June 2016 Edition

Recent Headlines:

Defense:

Army Regulation 702–16: Chemical Biological Defense Materiel Reliability Program (PDF) – ARMY

This regulation establishes Army policy, responsibilities, and guidance for the Chemical Biological Defense Materiel Reliability Program (CBDMRP).

US Army Wants to Boost Reliability of MQ-1C Gray Eagle’s Engine – Flight Global

The US Army is pursuing component changes to boost the reliability of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1C Gray Eagle’s heavy fuel engine, the service’s product manager for the medium-altitude, long-endurance platform says.

Dover C-5 Departure Reliability Rate Reaches All-Time High – Air Mobility Command

Team Dover’s fleet of 18 C-5M Super Galaxy airlifters have experienced the highest Home-Station Logistics Departure Reliability Rate in their history, which can be attributed to the hard work and experience of Airmen from the 436th Maintenance Group and 512th Maintenance Group.

Air Force Captain Keeps Aging Fighter Jets Flying – Review Journal

The F-15E Strike Eagle has been flying for the Air Force since 1988, two years after Capt. Madison Gilbert was born. Little did she realize while growing up in Palm Springs, California, that more than one-quarter of century later she would be the officer in charge of making sure these aging warbirds can still work for training pilots at Nellis Air Force Base.

Energy:

Optimal Reliability in Energy Harvesting Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks – Cornell University Library

For Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks, it is essential to reliably sense and deliver the environmental data on time to avoid system malfunction.

Statoil Focuses on Field Reliability to Boost Output Amid Slump – Bloomberg

Statoil ASA boosted production more than 2 percent last year by increasing the reliability of its oil and gas fields amid the lowest crude prices in a decade.

Michigan needs to build reliability, affordability into energy generation – MLive

We need to provide reliable and affordable energy for Michigan’s electric customers today and in the future. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator – an independent nonprofit tasked with overseeing the grid – made one thing clear when they recently testified: Michigan’s electric supply is at risk.

NERC Assesses Impact of Clean Power Plan on Renewable Energy, Reliability Services – Daily Energy Insider

A recent evaluation by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has forecasted the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) on the mix of generation resources in the U.S., showing accelerated growth in renewable energy generation, while also raising the issue of future reliability challenges.

Gone With the Wind: Surprising Potential to Improve Reliability in Wind Power – Science Daily

Researchers have discovered that a particular form of carbon coating not necessarily designed for wind turbines may indeed prove a boon to the wind industry — a serendipitous finding.

KYOCERA Recognized as “Top Performer” in 2016 PV Solar Module Reliability Scorecard – Kyocera

Kyocera has been recognized as a “top performer” across all test categories for its solar modules by DNV GL (formerly PV Evolution Labs), an international provider of independent expert advisory and certification services, in its 2016 PV Module Reliability Scorecard released this month in collaboration with GTM Research.

Mass Transit:

Improving the Safety and Reliability of the Washington Metro (PDF) – Transportation

Transit is a safe mode of transportation, certainly much safer than a private automobile. However, serious incidents, crashes and safety lapses at WMATA Metrorail in recent years, with an alarming spike in recent months, have highlighted the need for the system to make changes and improvements to ensure the safety of riders and employees.

Cummins’ Transit Bus Initiative Focuses on Improved Uptime, Reliability – Metro Magazine

Cummins Inc. has unveiled the SmartEfficiency™ initiative for transit bus, which focuses on improved uptime and reliability.

Proterra Catalyst Electric Bus Completes Reliability Test By King County Metro – Inside EVs

Proterra’s Catalyst 40’ FC electric bus completed an accelerated durability and reliability test in the King County Metro Transit (KCM) fleet.

Rolling Stock:

Thermal Reliability for Power Electronics in Rail Traction Systems – Mentro Graphics

With the energy demands of industrial electronic systems increasing, train traction IGBT component suppliers are faced with the challenge of providing highly reliable systems needed for railway OEMs. Reliability of such power electronics modules is known to be directly linked to operating temperature in particular.

Space/Aviation:

Mass and Reliability System (MaRS) – NASA

Once complete, engineers working on future space flight missions will have access a mean time to failures and on parts along with their mass, this will be used to make proper decisions for long duration space flight missions.

Medical/Health:

The Best Medical Alert Systems – Reviews

Our top pick, Bay Alarm Medical, goes even further with attentive, personable service. In an emergency, we’d feel comfortable with a loved one in the company’s hands.

Cleanliness of Electronic PCB Assemblies Aids Reliability of Medical Devices – US-Tech

Component manufacturers are continually developing new and smaller packages for components that are mere fractions of a millimeter and have board-to-component clearances of less than 1 mil. Pick-and-place machines offer new accessories that allow placement of these almost invisible parts.

Improve Reliability by Shrinking Datacenter Fault Domains with Software – VMWare

Security and Reliability are the primary objectives of all Healthcare infrastructure. Reliability is a complex emergent property of all of the underlying required components.

Industrial:

Optimal Reliability in Energy Harvesting Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks – Cornell University Library

For Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks, it is essential to reliably sense and deliver the environmental data on time to avoid system malfunction.

The Impact of Analytics on Asset Reliability and Process Quality – Control Engineering

The conference included many education sessions and keynotes on how businesses are meeting business challenges by implementing new strategies involving the Internet of Things (IoT), smart manufacturing, and collecting analytics to improve manufacturing operations.

Electronics:

Breakthrough Enables More Reliable Electrical Circuits Built with Individual Molecules – Nano Werk

Building extremely small electronic components and circuits made from individual molecules requires manipulation of the molecules into the desired arrangement.

Commercial:

How to Maximize Marine Engine Performance and Reliability – Amsoil

Although some boaters and anglers don’t realize it, using a dedicated marine motor oil is vital to protecting marine motors for a few reasons: severe operating conditions, exposure to rust and corrosion, fuel dilution.

Software:

Reliability Testing Strategy – Reliability in Software Engineering – Cornell University Library

This paper presents the core principles of reliability in software engineering – outlining why reliability testing is critical and specifying the process of measuring reliability.

Software Reliability Measurement Using Software Reliability Growth Model (PDF) – IJISET

Reliable software is able to accomplish the better achievement and allows software to work properly in a specified environment

Human Factors:

Human Reliability Improvement: How to Reduce Documentation Errors – Pharmaceutical-Technology

Despite the availability of technology and the sophistication of manufacturers in their use of eBRS and LIMS systems, most manufacturers continue to rely heavily on paper-based systems. Furthermore, many design flaws embedded in paper-based documentation systems exist in electronic systems.

Research:

Graphene Nanoflake-Based Films Developed as Thermal Interface Material – IDTechEx

Heat dissipation in electronics and optoelectronics is a major obstacle to further technology development. It limits further miniaturisation, power, performance and reliability.