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 reliability program. The variations in industries, expectations, technology, and the many constraints shape each program. Here are three suggestions you can apply to any program at any time. These are not quick-fix solutions, and neither will you see immediate results, yet each will significantly improve your reliability program and help you achieve the results you and your customers expect.

1. Stop using MTBF

I recommend not using mean time between failures (MTBF). The same applies to mean time  to failure (MTTF), mean time between unscheduled removal (MTBUR), and the many variations of MTXXX that exist. The primary reason is MTBF is not useful. It doesn’t help you and your team make decisions that lead to improving reliability.

 …