R&D Centre Algoritmi

            Systems Engineering, Optimization and Operations Research (SEOOR)

 

Quality, Reliability and Maintenance Group

 

The main areas of research of the Quality, Reliability and Maintenance Group are:

 

- Data Quality and performance measurement

- Total Quality Management and the continuous improvement process

- Maintenance models for complex systems, TPM and computerized maintenance systems

- Reliability of complex systems with high uncertainty

- Integration of management functions

- Management systems

 

·         Data Quality and performance measurement

 

Performance variables and Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) are essential on decision-making. They also provide a means of controlling a process, identify problems or to check whether the planned targets are being achieved. Measurement System Analysis provides methods to characterize the precision of the measurement system. Any variable has associated uncertainty and the problem of data quality is related to risk management.

 

Methods were proposed to incorporate uncertainty in performance measures using Fuzzy numbers, and to propagate it throughout the PMS. Fuzzy targets were also defined. Applications are being developed to measure the uncertainty and to translate it into a colour.

 

·         Total Quality Management and the continuous improvement process

 

SMEs are organizations with some common characteristics that can hinder the deployment of Total Quality Management (TQM) or other quality improvement programmes, such as Lean Six-Sigma or Kaizen. SMEs are not adopting the best practices.

 

A successful framework was developed and tested to enable best practices’ adoption to improve quality in SMEs. This framework can be adopted by organizations with different quality maturity levels.

 

The current situation of continuous quality improvement programmes in industries in Portugal is being determined, and the key benefits and barriers of implementing these programmes are being identified.

 

·         Maintenance models for complex systems, TPM and computerized maintenance systems

 

A new model was developed for design and evaluation of maintenance float systems (number of spare equipments and maintenance crews, and preventive maintenance interval) under a preventive maintenance policy.

 

New analytical models were developed to obtain closed-form functions in order to determine the optimal time period between inspections.

 

A successful application of some Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) pillars has been implemented in an industrial company and in the after-sales maintenance service.

 

A decentralized predictive maintenance system based on data mining concepts is being developed. The system intends to create an organizational architecture that makes the integration of data produced in different factories on their activities of reactive, predictive and preventive maintenance.

 

A Computerized maintenance management system is being developed and aims to stimulate efficiency enhancement of the current maintenance system of a fleet of buses.

 

·         Reliability of complex systems with high uncertainty

 

Reliability models rarely incorporate the uncertainty presented in most reliability parameters which is an important limitation for the managers of production systems. Fuzzy logic tools were used to analyze effects of input uncertainty in systems’ output.

 

Fundamental research on systems reliability and product analysis has been done, developing fault-tolerance mechanisms. Applications of performance analysis and design of line production systems with work-in process buffers to overcome equipment failures are being developed.

 

·         Integration of management functions

 

The integration of different management systems and functions within organizations (such as the quality, safety and environmental systems) has been considered to be a better solution when compared to its independent management/implementation; however evidence of its adoption is scarce.

 

A study is under way to ascertain the critical success factors and barriers of such integration in Portuguese SMEs.

 

·         Management systems

 

The universe of international management system standards is now populated by dozens of documents containing requirements and guidance alike. Driven by the need to establish meaningful management systems specific to and useful for the organizations and all their interested parts, these standards will continue to have a huge influence on organizations worldwide. Furthermore, the management systems integration had been considered to be a better solution when compared to systems independent implementation.

 

The goal is to produce knowledge in order to better understand the dynamics and all the related issues of the management systems worldwide phenomenon and their integration as a way to the organizational excellence.

 

Last update: 02Sep2010          

Go to: SEOOR at Algoritmi Research Centre – University of Minho - Portugal