Improving the reliability of a product

Determine a project involving the solution of an industry-based maintenance and reliability engineering and/or asset management problem (be specific and do not try to solve all of the problems at once). The problem must be tailored to an industry or specific business setting. Research possible engineering solutions to address the problem. Within your solution, address concepts to improve reliability of the product or service issue. Your solution will recommend methods or tools to help reduce costs, risks, failure rates, and enhance overall asset performance.

Full Answer Section

The MRE program would also involve using asset management tools to track the performance of the production line and identify potential problems before they cause downtime. These tools could include condition monitoring, predictive analytics, and risk assessment.

By implementing an MRE program, the plant can reduce the rate of unplanned downtime, improve the reliability of its production line, and save money.

Here are some specific engineering solutions that could be implemented as part of the MRE program:

  • Performing root cause analysis: This involves identifying the underlying causes of the unplanned downtime. This could be done by conducting failure analysis, collecting data on the downtime, and interviewing plant personnel.
  • Developing preventive maintenance strategies: Once the root causes of the downtime have been identified, preventive maintenance strategies can be developed to address these causes. This could involve replacing worn-out parts, adjusting operating procedures, or implementing predictive maintenance.
  • Using asset management tools: Asset management tools can be used to track the performance of the production line and identify potential problems before they cause downtime. This could involve using condition monitoring to track the condition of the equipment, predictive analytics to forecast when equipment is likely to fail, and risk assessment to identify the likelihood and impact of failures.

By implementing these engineering solutions, the plant can improve the reliability of its production line and reduce the rate of unplanned downtime. This will save the plant money and improve customer satisfaction.

Here are some additional concepts that could be addressed to improve the reliability of the production line:

  • Design for reliability: This involves designing the production line to be as reliable as possible. This could involve using high-quality components, designing the line to be easy to maintain, and using redundancy to prevent single points of failure.
  • Maintenance culture: This involves creating a culture in the plant that values maintenance and reliability. This could involve training plant personnel on maintenance procedures, providing incentives for preventive maintenance, and rewarding employees for identifying and fixing problems.
  • Continuous improvement: This involves continuously improving the reliability of the production line. This could involve using data from the asset management tools to identify areas for improvement and implementing changes to improve the reliability of the line.

By addressing these concepts, the plant can further improve the reliability of its production line and reduce the rate of unplanned downtime. This will have a positive impact on the plant's bottom line and customer satisfaction.

Sample Answer

here is a project involving the solution of an industry-based maintenance and reliability engineering and/or asset management problem:

Problem: A manufacturing plant is experiencing a high rate of unplanned downtime for its production line. This is causing the plant to lose money and is also impacting customer satisfaction.

Solution: The plant can implement a maintenance and reliability engineering (MRE) program to improve the reliability of its production line. This program would involve identifying the root causes of the unplanned downtime and developing preventive maintenance strategies to address these causes.

The MRE program would also involve using asset management tool