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Episodes
Mentioned books

May 12, 2025 • 0sec
System FMEA
Carl and Fred dive deep into the intricacies of System FMEA, highlighting its importance in early design phases, especially for electric vehicles. They discuss the challenges of identifying ‘black boxes’ and the need for focused analysis at a high level. The conversation touches on why fewer, well-executed analyses are preferable to many subpar ones. They emphasize the role of team dynamics in navigating FMEA challenges and the critical nature of system interfaces, where over 50% of issues often arise.

May 9, 2025 • 0sec
Risk Planning
Greg and Fred dive into the complexities of risk planning in a world filled with uncertainty. They examine why many people shy away from proactive planning and identify risk aversion as a common hurdle. The duo discusses real-life examples, such as food sourcing strategies, that highlight the importance of community involvement. They also touch on the challenges organizations face when fostering a risk-aware culture. Listeners will learn how emotional intelligence can transform product reliability and navigate risks effectively.

May 5, 2025 • 0sec
Phantom Test Results
Dianna and Fred delve into the intriguing world of phantom test results in reliability testing. They emphasize the necessity of root cause analysis to tackle test failures effectively. The conversation touches on how faulty test rigs can produce misleading results. They share humorous anecdotes about incorrect test criteria and the real-world failures that ensue. The duo highlights the vital role of understanding customer use cases to improve testing protocols and ensure products perform reliably in actual conditions.

May 2, 2025 • 0sec
Sample Size Considerations
Join Dianna and Fred as they navigate the intricate world of sample size considerations in reliability testing. They tackle the tricky trade-offs between desired reliability and the enormous sample sizes often needed. Practical advice shines through when discussing tools like FMEA and how to deal with real-world constraints. The conversation also highlights challenges in areas like medical devices and solar panel installations, stressing the importance of innovative testing methods and balancing statistical with practical significance.

Apr 28, 2025 • 0sec
Fault Tree Analysis
Explore the fascinating world of fault tree analysis as Chris and Fred break down its fundamentals and crucial uses. Learn how modeling systems can reveal priorities for improvement and support effective failure analysis. Hear about the collaborative nature of FTA, where diverse knowledge helps identify potential failures. Delve into how aging components impact reliability and discover a new approach to mastering fault tree techniques. Engage with the community as they invite listener questions to enhance the conversation around reliability engineering.

Apr 25, 2025 • 0sec
Dismissing Failures
Chris and Fred tackle the issue of dismissing failures, particularly in engineering and product development. They discuss the pitfalls of prototypes often ignored as one-offs, advocating for a deeper understanding of failures to improve designs. The conversation delves into the complexities of 'no fault found' reports and intermittent failures, emphasizing the value of proactive failure analysis. A case study on a fan hub explosion highlights the importance of addressing manufacturing and maintenance issues. Ultimately, they argue that embracing failures can drive continuous improvement.

Apr 21, 2025 • 0sec
Test to Pass or Fail
Test to Pass or Fail
Abstract
Enrico and Fred discuss two of the most common reliability testing approaches.
Key Points
Join Enrico and Fred as they discuss the pros, cons, and pitfalls of designing and running a test that has no failures, or does.
Topics include:
Failures provide information
A no-failure test design relies on trusted information and test conditions
Remember to check your measurement system(s) and minimize measurement error
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
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Show Notes
The post SOR 1063 Test to Pass or Fail appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Apr 18, 2025 • 0sec
Traditional Reliability Methods
Kirk and Fred tackle how traditional reliability methods fall short in today's complex electronics landscape. They critique outdated approaches, like the Military Handbook 217, which hasn't been revised in decades. The hosts delve into the challenges posed by smaller components and higher clock speeds that change failure dynamics. Plus, they highlight the importance of adapting reliability testing to match modern manufacturing variabilities. Expect insights on the evolution of technology and personal anecdotes that shape our future innovation expectations.

Apr 14, 2025 • 0sec
Adhesives
Kirk and Fred dive into the critical world of adhesives, highlighting reliability challenges in mechanical assemblies. They discuss issues like mismatched thermal expansion affecting bonds and the secrets behind encapsulation epoxies in microcircuits. Automotive applications are explored, particularly how adhesives handle extreme conditions and the importance of material compatibility. The duo also reveals the pitfalls of relying on adhesives as quick fixes, stressing the need for thoughtful engineering choices to ensure structural integrity.

Apr 11, 2025 • 0sec
Excessive Starts and Stops Modeling
Excessive Starts and Stops Modeling
Abstract
Chris and Fred respond to a question asked by one of our listeners … who is wondering about the number of ‘starts’ and ‘stops’ on electrical and mechanical systems when it comes to characterizing reliability.
Key Points
Join Chris and Fred as they discuss how one goes about modeling the effects of ‘excessive’ ‘starts and stops,’ ‘power up/power down,’ ‘wind up/shut down,’ and so on.
Topics include:
Starts and stops create different stresses and failure mechanisms. You won’t experience these when you are testing or using your item ‘at full throttle.’ For example, the fan hub of aircraft jet engines cycles from having no centrifugal forces (when not being used) to high centrifugal forces (when flying). So when the hub fails due to fatigue, it is based on the number of ‘Landing Take-Off (LTO) cycles.’ It doesn’t matter how long you were flying for … it’s all about the number of times it starts and stops.
… so you need to analyze failures during each operating cycle separately. There’s no way around it. There is no magic number … like saying that every time you turn something off and on it increases the failure rate by 5 %. Things like inrush current, cold bearings, unlubricated parts and so on all cause damage in different ways.
Then there are mission or use profiles. A mission or use profile tells you how many times you think a product is going to be ‘started and stopped’ during its useful life … along with how much time will be spent ‘at full throttle.’ This allows you to take your analyses of failures in each scenario and get system reliabiltiy characteristics.
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
Download Audio RSS
Show Notes
The post SOR 1060 Excessive Starts and Stops Modeling appeared first on Accendo Reliability.