Improving Product Reliability: Strategies and Implementation (Quality and Reliability Engineering Series) [Hardcover]

Mark Levin (Author), Ted Kalal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 26, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0470854499 | ISBN-13: 978-0470854495 | Edition: 1

The design and manufacture of reliable products is a major challenge for engineers and managers. This book arms technical managers and engineers with the tools to compete effectively through the design and production of reliable technology products.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

If product reliability is falling short of customer expectations and warranty costs are out of control then changes are needed to the reliability process. Practical and easy to understand, Improving Product Reliability offers invaluable advice to designers, engineers, managers and CEOs who wish to develop better products but are unsure of what to do and how to go about it. This book presents a time-tested reliability process which has been refined over the years and can be readily transferable to any organization.

Incorporating the whole product development and product life cycle process, this book:

• explains why product reliability is a requirement for competing in the 21st century

• covers reliability concepts and how to develop a practical reliability toolbox for your business

• addresses why businesses are unsuccessful at improving product reliability and a strategy for implementation based on company size

• describes a three step process for successful implementation of a reliability program

• provides guidance in selecting and hiring: consultants, reliability engineers and establishing a reliability lab

• presents tutorials to promote a deeper understanding of the more complex concepts

This book can be understood and applied by designers, engineers, business managers, consultants and product development teams who must develop reliable products. Anyone involved in this work will appreciate the time-saving, cost-effective, and result oriented techniques described.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 342 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (May 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470854499
• ISBN-13: 978-0470854495
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,296,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great proactive reliability book, October 15, 2008

By 

Roberta Billai (Den Haag, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Improving Product Reliability: Strategies and Implementation (Quality and Reliability Engineering Series) (Hardcover)

This book explains in a very easy and practical way why reliability is important and what are the aspects that impact product's reliability. This book provides various guidelines on how to successfully improve products' reliability. Moreover, with its practical approach, it can be used by managers, reliability engineers, designers, etc..., everyone who wants to develop better products in a cost and time effective way. The book clearly explains what are the common (internal and external) barriers to implement a reliability program and why reliability efforts can fail. The entire product's life cycle (PLC)---from the concept phase till the end-of-life phase---and what needs to be done in each one of its phases is thoroughly described. The authors stress the importance of having a proactive reliability process, that starts early in the product concept phase, and that involves all the PLC phases in order to be successful.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super Practical, December 7, 2003

By 

Chet Haibel (Langley, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Improving Product Reliability: Strategies and Implementation (Quality and Reliability Engineering Series) (Hardcover)

This is not a book on Reliability Theory; there are no math equations or statistics -- but it refers you to the very best references and consultants for that. This is a book about making an impact on your company by improving the reliability of its products. It covers the product Life Cycle from concept to obsolescence with what to at every step. It touches every subject important to starting and sustaining a revolution on product reliability right down to the practical details like what kind of people to hire, what equipment to buy, how to budget for and ensure success installing and running a reliability lab, etc., etc. Written at a level so anyone can understand it -- within any size company -- written in a conversational tone like a fireside chat. A great reference for anyone involved in any aspect of improving product reliability.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, November 24, 2004

By 

Reliability Guru (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Improving Product Reliability: Strategies and Implementation (Quality and Reliability Engineering Series) (Hardcover)

I liked the book overall but have to comment on what is in my opinion, a poor choice of nomenclature. In Chapter 7, the authors use the term "functional block diagram" to denote what most engineers would term an "operational flow diagram". I found it irritating to the point of distraction. Unfortunately, there seems to be a penchant among reliability and quality assurance professionals to coin and use acronyms, often at the expense of common understanding. If you can get over that, the ideas the authors are trying to communicate are worthwhile.