

Accendo Reliability Webinar Series
Fred Schenkelberg
Reliability Engineering Basics, Statistics, Accelerated Testing, Program Assessment and Improvement.
Listen in on in depth discussions held during the live monthly Accendo Reliability webinar series. We explore topics ranging from reliability engineering basics, statistics, accelerated life testing, program assessment and improvement. Catch up or review past events below.
Listen in on in depth discussions held during the live monthly Accendo Reliability webinar series. We explore topics ranging from reliability engineering basics, statistics, accelerated life testing, program assessment and improvement. Catch up or review past events below.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 2, 2024 • 0sec
AI Product Development and Deployment
AI Product Development and Deployment
podcast episode with speaker Greg Hutchins
AI is or will be integrated into every product and service. The world of AI product development is really confusing. What is required? What are good practices? What's next?
Greg will discuss the critical architecture and design practices that need to be considered in AI product development and deployment. Why should you attend? AI knowledge, skills and abilities are now recognized as a prerequisite for continued employment, development, and promotion for ALL knowledge workers.
In this webinar, Greg will discuss:
What is an AI product?
What are the requirements for AI integration into products and services?
What is the state of AI product development?
What are the 3 key questions in AI product dev?
What is the lens for understanding AI product dev?
What can quality and reliability professionals do NOW to understand AI product dev and increase their employability?
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 2 April 2024.
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To view the recorded video, visit the webinar page.
Related content:
Asset Performance in the era of Artificial Intelligence episode
Learnings from Three Years of Implementing Artificial Intelligence with Vinodh Rodrigues & Xiaozhou Wang episode
RRP 035 Artificial Intelligence Primer with Adam McElhinney episode
Blair Fraser Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning episode
Introduction: AI & Predictive Maintenance episode
AI Decision Making: Existential' Threat or Salvation
Trust' in AI decision-making is one of the most important public policy challenges facing the world. Consider the risk and opportunities.
See More
Fundamentals of Risk
Let's discuss risk management and reliability engineering, plus introduce a risk management framework based on ISO 31000.
See More
Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis
Let's talk about risk, risk management, and our role as reliability engineers in identifying and mitigating risks.
See More
Risk-Based Auditing
Risk-based auditing is a must-have tool for all quality and reliability professionals. ALL ISO management systems require RBA.
See More
Risk Decision Making, Frameworks, and Assessments
Let's discuss risk-based problem solving and decision-making along with an intro to risk management frameworks and assessments.
See More
Risk 101: Future of Quality
We've evangelized for more than 20 years that the future of quality and its related disciplines, including reliability, will be risk-focused.
See More
Understanding Context
Understanding context is important for making smart risk-based decisions and solving tough problems in today's world.
See More
AI Product Development and Deployment
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The post AI Product Development and Deployment appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Mar 26, 2024 • 0sec
The MTBF and Modeling System Reliability
The MTBF and Modeling System Reliability
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
The Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) appears in lots of textbooks and standards, so it must be really important right? Well, not really. The MTBF is the most overused and misunderstood term in reliability engineering, including system reliability modeling, where we can find textbooks and standards with equations that allow you to calculate system MTBF from component MTBFs. If you are unsure why the MTBF is bad, especially for system reliability modeling, then join us for this webinar, where we will illustrate with pictures (not equations) what the MTBF is and how bad it can be to focus on it as a reliability performance metric.
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 26 March 2024.
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To view the recorded video/audio and PDF workbook of the event, visit the webinar page.
Additional content that may be of interest
Only Have MTBFs episode
How Do I Do MTBF Testing episode
What’s Wrong with MTBF episode
How to Talk About MTBF episode
Exploring Alternatives to MTBF
You may already know my position on MTBF. If not, in short, do not use MTBF at all, ever, in any form. So what should we use instead.
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What To Do When A Customer Requests MTBF
what specific steps you can take to help your customer actually use your the stated reliability goal and not MTBF.
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What You Need to Know About MTBF
No time to understand MTBF, and your organization relies on the reliability of its products, you are almost certainly in trouble.
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What to Do About MTBF Use
The proper and improver responses to someone asking about or requesting MTBF information. Some to avoid and some to use regularly.
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How Do I Do MTBF Testing?
If you want to learn more about MTBF testing and how it might (or might not) work then view this recording.
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Why You Should Avoid MTBF
This morning's email included a question on why I was so against using MTBF. This episode is my answer and why one should avoid MTBF
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The MTBF and Modeling System Reliability
The Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) appears in lots of textbooks and standards, so it must be really important right? Well, not really.
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The MTBF Sucks. Here’s Why.
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The post The MTBF and Modeling System Reliability appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Mar 12, 2024 • 0sec
Fundamentals of Safety Margins
Fundamentals of Safety Margins
podcast episode with speaker Fred Schenkelberg
One way to create a robust product or system is to consider all the stresses and design to withstand those stresses. We often do not know all the stresses, magnitudes, and ranges of variation. We know that many materials degrade with time, yet we do not know precisely how much or how fast. We also do not know what new stresses may arise or how stresses will change over time.
With so many unknowns, we turn to safety margins to address the unknowns. The process is simple enough, meaning we will design a product to withstand more stress than we expect. For example, if designing a bracket that is expected to carry a 100-pound load, we design a bracket capable of withstanding a 200-pound load. That doubling of capability is a 2x safety margin.
Let's examine safety margins and why they are one method to design robust products that also improve product reliability performance.
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 12 March 2024.
Download RSS
To view the recorded video, visit the webinar page.
Related content:
Reliability and Safety episode
Process Safety Management with Paul Daoust episode
The Link between Reliability and Safety with Ron Moore episode
Safety Factor article
Margin of Safety Definition and Examples Used in Safety Basis Documents and the USQ Process article
Fundamentals of Hazard Analysis
Let's discuss the basic definition(s) of hazard analysis, and review the basic approach to accomplish the analysis.
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Reliability and Safety
Let's explore the overlap and differences between a safe and a reliable product or system, plus how reliability contributes to safety.
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Fundamentals of Safety Margins
Let's examine safety margins and why they are one method to design robust products that also improve product reliability performance.
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The post Fundamentals of Safety Margins appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Mar 5, 2024 • 0sec
How to Get Unstuck
How to Get Unstuck: Do Good. Be Happy.
podcast episode with speaker Greg Hutchins
In this presentation, Greg Hutchins will explain how to Get Unstuck: Do Good. Be Happy based on the Working It book (4.9/5.0 stars on Amazon). Today's Linkedin review: A wonderful book by a great author. A must recommend for those who are looking to enhance their skills in the VUCA world. Ankur Tyagi
VUCA is an acronym for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity. We invented the term VUCAN® an acronym for VUCA iNhabitant. Why? We're now all VUCANs having to deal with today's uncertainty.
Greg Hutchins will cover the following:
1. What life questions were critical 15 years ago?
2. What life and work questions are top of mind today?
3. How do you deal with today's uncertainty?
4. How do you decide how to decide?
5. How are you getting your stuff done?
6. What is your risk tolerance?
7. How can you thrive in today's risky world?
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 5 March 2024.
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To view the recorded video, visit the webinar page.
Related content:
Get Unstuck: Expand and Contract Our Problem episode
Get Unstuck: Reframe Our Problem episode
Successful Career in Reliability Engineering
This discussion explores the seven key traits talented, professional, networked, positive, valuable, studiousness, and mentoring ability.
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Getting Started with Reliability Engineering
Reliability Engineering is a daunting field. The technical breadth of skills spans material science to statistics.
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How to Prepare for the ASQ CRE Exam
Let's discuss the exam and certification in general, then how to prepare for the exam and exam day strategy for this timed test.
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Does a Certification Make You a Professional Reliability Engineer?
Certifications based on your reliability engineering knowledge does not make you a professional. It is the applies knowledge that does.
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How to Build Your Influence as a Reliability Engineer
Build your influence: This webinar explores how we, as reliability professionals, can improve our ability to influence.
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A Review of the 2018 ASQ CRE Body of Knowledge
With the changes to topics, it attempts to reflect what reliability engineers do daily. Let's take a close look and discuss what it means.
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Improve Your Reliability Teaching Skills
As a reliability professional you will be asked to teach. Let's explore becoming an amazing teacher and improve your effectiveness.
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How is Reliability Engineering Changing?
What's coming to reliability engineering in 2020 and beyond? Let's explore a few trends and their implications.
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Why Reliability Engineering Is Important
When you examine what we do, it is important to our fellow engineers, our organization, our customers, and society.
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How to Learn Reliability Engineering
Let's take a look at a few ways to really learn what you need to know along your journey to become a reliability engineer.
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Reliability Engineering versus Quality Engineering
Let's explore similarities and differences along with how to best work together to achieve results and areas of overlap and confrontation.
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Looking Forward with Reliability Engineering
Looking Forward with Reliability Engineering is about understanding the decisions that the information we should create will inform.
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Being a Great Reliability Engineer
Let's explore the various stages of a career in reliability engineering, from getting started, to being competent, to becoming great.
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The State of Reliability Education
Let's explore the range of options available, pros and cons, and a simple strategy to make professional development routine.
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How to Get Unstuck
In this presentation, Greg Hutchins will explain how to Get Unstuck: Do Good. Be Happy based on the Working It book.
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Fundamentals of a Professional Development Plan
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The post How to Get Unstuck appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Feb 27, 2024 • 0sec
Reliability of a K-out-of-N System
Reliability of a K out of N' System
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
We often use the term system reliability modelling' to describe any scenario where we need to somehow convert what we know about component reliability into system reliability in order to make a decision. Some of us might have heard of series systems' that have no redundant components, meaning that the system fails when any component fails. Then there are parallel systems' where the system fails when the last component fails. But then there are K out of N' systems that need K' components out of a total of N' components to work for the system to work. Do you know when K out of N' system reliability looks like series system reliability? or parallel system reliability? or perhaps you don't know what series or parallel system reliability looks like? Then this webinar is for you.
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 27 February 2024.
Download RSS
To view the recorded video/audio and PDF workbook of the event, visit the webinar page.
Additional content that may be of interest
K out of N Systems episode
RM 135: A Conversation with Dr. Zach Peterson about Board Design Best Practices episode
Maintenance and Reliability Best Practices: Block Diagrams article/video
Understanding Reliability Block Diagrams article
The True Importance of Reliability Block Diagrams article
Reliability Apportionment and How to Do It
Reliability apportionment is a power tool to enable your team to make decisions while fully considering the reliability impact.
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Fundamentals of RBD
Reliability Block Diagrams are a useful and simple tool to encourage reliability discussions and improved decisions.
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Fundamentals of Physics of Failure
Let's consider physics of failure (PoF) models, how to use them, plus how to create them, as a central element of your reliability program.
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Fundamentals of Monte Carlo Analysis
The Monte Carlo method is a relatively simple process that permits you to create models that include the naturally occurring variability.
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3 Ways to Do Reliability Allocation
Having a reliability target for your product is great. But how does that help all the little design teams? Use subgroup targets.
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Reliability Life Models
Failure is a random process. Which means we can't predict with absolute certainty when something will fail. Enter 'reliability life models.'
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What is a ‘Fault Tree’?
Join us for this webinar to learn more about how fault trees can help you ... regardless of what you are trying to achieve.
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Why Redundant Systems Aren’t Always Redundant
Redundancy has continually proven to not always be redundant. Let's explore a few reasons this occurs. And, how to judge your system.
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Reliability of a K out of N' System
There are K out of N' systems that need K' components out of a total of N' components to work for the system to work.
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What are ‘Cut Sets’?
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The post Reliability of a K out of N' System appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Feb 13, 2024 • 0sec
Fundamentals of Lessons Learned
Fundamentals of Lessons Learned
podcast episode with speaker Fred Schenkelberg
Within an organization or a team, we collectively know a lot. We, again collectively, have a wealth of information. And, if you follow my Mom's advice, we learn something new every day. We also forget a lot every day. When we forget something that we learned by making a mistake or error (learning the hard way), we are prone to repeat that mistake or error.
Organizations and teams also learn the hard way at times. Or someone recognizes a better way to accomplish something. Organizations also forget what they have learned. Either collectively, the organization's members forget' the lesson learned, or the folks that do remember the lesson move on to a new role elsewhere. For an organization, there is significant value in avoiding repeating previous mistakes or in continuing to benefit from a better way.
Let's discuss the idea and basics of a lessons-learned system. Plus, a few examples of how such systems go wrong. We will examine how FRACAS and CAPA systems are different. And finally, we will outline the best lesson-learned system I've seen in action.
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 13 February 2024.
Download RSS
To view the recorded video, visit the webinar page.
Related content:
Mechanical Lessons Learned episode
Lessons Learned from Coffee Pod Stories episode
Lessons Learned as a Process Engineer episode
Lessons Learned Working From Home episode
Lessons Learned from a Contract Manufacturer & Their Customer Who Sued Them episode
Introduction to Reliability Engineering Management
A brief introduction to reliability engineering management. Including an overview of key elements and approaches commonly found.
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Reliability Projects and Programs
Let's explore how you can improve the overall program and deliver on your project. Specifically, what's with cost and procurement?
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Fundamentals of Lessons Learned
Let's discuss the idea and basics of a lessons-learned system. Plus, a few examples of how such systems go wrong.
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The post Fundamentals of Lessons Learned appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Feb 6, 2024 • 0sec
Risk 101: Future of Quality
Risk 101: Future of Quality
podcast episode with speaker Greg Hutchins
We've evangelized for more than 20 years that the future of quality and its related disciplines, including reliability, will be risk-focused. Why? We're living in a time of uncertainty and risk. Understanding and managing risk is important for quality and reliability professionals solving tough problems and making hard decisions.
Risk management is moving into statute for many sectors. A few examples may illustrate this. A few weeks ago, the EU mandated risk-based analysis and risk management of ALL critical AI systems. Last month, The US White House sent a notice to all Federal agencies to inventory their AI systems and prepare for mandatory AI risk assessments. ISO requires risk-based audits of certified management systems. The list goes on.
In this webinar, Greg will discuss the following:
What is risk?
Why risk is the Future of Quality?
How do you manage risk?
How do you architect, design, deploy, and assure risk management effectiveness?
What are ways to measure risk?
How can you become a risk professional and make more money?
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 6 February 2024.
Download RSS
To view the recorded video, visit the webinar page.
Related content:
What is the Future of Quality? with Dianna Deeney episode
Restarting Quality episode
Quality Disrupted book
Annette Davison Ph.D Future of Work Risk Management article
The Evolution of the Quality Function with Keith Fong episode
AI Decision Making: Existential' Threat or Salvation
Trust' in AI decision-making is one of the most important public policy challenges facing the world. Consider the risk and opportunities.
See More
Fundamentals of Risk
Let's discuss risk management and reliability engineering, plus introduce a risk management framework based on ISO 31000.
See More
Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis
Let's talk about risk, risk management, and our role as reliability engineers in identifying and mitigating risks.
See More
Risk-Based Auditing
Risk-based auditing is a must-have tool for all quality and reliability professionals. ALL ISO management systems require RBA.
See More
Risk Decision Making, Frameworks, and Assessments
Let's discuss risk-based problem solving and decision-making along with an intro to risk management frameworks and assessments.
See More
Risk 101: Future of Quality
We've evangelized for more than 20 years that the future of quality and its related disciplines, including reliability, will be risk-focused.
See More
Understanding Context
Understanding context is important for making smart risk-based decisions and solving tough problems in today's world.
See More
AI Product Development and Deployment
See More
The post Risk 101: Future of Quality appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Jan 23, 2024 • 0sec
What is WeiBayes Analysis?
What is WeiBayes Analysis?
podcast episode with speaker Chris Jackson
Some of us might have heard of the Weibull distribution. Some of us might have heard about Weibull analysis. Weibull analysis uses the Weibull distribution to help us visualize failure data in a really useful way. We can see' if our product is wearing out. We can see if our product is wearing in. We can estimate how many things will have failed by certain times. We can do all manners of other wonderful reliability engineering' things through Weibull Analysis. But then there is WeiBayes Analysis.' It combines Weibull and Bayesian analysis ( I know that doesn't mean much to most people). It can be really useful if we know how' something we are testing fails. Because if we do, then we can essentially feed a certain parameter into the analysis to help it on its way. This means that we don't need as much data (always a good thing in reliability engineering). But there are quite a few catches. Interested in learning about Weibayes analysis? Join us for this webinar.
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 23 January 2024.
Download RSS
To view the recorded video/audio and PDF workbook of the event, visit the webinar page.
Additional content that may be of interest
Rational Assumptions episode
Bayesian Statistics and Sample Sizes episode
What is Weibull Distribution? episode
Fundamentals of Weibull Analysis episode
Weibull Analysis and Physics Trumps Mathematics episode
Collecting and Analyzing Your Field Data
Let's explore where the data comes from and how to prepare for analysis. Plus, let's discuss some ways to look at your data initially.
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Time to Failure Data Analysis for Your Factory Equipment
For repairable items, the mean cumulative function and associated plots provide you with an estimate of the effectiveness of your repairs.
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Reliability Data
We will discuss the pros and cons of various sources. Plus, let's examine a few ways to use simulations or models.
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Fundamentals of Weibull Analysis
The Weibull distribution is a versatile tool to analyze time to failure data. Like any tool, it could be wielded well or not so well.
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Fundamentals of Field Data Analysis
The design is done, the assembly process is working, now we can focus on answering the question: is the product hitting reliability targets?
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Weibull Probability Plotting
Data is only as useful as the information you derive. So would you like to take your Weibull probability plotting skills to the next level?
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Overview of Life Testing in Minitab
Minitab itself has many reliability functions available; this presentation covers the basics, including distributions, censoring, and fitting.
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The Survivorship Bias Principal
This webinar examines an important perspective. Its' so simple and has made many heroes in the data analysis world since Abraham Ward.
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So what is up with this Bayesian' analysis stuff
Some of you may have heard of Bayesian analysis.' You may think this is something fancy that only universities do.
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Reliability Analysis … now what? Part 2
Let's take a closer look at the concept of likelihood and it's role in an MCMC analysis. A powerful tool for data analysis.
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Reliability Analysis … now what? Part 3
This webinar is about how we use this thing called Markov Chain Monte Carlo Simulation (MCMC) to create this posse.'
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Reliability Analysis … now what? Part 4
We show you how to get your computer to help you give useful reliability information to your boss, manager, director, or whoever.
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Fundamentals of Interpreting Test Results
To create test results that are meaningful, we need to both design and execute the test well, then, interpret the results accurately.
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How to Take the Guess Work out of Expert Judgment
there are ways you can suck out information from a group of experts in a quantifiable and remarkably accurate way.
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What do you see in a ‘Probability’ Plot?
A Weibull plot is a really useful way of quickly looking' at data and being able to see' really useful things.
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What is WeiBayes Analysis?
WeiBayes is useful, and there are quite a few catches. Interested in learning about Weibayes analysis? Join us for this webinar.
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Using Monte Carlo Simulation
Sometimes the equations we need to model reliability are just so complicated that we simply avoid them. Let's use Monte Carlo instead.
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What is Weibull Probability Plotting?
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The post What is WeiBayes Analysis? appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Jan 9, 2024 • 0sec
Dealing with Small Sample Sizes
Fred Schenkelberg, a reliability expert, discusses the challenges of conducting reliability tests with small sample sizes. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on critical information and making informed decisions. Schenkelberg shares strategies like utilizing alternative methods such as simulations and expert judgment. The conversation also highlights the impact of environmental factors on testing outcomes and advocates for cross-departmental collaboration to maximize insights. Listeners learn about innovative analytical methods like Bayesian analysis and the bootstrap method.

Jan 2, 2024 • 0sec
Risk Based Auditing
Risk-Based Auditing: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
podcast episode with speaker Greg Hutchins
Risk-based auditing (RBA) is all about risk management. Risk-based auditing is simply risk transfer from the auditee to the auditor.
In today's uncertain world, the lens for most, if not all, problem-solving and decision-making is risk. Risk-based auditing is a must-have tool for all quality and reliability professionals. ALL ISO management systems require RBA, whether 1st, 2nd, or 3rd party audits.
In this webinar, Greg will discuss:
What are 5 different types of assurance and audits?
What is risk-based auditing and risk-based assurance?
How to plan, conduct, and report risk-based audits?
What are the key challenges and solutions of risk-based auditing?
What are the 3 key questions for assessing and auditing AI and other high-risk systems such as critical infrastructure?
How can YOU become a risk-based auditor?
This Accendo Reliability webinar was originally broadcast on 2 Janurary 2024.
Download RSS
To view the recorded webinar and slides, visit the webinar page.
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Related Content
Be Audit Ready: How to Ensure Your Maintenance Program Can Stand Up to Regulators article
Value Added Auditing book
Risk Based Auditing: Using ISO 19011:2018 book
How a Cultural Audit Can Assist Risk Management article
Value Added Auditing = Analytical Auditing article
AI Decision Making: Existential' Threat or Salvation
Trust' in AI decision-making is one of the most important public policy challenges facing the world. Consider the risk and opportunities.
See More
Fundamentals of Risk
Let's discuss risk management and reliability engineering, plus introduce a risk management framework based on ISO 31000.
See More
Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis
Let's talk about risk, risk management, and our role as reliability engineers in identifying and mitigating risks.
See More
Risk-Based Auditing
Risk-based auditing is a must-have tool for all quality and reliability professionals. ALL ISO management systems require RBA.
See More
Risk Decision Making, Frameworks, and Assessments
Let's discuss risk-based problem solving and decision-making along with an intro to risk management frameworks and assessments.
See More
Risk 101: Future of Quality
We've evangelized for more than 20 years that the future of quality and its related disciplines, including reliability, will be risk-focused.
See More
Understanding Context
Understanding context is important for making smart risk-based decisions and solving tough problems in today's world.
See More
AI Product Development and Deployment
See More
The post Risk Based Auditing appeared first on Accendo Reliability.