naturally in any physical system and will naturally grow (i.e.: become more chaotic) if we don’t do something to arrest its growth. Doing something requires the expenditure of energy, so energy is what counters entropy. We don’t speak of these thermodynamic terms and concepts in everyday language and conversation, but they are at work behind the scenes. We are well advised to remain aware of them and act accordingly or nature will steadily and relentlessly increase the state of chaos in which we exist. [Read more…]
Guest Post by Geary Sikich (first posted on CERM ® RISK INSIGHTS – reposted here with permission)
Many aspects of risk management are deeply rooted in mathematical formulae for determining probability. This heavy dependence on mathematics to determine probability of risk realization may create “false positives” regarding a risk that can be either positive or negative. There is also a limitation on how much data can be gathered and assessed in respect to the development of the probability equation regarding the risk being assessed. [Read more…]
A gearbox is used to control the operating speed of industrial equipment.
It converts a high input speed to a lower output speed and so permits one driver element, such as an electric motor, to do numerous duties.
Failure of the gearbox causes the equipment and associated plant to stop.
Proper selection, care, and maintenance of gearboxes is critical to your company’s continued profitability. [Read more…]
Recently one of the CRE Preparation course students sat for the ASQ CRE exam at one of the Prometrics testing centers.
She passed – which is great, and she knew this as she received grading immediately after finishing the exam.
That is a new and nice feature. What we do not know if what happens if you do not pass.
Do you get feedback in a meaningful manner?
Here are a few other notes on the exam experience Raye reported. [Read more…]
One of my favorite things to do when visiting a new company, it at lunch or during a break, ask:
“Any major disasters that impacted reliability?”
Typically, there are three stories that start with, “Remember the… “, or, “One time…”
It seems every organization has legendary stories in the organizational memory. [Read more…]
Our simple 3 legged stool model from part 1 will deliver high performance at low cost and risk – i.e.: high productivity. It is important however to keep the legs intact! Doing so requires a bit of investment. In thermodynamic terms we need to put some energy into the system to keep the entropy from growing. That energy is investment in maintenance and the payoff comes in the form of steady, predictable revenues with a high margin for profit. Those words should be music to accountants’ ears. [Read more…]