Yogurt production line: reliability analysis

Abstract

A reliability analysis of an automated yogurt production line was carried out for all machines and the entire line level. Trend and serial correlation tests validated the assumption of independence and identical distribution of the failure data was conducted. The determination of the theoretical distribution parameters that had the best fit to the failure data was made. Furthermore, the reliability and failure rate models for the entire production line were developed. The models could prove to be a useful tool, both to assess the current conditions and to predict the reliability for upgrading the operations management policies of the yogurt line. It was found that: (a) the Weibull distribution provided the best fit for the yogurt production line to describe the time between failures, (b) the failure rate of the production line increased implying that the currently applied maintenance strategy is not adequate and must be upgraded in the near future, and (c) to avoid losses related to quality and productivity, the reliability must be improved initially on the pasteurizing boiler, and secondly on the filling machine.