Reliability and Product Strategy

Manufacturing Reliability is an important factor in shaping and executing product strategy. Your product strategy is only as good as your ability to execute. Successful strategy requires confidence in manufacturing's ability to meet customer demand, prevent manufacturing defects, and adopt and maintain new manufacturing technologies. The positive impact of reliability on employee and environmental safety reflects a company's commitment to ethical management. Also, superior manufacturing capabilities include cost advantages through efficiency and adaptability.

The following diagram illustrates how strategic objectives drive manufacturing and, likewise, depend on manufacturing's ability to meet the company's strategic goals.

If your product strategy is first-to-market, manufacturing must be able to produce quality product, on-time. You want a problem-free product release and a positive customer experience. Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) aligns manufacturing reliability goals with product management to provide confidence in product releases. Along with Statistical Process Control (SPC), RCM serves to prevent manufacturing defects.

If you sell a commodity product, RCM can help you retain customers and support efforts to attract new ones.