A Western New York Publication for the Reliability Professional
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 4r, Winter 1997 - 1998
This edition of our newsletter is directed towards engineers, managers, educators, other
professionals, and students. Its intent is to expand your understanding of our organization, its
objectives, activities, and the benefits of membership. You will see the opportunities that the SRE
affords you, your colleagues, and your organization. Please share this publication with others who
may be interested in learning more about reliability engineering, management, professional
growth, and our organization.
ABOUT RELIABILITY ABOUT THE SRE INTERNATIONAL CHAPTERS SRE INTERNET ADDRESS SRE PUBLICATIONS MEMBERSHIP CREDENTIALS RAMS www.rams.org STAN OFSTHUN AWARD MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY EDUCATION PROGRAMS ASQ CRE CERTIFICATIONS CHAPTER TECHNICAL MEETINGS CHAPTER SPEAKERS AWARDS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP PROFILE SUMMING IT UP TO APPLY FOR SRE MEMBERSHIP
ABOUT RELIABILITY
"Reliability is the science aimed at predicting, analyzing, preventing, and mitigating failures over time"
John D. Healy, Ph.D
"Everything you need to know about improving your business is contained within your failures.
"EVERYTHING"
C, Robert Nelms
"Reliability is the quantitative measure of the integrity of a designed part, component, product or system. Reliability is the probability that part, components, products, or systems will perform their designed-for-functions without failure in specified environments for desired periods at a given confidence level."
Dimitri B. Kececioglu, Ph.D
"Reliability is not a matter of applying statistical techniques. It is blood, sweat, and tears engineering to find out what could go wrong with a product or process, to organize that knowledge so it is useful to engineers and managers, and then to act on that knowledge."
Ralph A. Evens
"Reliability is, after all, engineering in its most practical form."
0James R. Schlesinger
ABOUT THE SRE
The Society of Reliability Engineers is a growing organization of professionals sharing an interest in reliability and maintainability engineering and management.
Vision:
Professional growth through advancement of the reliability art.
Objectives:
To develop, communicate, and advance the state of the art reliability technique.
To achieve greater effectivity in the application of reliability principles.
Working principles:
Foster the philosophy and principles of reliability.
Encourage greater recognition of reliability as a management engineering discipline.
Foster the interchange of ideas and information on reliability.
Promote professionalism among individuals engaged in the reliability discipline.
INTERNATIONAL CHAPTERS
SRE chapters are located in Albuquerque, NM, Baton Rouge, LA, Buffalo, NY, Ft. Belvior, VA,
Colorado Springs, CO, Huntsville, AL, Los Angeles, CA, Milwaukee, WI, Montreal, Que,
Orlando, FL, Ottawa, Ont., Philadelphia, PA, Rockford, IL, Sacramento, CA, Southwestern
(Detroit) MI, St. Louis, MO, Tucson, AZ, Washington, DC, and in the Netherlands, India, and
Singapore.
SRE INTERNET ADDRESS
The international SRE web site may be found at www.sre.org Links to Chapter hon\me pages
have been established and more are being developed.
SRE PUBLICATIONS
The SRE international publication, "Lambda Notes", is distributed to members semi-annually, and is available on the Internet.
The "Buffalo Chapter Newsletter" is published four to six times each year in a hard copy format.
These publications offer information of interest to SRE members and other professionals. Content
includes membership information, technical notes, book reviews, upcoming events, new
publications, information sources, employment opportunities, Internet references, Chapter
activities, educational opportunities, updates of standards, etc.
MEMBERSHIP CREDENTIALS
The SRE membership certificate is evidence that "The Society of Reliability Engineers certifies that 'member name' has met the requirements for membership in the society and is therefore is issued this certificate of membership and is entitled to all rights and privileges attendant thereto."
The SRE Buffalo Chapter membership card signifies "membership in good standing" for the
current SRE operating year.
RAMS www.rams.org
Co-sponsored by the SRE, AIAA, ASQ, SAE, IEEE, SOLE, EEE, IES, and IIE, the Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium, RAMS, is held in January. RAMS is the premier event in the R&M discipline, and provides an unique opportunity to enhance your knowledge and network with other R&M professionals. RAMS offers a series of technical sessions, tutorials, panels, exhibits, software demonstrations, CAE/CE/IPD information, awards banquet, employment postings, updates of standards, copies of proceeding, and more.
SRE members enjoy a discounted registration fee, and discounts on publications.
STAN OFSTHUN AWARD
This award recognizes the best technical paper by an SRE member accepted for presentation at the Annual RAMS. The award consists of a certificate of recognition and $1,000 CASH. The "Call for Papers" appears early each year. Abstracts must be submitted to RAMS and to the SRE by April.
The Buffalo Chapter can arrange an audience for a "dry run" at a future Chapter technical
meeting.
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
The Buffalo Chapter publishes an annual membership directory, and the SRE maintains an
international database on the Internet.
EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Buffalo Chapter has offered courses in "Basic Reliability" and "Reliability analysis and
prediction using Weibull techniques". Future topics being considered are accelerated testing,
ISO/QS 9000, and software reliability.
ASQ CRE CERTIFICATION
The Buffalo Chapter supports the American Society for Quality Certified Reliability Engineer recognition process.
Recertification credits can be earned by attending SRE meetings, serving on SRE committees,
attending SRE educational programs, delivering a paper or talk, etc. Documentation is provided
by the SRE, upon request.
CHAPTER TECHNICAL PROGRAMS
Buffalo Chapter technical meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month, September through May, except December. Meeting notices are distributed in advance. A sampling of recent programs follows:
Recent tours
FAA air traffic control tower, US Postal Service express mail facility, airport fire and rescue
operation, National Weather Service new doppler radar operation, fix base operator (FOB)
service provider Buffalo airport, and the construction site of the new Buffalo Marine Midland
Sports Arena.
Technical meeting topics:
Reliability data analysis, FMEA, software reviews, reliability prediction and modeling, patents and
inventions, reliability testing, specifications and standards, TQM, accelerated testing, designed
experiments, failure analysis, and others.
Guest Speakers have been from Xerox, Delphi Automotive, Calspan, Ford Motor Company, Boeing, Rel-Tech, RAC, Prior Aviation, Motorola, Hughes Electronics, and a number of consulting firms
The Buffalo Chapter holds annual joint meetings with the ASQ and ASNT, and has held joint
meetings with SAE, and AIAA.
CHAPTER SPEAKER AWARDS
Speakers at Chapter meetings receive international exposure by having their abstract and biography published in the Lambda Notes.
In addition, a certificate of appreciation and $200.00 cash is awarded. Annually to the best paper
delivered at a Chapter meeting. To apply for this award submit an abstract and biography to the
Chapter President and to the Programs chairperson, who will schedule your presentation.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
The Buffalo Chapter is a member of the Technical Societies Council of the Niagara Frontier, an organization unifying the professional societies in the Buffalo area. The Chapter supports TSC efforts in stimulating awareness of, and involvement in, the engineering profession. The TSC sponsored activities include Engineers Week, joint meetings, inventor of the Year awards, and student competition in "Future Cities.
Through interlocking memberships and networking, the Buffalo Chapter also exchange meeting
notices, newsletters, and announcements with SAE, the Engineering Society of Buffalo, TSC,
ASQ, SME, and other professional societies.
CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP PROFILE
The membership of the Buffalo Chapter is a diverse blend of ages, backgrounds, experiences, education, professional associations, and interests. Employers include Amherst Systems, Bell Aerospace, Calspan, Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems, EGW Associates, Fisher-Price, Harris RF Communications, Hiross, Moog, PCB Pietzotronics, Scott Aviation, Sierra Research, Sylvania, Westinghouse, West Valley Nuclear, Xerox, various government agencies, and consultants.
This diversity affords our members networking opportunities across a broad technical, academic,
industrial, and professional base.
SUMMING IT UP
The opportunity awaits you to become involved with the SRE. Learn about reliability engineering, broaden your knowledge and experience, enhance your personal skills, expand your network of professional contacts.
SRE membership benefits include local and international networking opportunities, Internet sites and links, publication, information sources, credentials, discounts at the annual RAMS, awards, membership directory, education, ASQ recertification credit, technical meetings, tours, management development opportunities.
Membership is open to anyone seeking to learn more about the principles, techniques, benefits and
application of reliability engineering.
TO APPLY FOR SRE MEMBERSHIP
Return a completed application form and the annual membership fee ($25.00 US payable to SRE, Buffalo Chapter)
A membership application is available at the following hypertext link:
Buffalo Chapter
P.O. Box 631
Buffalo, NY 14225-0631