Webinar: Reliability of Materials | Philips Engineering Solutions

Introduction

This tutorial provides an overview of how to ensure the reliability of materials in product design, based on insights from a webinar by Sonja Aarts from Philips Engineering Solutions. Understanding the difference between quality and reliability, as well as employing the Load-Strength-Decay model, will help you proactively build reliability into your products.

Step 1: Understand Quality vs. Reliability

• Quality refers to how well a product meets specified requirements and customer expectations.
• Reliability refers to the ability of a product to perform consistently over time under specified conditions.
• Recognizing the distinction helps in prioritizing reliability during product development.

Step 2: Introduction to Reliability Engineering

• Familiarize yourself with the principles of reliability engineering, which focuses on predicting and improving product performance.
• Key aspects include:
  • Identifying failure modes
  • Analyzing potential impacts on product performance
  • Implementing corrective measures during the design phase

Step 3: Learn about the Load-Strength-Decay Model

• The Load-Strength-Decay (LSD) model is a framework for understanding how materials behave under stress over time.
• Components of the LSD model:
  • Load: Represents the stress or demand placed on a material.
  • Strength: Refers to the material's capacity to withstand that load.
  • Decay: Describes how the material's strength diminishes over time due to factors like fatigue or environmental conditions.
• Use this model to assess and predict the reliability of materials in your products.

Step 4: Proactively Build Reliability During Product Creation

• Implement data-driven decision-making to enhance reliability during the design process.
• Steps to follow:
  1. Collect Data: Gather data on material behavior under various conditions.
  2. Analyze Data: Use statistical tools to identify patterns and potential failure points.
  3. Integrate Findings: Incorporate reliability insights into design specifications and material selection.
  4. Test Prototypes: Conduct reliability tests on prototypes before full-scale production.

Step 5: Examine Real-Life Examples

• Learn from case studies where reliability engineering principles have been successfully applied.
• Analyze how companies have improved product lifespans and reduced failure rates through proactive reliability measures.

Conclusion

Building reliability into your products begins with understanding the nuances of quality and reliability, employing the Load-Strength-Decay model, and making data-driven decisions. By following the outlined steps, you can enhance the durability and performance of your products, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction. As a next step, consider exploring design for reliability solutions offered by Philips Engineering Solutions to further bolster your product development efforts.