Reliability Center, Inc.

“Recently, most of our concerns stem around getting stuff done faster but wanting the same quality result. For instance, when loading a web page, we expect it to be loaded in one second and use the next five seconds to browse the content and find what we’re looking for. Let’s take a step back and think about loading a webpage ten or fifteen years ago, using a dial up internet connection. I can guarantee you that it took a lot longer than two minutes! Much of this, “need for speed” has been integrated into our working life where we now have apps that can take vibration measurements in a couple of seconds whereas in the past it took a couple of hours and a few technicians to get the correct reading and then analyze it. The team at Reliability Center Inc, has realized this change in dynamics and are introducing a new tool that steps up to the plate in more ways than one!” Read the full review here:  https://lnkd.in/gbTEP_Mk 

There are an abundance of strategies out there, so why do you need a digital one? As we mentioned before, digital tools are quickly determining the way companies manufacture just about everything. Take for example, advanced predictive maintenance (PdM), which enables machines to warn you before a problem occurs. Studies show that employing PdM has the potential to increase companies’ asset availability by 5 to 15 percent, and reduce maintenance costs by 18 to 25 percent. Digitized sites and plants now communicate across online networks in real time. This means companies can “react during production to the availability of certain raw materials based on price, quality and other factors for optimal efficiency.” This real-time communication empowers teams to  adjust almost instantaneously to outside circumstances, saving them energy and resources. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/gWHwdYtR 

Let’s start by answering a more basic question.  What is a defect?  According to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, a defect is defined as: “an imperfection that impairs worth or utility.” The simple definition of a defect that The Manufacturing Game® (TMG) workshops have used for the past 25 years is: “Anything that erodes value, reduces production, compromises health, safety or environmental performance or creates waste”. Or in the words of the fictional character, Chance Brooks, plant manager turned corporate manager in the book Don’t Just Fix It, Improve It  “…I came to regard defects as my real enemy. I always thought of them as the little imperfections that caused all of our problems and upsets. Some were big and some small, but when they lined up in just the right way… kaboom!!! A catastrophe would hit.” How do we find the defects? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gCMnUkHH 

We often hear, "Let's do an RCA on that failure," but what does RCA really mean? Even experts disagree. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is both a process and a tool used to find and address the causes of problems. The key elements of RCA include collecting and analyzing data, using an unbiased team for review, creating cause-and-effect relationships, communicating findings and recommendations, and tracking the effectiveness of solutions. Many think RCA tools alone are enough, but without proper training, these tools are just forms and screens. Effective RCA requires understanding the methodology behind the tools. RCA isn't just a term; it's a way of thinking to solve problems, whether in an oil refinery or a delivery service. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/g4EhEinQ 

We’re taking a very basic (101) case study and formatting it using a logic tree (graphical expression of cause-and-effect logic). As we are guided through this mental process we will discuss the differences between asking ‘How Can?’ and ‘Why?’. Let’s say we have an Unexpected Shutdown (Event) of some process line in our facility. We know from our inspection of the failure scene and disciplined data collection efforts that a bearing failed in a critical pump (Mode). We have the physical failed bearing, so we know this to be a fact. What we don’t know at this point, is how the bearing failed. So this begins our exploratory process. As the image/diagram shows, we have had seals and shafts fail on this same pump in the past (as our maintenance histories would show), but in this occurrence it is the bearings we are interested in exploring. Think of this Top Box as the equivalent of the ‘crime scene’. Picture the yellow crime scene tape around these blocks and that everything inside it, is a fact because it is visible and it exists. Now we start to explore for how these facts came to be. Keep in mind that because we are dealing with visible evidence, we are dealing with the available physics of this particular bad outcome. So our question would become: How could we have had a Critical Pump Bearing Failure resulting in an Unexpected Shutdown? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gCQj-W2d 

What is the difference between troubleshooting, problem solving and ‘RCA’?  Are the outcomes different when we use The 5-Whys, The Fishbone or a Logic Tree/Causal Factor Type Tree? Can deficiencies in our approach to RCA increase the risk of excessive downtime?  These questions will be discussed in depth and contrasted using a common example to determine if we are applying a form of Root Cause Analysis or Shallow Cause Analysis. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/gWyM3Nz2 

Electronic field data collection can be the bridge to collecting critical asset health data until the economics of outfitting ALL of our assets with diagnostic technologies becomes a reality. The technology to digitize our existing paper-based routes and checklists is readily available today. In the past, we were limited by sizable and difficult-to-use devices that provided very limited connectivity and lacked the usability needed for everyday use. That has all changed with the advent of mobile computing. Now we have the power of a “real” computer (e.g. tablet or iPad) that can connect wirelessly to our networks to transmit asset health information in the same way that a connected device can. The additional benefits are having both the ability to collect both quantitative data like temperature readings and qualitative information, such as the insight of trained human beings who can provide accurate context to the information that is being generated. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/gqdJPtef 

When problems happen in a company, it’s important to fix them quickly and effectively. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a powerful method to find out why problems happen and how to stop them from happening again. RCA is a step-by-step way to figure out the real reasons behind a problem. Instead of just fixing what went wrong, RCA helps you understand why it went wrong, so you can fix it for good. RCA is useful in many industries like oil and gas, engineering, healthcare, aviation, and IT. It looks at the small issues that might be causing big problems and finds ways to stop them from happening again. The basic steps of RCA include defining the problem, gathering data, identifying root causes, and developing solutions to fix those root causes. RCA tools like the 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagrams, and Flowcharts help visualize and dig deeper into the issues. RCA is not just about solving the problem but making sure it doesn’t happen again. By using RCA, businesses can improve processes and ensure better efficiency and safety. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/g2cGAwsX 

When a person lacks the knowledge or skill to perform his job we term this a human deficiency. It is difficult psychologically to reveal deficiencies in our society, particularly in the industrial society. People generally compensate for the deficiency by forming mental models that they attempt to follow. If the behavior of someone else or their own trail appears successful, people may try to adopt this behavior as a model for that situation or one that is similar. In most situations, these people get by or even become comfortable while functioning without understanding the operations they are trying to control. In some situations, however, the results of human deficiencies can be less than desirable, sometimes even disastrous. When jobs are new or changed a high potential for deficiencies exists. If the tasks are very complex the potential for deficiencies will also be high. High sensory loads where the individual must respond to a variety of signals will test competence. If one has a task that must be accurately performed but only occurs rarely such as certain disaster sequences, severe deficiencies may exist when expertise is most needed. In some cases, people selected to perform specific work may not have the ability or aptitude to perform the work. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/gbyGw7x4 

Every year, U.S. industries spend over $300 billion on plant maintenance and operations. About 80% of this money goes to fixing ongoing problems with machines, systems, and people that occur frequently in plants. By eliminating these ongoing problems, maintenance costs can be cut by 40% to 60%. This could save up to $115 billion each year without requiring major changes, layoffs, or lowering product quality. However, it does require changing the approach to daily maintenance and operations. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/g_Km-U6v