How Reliability Engineers Drive Asset Reliability and Reduce Costs

International standards define reliability as the probability that a unit will perform its required functions without failure for a specified period when operated under defined conditions.

The reliability target is established during the design phase of an asset’s life cycle. Production variations can erode this target, resulting in the delivered reliability. Installation introduces additional uncertainties related to workmanship quality and oversight, further affecting the asset’s operational reliability.

Once power is applied, the asset enters service, and real‑world operating conditions can cause further deviations from the expected reliability. The thoroughness of maintenance that restores the asset also influences the final achieved reliability.

Reliability engineers have a decisive role at each stage. During design, they collaborate with product teams to embed reliability and maintainability considerations. In production, they oversee prototype and full‑scale testing—tests they helped design—to confirm that the delivered reliability matches the specification.

At installation, top‑tier companies assign reliability engineers to construction teams to ensure that the asset is integrated correctly and ready for operation. They also work with design engineers to develop comprehensive maintenance programs, including bills of materials (BOM), operator procedures, and preventive/predictive guidelines that are handed over to the owner at commissioning.

Within the end‑user organization, reliability engineers receive OEM data, which they incorporate into the asset hierarchy, maintenance plans, initial spare‑parts procurement, and training schedules. Their input is critical from the earliest procurement stages, where they translate performance requirements into “soft” specifications such as acceptable vibration levels, alignment tolerances, and lubricant selection. During commissioning, they verify that all these soft requirements are met before acceptance.

So, how can an organization justify the investment in reliability engineering? Below are proven strategies that translate expertise into measurable savings—often a single percent increase in asset utilization yields a noticeable boost to the bottom line.

Think Outside the Box

Value often comes from challenging entrenched practices. For instance, a meat processing plant routinely purchased totally enclosed fan‑cooled (TEFC) motors because they were cheaper than washdown‑rated models, despite the plant’s daily washdown environment. After demonstrating that washdown motors have a typical life of 10+ years, the plant accepted a 20% upfront price premium, ultimately saving on premature replacements and maintenance.

Re‑Examine Shutdown Practices

During an annual HVAC shutdown, I observed belts being rolled over a bar to pre‑stretch them—a practice inherited from older technicians. After consulting with the HVAC lead and reviewing the historical training of the original instructor, we brought in a belting vendor for a myth‑busting session. The revised procedure—loosen the motor, install the belt, then tension it properly—adds roughly 15% more installation time but extends the belt service life from annual to tri‑annual, reducing long‑term costs and downtime.

Check the Air Filter System

Facilities that monitor differential pressure across filter banks can shift from rigid time‑based changes to condition‑based maintenance. This approach often lengthens filter life, particularly on the upwind side of the building, and cuts the total cost of ownership.

Assess the Effectiveness of Maintenance Tasks

Reliability engineers routinely audit preventive maintenance schedules. In one case, 40% of scheduled tasks were found to provide no tangible benefit or address nonexistent failure modes. Eliminating these tasks freed labor hours for critical corrective work and reduced overtime—cutting labor costs associated with an annual building shutdown by up to 30% while maintaining safety and uptime.

Use Predictive Technologies to Find and Correct Energy Losses

Predictive analytics can uncover hidden energy inefficiencies. One plant used airborne ultrasound to locate air leaks, uncovering $33,000 in annual electricity waste. Another plant employed infrared thermography to map an oven, revealing only 6% efficiency. The visual evidence secured a new oven that now achieves 96% thermal efficiency, dramatically reducing natural gas consumption and shortening the payback period. Similarly, upgrading to a 200‑hp premium‑efficiency NEMA TEFC motor can save more than $2,100 per year when operating at $0.06/kWh.

Beyond the tangible gains listed above, reliability engineering offers several intangible benefits that reinforce organizational resilience:

Safety: Plants with robust reliability and maintenance programs report fewer incidents, as efficient operations reduce rushed or careless actions.

Quality: Continuous, uninterrupted processes yield more consistent product quality.

Spare Parts Management: A precise asset hierarchy and BOM enable accurate inventory control, optimized economic order quantities, and lubricant standardization—cutting carrying costs and disposal liabilities.

Reliability engineers are indispensable assets to manufacturing operations. Their disciplined approach to design, production, installation, and ongoing maintenance consistently elevates asset availability, reduces operational costs, and ultimately drives profit.