A reliability development program for the Swedish industry

A recent nationwide survey to the Swedish Engineering Industry disclosed that the understanding and use of reliability and safety methods by the small and medium sized companies on an average was distressingly low. Less than 30% of the smaller companies were familiar with reliability. In 1996, based on a survey and a following "out-line study", a new project was initiated by the Association of Swedish Engineering Industries, VI, and its Reliability Committee Te 5/2. The goal was to develop and document a program for "cooperative reliability development by small and medium-sized companies of the Swedish industrial sector". It will offer help to companies to initiate need based and local reliability work/activities. Starting point is an auditing/review of a company's existent process(es) and an audit of existing reliability status. Based on this, one will reach an understanding of in what way any "down-to-the-floor" simplified reliability-centered activity could be helpful. The final program will include necessary information and methods packages, training activities, expertise for managerial support and guidance during start-up and access to consultancy support where necessary for further implementation. This paper describes the project and its findings and illustrates the tools and methods developed for organizing individual down-to-the-floor reliability work programs by the industry.