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28 articles

RAM & Production

Why Stress Must Be Included in Modern RAM Analysis

Most RAM studies treat reliability as a function of time—but in real operations, it is driven by stress. When production varies, failure behavior changes, and MTBF can become misleading. This article introduces a stress-aware RAM approach, linking reliability to operating conditions through life-stress relationships and cumulative damage. If production strategy influences degradation, shouldn’t our models reflect it?

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RAM & Production

The Hidden Cost of Load Sharing in Production Systems

Load sharing improves availability — but it can also accelerate asset degradation. Traditional RAM models often ignore the effects of higher operating stress when units share load, leading to optimistic life estimates and distorted LCCA results. This article outlines the hidden cost of load sharing, demonstrates why production-aware, stress-dependent reliability modelling is required, and shows how it alters maintenance and capital decisions.

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Reliability Data Analysis

Applying Recurring Data Analysis: A Use Case Example

Within maintenance organizations, historical failure data extracted from Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) serves as a foundational data source for reliability analysis. This presentation highlights the challenges encountered when employing Life Data Analysis on recurring datasets, presenting an alternative statistical model, Recurring Data Analysis, tailored specifically for these scenarios.

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Maintenance & Spares

Cost optimization restock policy

There is always a motivation to hold a low level of spares especially if the spare is expensive and holding cost is significant. However, it may run a risk of spare unavailability which in turn causes production loss.

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RAM & Production

Chemical Process Design - Buffer Sizing

In this case study we present an analysis for designing a chemical plant process, part of an extension project and during the FEED stage. The method and approach presented (as well as the software used – AeROS) is equally applicable in other industries where buffer sizing is necessary (such as Oil & Gas, manufacturing, etc.).

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Product Reliability & Testing

Cost Benefit Analysis of a Reliability Improvement Program

When a manufacturer has the luxury to make a large profit from its products, there is less incentive for the manufacturer to analyze the warranty cost. As the manufacturing cost increases over time, and selling price decreases due to competition, the impact of warranty cost on the profit margin become more pronounced.

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Product Reliability & Testing

Comparing the Reliability of Products from Different Suppliers

This presentation demonstrates how Life Data Analysis is used to compare the reliability of a component from two suppliers (the concept can also apply to comparing different designs). It also include a cost-benefit analysis that illustrates the financial impact due to warranty cost associated to the choice of supplier.

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Product Reliability & Testing

Estimating the Distribution of Product Field Returns

Manufactured products are tested at much higher constant usage rate so that reliability test can be completed in shorter time. However, the failure distribution obtained from the lab test cannot be used for warranty return analysis because the products experience very much different usage stress in the fields.

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Product Reliability & Testing

An overview of Accelerated Life Test Analysis

The requirements for higher reliability have increased the need for more up-front testing of materials, components, and systems. Accelerated test have become increasingly important because of rapidly changing technologies, more complicated products with more components, higher customer expectations for better reliability, and the need for rapid product development.

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Reliability Data Analysis

A Life-Data Analysis (LDA) example with Interval Censored data type

A semiconductor manufacturer conducted a reliability test to determine the effect of thermal shock cycle on solder joint life (I.e., one thermal cycle is equivalent to how much operation time). This presentation describes the scenario and shows how Life Data Analysis is used to solve this problem.

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Maintenance & Spares

Inventory Management - Spare Restock Triggering Policy

When the spare inventory reaches a minimum level, a reordering is initiated. Since there is a lead time for the items to be replenished, the current quantity should meet the demand until ordered items arrive. This article presents a simulation approach for assessing the production downtime impact due to spare restock -triggering policy, and lead-time constraint.

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RAM & Production

RAM Analysis for an Offshore Platform

In the last presentation (Equipment Production Loss Contribution), production loss due to equipment is estimated using its associated downtime. Production loss of a standby sub-system in a network is more complicated as a failure may or may not cause any loss. This presentation shows how to rank standby sub-system performance in terms of production loss.

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