*Matt Lacy, Gopal Mohanty, Advanced Energy Industries, Fort Collins, CO
Technology and innovation often open doors for new opportunities, but to thrive a company must consistently and methodically provide a highly reliable product. Advanced Energy’s (AE’s) world class Design for Reliability (DFR) process and implementation is part of our overall Design for Excellence strategy that encompasses the product life cycle from the design concept to end of life. Our robust DFR process ensures that our products exceed customer requirements and perform reliably throughout their lifetime. This is achieved through in-depth understanding (requirements, previous designs, lessons learned, etc.), advanced planning, upfront analysis, rigorous testing and continuous improvement – taking into consideration operating conditions and environmental conditions above and beyond the intended environment. The driving force behind employing our DFR process is to achieve superior customer satisfaction by meeting higher demands for reliability, faster times to market and lower cost of ownership – in the midst of dynamic, fast-paced industries and rapid technological advances. This presentation discusses AE’s DFR process, its elements, and the benefits of its application during the product life cycle.