Linear Scoring Models In Evaluating Improvements For Manufacturing System Availability

A significant obstacle to justifying design changes for improved availability is the difficulty of assessing the impact of improvements on reliability and/or maintainability. Without operating experience, it is difficult to secure credible estimates of these parameters, and often creative ideas for improved design go unexplored because a satisfactory cost-benefit justification was not provided. This paper describes an application of linear scoring models for evaluating design improvements in manufacturing system availability. The methodology is illustrated by an application in reliability improvement with high-precision grinding equipment used in the computer industry.