Speaking Of Reliability: Friends Discussing Reliability Engineering Topics | Warranty | Plant Maintenance

How do you identify a 'good' supplier? Many organizations focus on the 'supplies.' This means value for money, apparent capacity and capabilities and so on. But what happens when you need an issue to be resolved ... and your supplier needs to be part of the solution. If you have just selected suppliers based on the supplies ... then good luck! It is usually much more useful to focus on the human b...

Achieving or Calculating Reliability Abstract Carl and Fred discuss which reliability methods add more value to a project or program: those methods that are centered around calculating reliability or those methods that predominently support achieving reliability. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss the difference bwtween reliablity methods that calculate reliability and those […]

Thoughts on ISO Standards Abstract Carl and Fred discuss ISO standards and how they impact quality and reliablity of products.  The discussion begins with the ISO 9000 series and proceeds to a discussion of standards in general. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss the impact of ISO 9000 series and other ISO […]

We are surrounded with wonderful 'smart' technology and increasingly amazing manifestations of technology. But what about the basics? Reliability engineering is primarily about the basics. And you might be shocked as to how many reliability engineers out there aren't as on top of the basics as they think they are?

We always want to be 'confident.' But what does that mean? Is it the way you carry yourself? Is it a statistical concept? Is it passing a test? Is it the belief you have that you will pass the test? Or is it knowing that you have designed your product right. Yes.

HALT and Safety Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing the relationship between reliability, the fundamental limits of technology, and safety. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss possible risks to human life and how the highest priority in reliability is any failure that leads to safety risks. Topics include: Making a product more robust […]

A Great Customer Experience Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing Kirk’s experience with a new pinball machine’s component failures and the manufacturer. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss recent failures of a new pinball machine and the rapid response of the manufacturer to respond and send replacement parts. Topics include: Details on a  […]

How Well to Know Failure Mechanisms Abstract Carl and Fred discussing the underlying mechanisms of failure, and how they impact our analysis and understanding of reliability. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss the broad subject of failure mechanisms. Many of the tools of reliability, such as FMEA, RCA, design guidelines, test design, […]

Is There a Better Way than RPN? Abstract Carl and Fred take on the subject of Risk Priority Number, also called RPN, when used in FMEA. Is RPN a good way to prioritize risk in an FMEA, or is there a better way? Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss different ways to […]

What Reliability is Good Enough Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing the expectations of reliability of their own vehicles  and some of the wear out mechanisms we expect. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss the expectations of reliability in new products. Topics include: How reliable does a product have to be? Li-ion Battery […]

What is the Failure Mechanism? Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing a very important question in all of unreliability. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss the counting of failures and rate of failures to determine reliability assessments without looking closely at the failure mechanisms. Topics include: Fatigue life in membrane touch switches is […]

What is 'risk?' If you think there is some enshrined definition of 'risk' ... think again. Some 'experts' think 'risk' is simply about uncertainty. Others think that 'risk' is all about the likelihood of bad things occurring. And standards aren't much help either. So what can you do? Listen to this podcast first ...

Hospital Power Supply Modeling Abstract Chris and Fred discuss a real-world problem … how do we use reliability engineering tools to work out how select a hospital power supply system. Key Points Join Chris and Fred as they discuss how we can use reliability engineering to do ‘non-traditional’ things like select a backup power supply […]

Podcasting and Reliability Abstract James and Fred discussing how to know when you’re successful with a podcast. Key Points Join James and Fred as they discuss the importance of engagement when running a niche podcast. Topics include: People are listening and saying thanks Downloads is not enough – it’s the engagement, comments, questions. There are […]

Time to Market and Reliability Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing companies making reliability a priority early in the product development as opposed to waiting to after market release to see if it’s reliability. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss new product reliability development early and late. Topics include: Introducing new technology that […]

Purpose of Accendo Reliability Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing the many years of discussions  on Speaking of Reliability since Fred and Kirk recorded Episode 1 in 2015, six years ago. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss the purpose of Accendo Reliability and our podcasting about reliability topics. Topics include: Our love of […]

The Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) is not reliability - but is often treated as if it is. So sometimes we are handed lots of MTBF values for different components of our system, and are told to somehow create a reliability estiamte. So what do you do?

How do you know what you need to know? Sometimes we refer to what the reliability industry refers to as a 'Body of Knowledge.' What is a Body of Knowledge? What makes a good one?

Implementing Reliability Programs Abstract Carl and Fred discussing the challenges associated with implementing reliability programs. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss the execution step of the reliability process. Specifically, how to work with project teams that do not have excellent project management systems, and still successfully execute the tasks in your reliablity […]

Interpreting Test Results Abstract Carl and Fred discussing a listener question about reliability demonstration testing; specifically how to deal with unrelated failures when using “success testing.” Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss “success testing,” and the assumptions and principles that need to be considered. Topics include: Planning and interpreting binomi...

Training and the Trades Abstract James and Fred discussing the impact of the labor shortage on maintenance programs. Key Points Join James and Fred as they discuss the dilemma of attracting the necessary talent that also has the experience and education to file maintenance trade roles, engineering roles, etc. Topics include: The plentiful openings, yet […]

How and What to Learn Abstract James and Fred discussing learning from failures, yet shouldn’t we prevent failures? Key Points Join James and Fred as they discuss the idea of learning from failures when failures are being prevented. What do we focus on when not waiting for failures to occur? Topics include: Importance of learning […]

Reducing the risk of something to a level that is 'as low as reasonably practicable' sounds noble, but in practice often sets up this neverending quest to be able to 'defend' whatever it is you are designing or operating. Which often means that we overlook areas of risk that could get in the way of progress. So what is the answer?

Reliability is often seen as the study of failure of a device or a product. But we are typically more interested in 'services.' If your vehicle works .. great! But what if there is a fuel shortage and you can't refill the tank. Your vehicle still won't go. Think of this from the perspective of a farmer who is trying to work out how to water his cattle. Solar panels can be very reliable ... but the...

Design Failure Patterns Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing how new technology designs of buildings or electronics are usually over-designed in the first generation. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss the possible causes of design failure patterns Topics include: It is likely that the first high rise condos were over-designed with much more […]