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

When to Stop Troubleshooting Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing the challenge of when to end efforts in troubleshooting a failure. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss issues surrounding the efforts made to understand the root cause of a failure when they have had trouble recording this podcast. Topics include: In some cases […]

Things will go wrong. Or be unexpected. We can sometimes rush to solve the problem. But it is usually better to take a little bit of extra time to work out what is going on. So how do we do this? Listen to this podcast!

The 'common slope assumption' shouldn't be an assumption. It is a rule that should be checked. If you are doing what we call 'accelerated life testing' or ALT, then you are exposing your system to different stresses in order to speed up time to failure to (for example) replicate 10 years worth of use with two weeks of testing. But if the 'slope' changes, then something bad is happening. Need to learn more? Listen to this podcast!

Key Characteristics Revisited Abstract Carl and Fred having a new conversation about the age-old topic of key characteristics, and how they are used to improve products and processes. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss what is meant by key characteristics, and the application of key characteristics in achieving high reliability. Topics include: […]

Question Everything Abstract Carl and Fred discussing the value of questioning in the process of learning and personal growth. Students and instructors should question each other as part of learning, engineering teams should question each other as part of achieving consensus. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss the role of questions in […]

Obsolescence and Reliability Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing the article Kirk wrote titled “Why the Drain in the Bathtub Curve Matters” (see link in notes) about how technological obsolescence, and not product failures are the cause that cause many products to be retired or replaced. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss technological […]

Reliability and Testing Abstract Kirk and Fred discussing how much of reliability engineering is devoted to testing and what other functions should a reliability engineer do. Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss what a reliability engineer should be doing before a prototypes or parts are available. Topics include: Reliability engineering traditionally focused […]

Reliability and Bathtub Curve Abstract Carl and Fred discussing the origin and meaning of the reliability “bathtub” curve, and why it is not useful as a visual analogy. Key Points Join Carl and Fred as they discuss the elements that make up full-life failure distributions, and the consequences of making wrong assumptions. Topics include: What […]

FMEAs and HALT Abstract Kirk and Fred discuss the relationship between FMEA (Failure Mode Effects Analysis)  and HALT (Highly Accelerated Limit Test) Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss how informal or formal FMEAs help identify the potential weaknesses in a systems to apply accelerated stress testing. Topics include: FMEAs help to identify […]

Dealing with HALT Fear Abstract Kirk and Fred discuss misunderstandings of the limit testing and believing it’s “just breaking it” Key Points Join Kirk and Fred as they discuss what happens when there is not a common understanding of the using of empirical stress limits early in the development of a new product. Topics include: […]