Communication between suppliers or vendors and their customers often entails a mix of specifications and requirements. Customers set requirements and suppliers offer specifications. When they match, or when a supplier component specifications meet the customer’s requirements, we have the potential for a transaction. Continue reading
If you buy more than one of an item used in your product, you will have to deal with variability. In general, the variability from part to part is minimal and expected. Occasionally, the variability is large and causes reliability problems.
According to O’Connor and Kleyner (2012, Practical Reliability Engineering, Wiley), “The main cause of production-induced unreliability, as well as rework and scrap, is the variability inherent in production processes.” Continue reading
Here is an example of how to determine the future value of a specific reliability task. Many of us face the challenge of how to justify spending product development resources to provide insights and information to the rest of the team. Accelerated life testing (ALT) is particularly difficult: It is time consuming, expensive, and at times statistically complex. Having a clear method to estimate the value serves your career and the organization well, as both benefit from the right investments. Continue reading
Mechanical systems wear out and fail eventually. The ability of a structure to support a load, move though the specified range of motion, or spin degrades with use and time. Even our joints eventually wear out.
Accelerated life testing (ALT) has value as it provides information about a system’s reliability performance in the future. There is plenty of ALT literature concerning the failure mechanisms unique to electronic components and materials but less has been written about mechanical reliability testing. Continue reading
During the development process you and team may work to understand what customers may want or expect for the new product. You may even conduct focus groups or review past product field failures and call center records. Alpha and beta testing are crucial components to the development process.
Your customers are your best testers for your next product. They will explore the features, expose the product to use conditions in unconscious ways, and let you what they consider failures without needing the specification document. Continue reading