Content by Fred Schenkelberg
Three Ways to Provide Field Reliability Feedback to the Design TeamApplicable to any program at any time
Tue, 08/02/2016 - 00:00
Spending too much on reliability and not getting the results you expect? Just getting started and not sure where to focus your reliability program? Or, just looking for ways to improve your program?
There’s not one way to build an effective… Fault Tree Analysis and Its Common SymbolsAnother method for root cause analysis
Tue, 06/28/2016 - 15:57
A fault tree analysis (FTA) is a logical, graphical diagram that starts with an unwanted, undesirable, or anomalous state of a system. The diagram then lays out the many possible faults, and combinations of faults, within the subsystems, components… What Is Design for Excellence?Generating a desired set of characteristics for efficient processes and reliable products
Tue, 06/07/2016 - 15:08
When products were crafted one at a time, the design and manufacturing processes were often done by the same person. For example, a craftsman would design and build a chest of drawers or a carriage. Some trades would employ apprentices to learn the… A Make-Believe World of Random Failure RatesThe effect of assuming exponential distribution for ‘ease of analysis’
Tue, 05/03/2016 - 13:25
What if all failures occurred truly randomly? Well, for one thing the math would be easier.
The exponential distribution would be the only time to failure distribution—we wouldn’t need Weibull or other complex multi-parameter models. Knowing the… Make Reliability a Part of Every DecisionExpand your effectiveness in creating reliable products and processes
Wed, 02/17/2016 - 11:36
Concurrent engineering is a common approach that pairs developing the product design and its supporting manufacturing processes through the development process. There are several reasons why this is a good idea.
Design engineers may require the… Where Does the Success-Testing Formula Come From?Simple formula, not-so-simple answer
Wed, 12/16/2015 - 11:55
The planning of environmental or reliability testing becomes a question of sample size at some point. It’s probably the most common question I hear as a reliability engineer: How many samples do we need?
Also, when evaluating supplier-run test… Failure AnalysisWhat have you really learned?
Thu, 11/05/2015 - 15:21
Why do so many avoid confronting the reality of failure? In plant asset management, we are surrounded by people who steadfastly don’t want to know about nor talk about failures. Yet failure does happen; let’s not ignore this simple fact.
The blame… Plot the DataWhat does your data have to say?
Wed, 08/12/2015 - 10:51
Just, please, plot the data if you have gathered some time-to-failure data, or you have the breakdown dates for a piece of equipment. Any data really. It could be your review of your car maintenance records and notes and dates of repairs. You may… Can a Product Have Perfect Reliability?Considering profit and market share, no, it can’t
Thu, 07/23/2015 - 16:34
What happens when a product lasts too long? How long is good enough? Every product is different, and our ability to define what’s “long enough” is fraught with uncertainty. If it wears out prematurely, your customers will go elsewhere. If it lasts… Introduction to Control Charts, Part 1Processes must be stable before they can be improved
Mon, 06/22/2015 - 13:54
Control charts provide an ongoing statistical test to determine if a recent reading or set of readings represents convincing evidence that a process has changed from an established stable average. The test also checks sample-to-sample variation to…
