Failure Prevention Strategies Research Articles

Can the Manufacturing Process Be Improved by FMEA? A Study on X Company in Plastic Packaging Industry in Vietnam

This study based on the FMEA method, provides a systematic approach, which include identifying potential errors in the production process, tracking priority issues, proposing improvement solutions, and putting those solutions into practice in order to improve the flexible plastic packaging manufacturing process at a typical X company in the plastic packaging industry in Vietnam. It is found that four large errors – GP8, SM4, LM4, and BF4 – stand out as having an RPN index higher than 250. The aforementioned issues are also analyzed, and their root causes are tracked down using techniques like brainstorming, cause-effect diagram, and 5 Whys. Then, appropriate actions are taken to deal with these causes. Overall, the findings can serve as an insightful reference for Vietnamese manufacturing companies using the FMEA method to identify any potential errors in their production processes. After that, the company is able to organize proper inquiries and make recommendations for potential failure prevention strategies as well.

A service failure assessment model for smart product consumption experience based on customer perception

Customer perception is an important consideration factor in evaluating the quality of human-computer interaction services. Sustainable user experiences and marketing strategies can be created by analyzing customer perception. By understanding consumer satisfaction with product services in the customer perception area, appropriate product service failure prevention strategies can be formulated. A service failure evaluation model is proposed in this study, which considers the customer tolerance area to accurately evaluate consumers’ behavioral experiences from purchasing to using products. The concept of tolerance area is introduced, and a combination of the fuzzy Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) method and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is used to construct a human-computer interaction service failure evaluation model. Potential service failure factors of smart speakers are accurately evaluated by this model, and these service failure factors are ranked within the tolerance area. The research identifies voice misinterpretation and signal connectivity issues as the primary risk factors impacting the quality of human-computer interaction for smart speakers. The application of this method not only enhances the evaluation of smart speaker human-computer interaction services quality but also aids in the precise identification and prioritization of critical failure modes. The proposed service failure prevention strategies can reduce consumer dissatisfaction and provide innovative references for smart product design and marketing. The findings bolster empirical evidence for service failure prevention strategies in smart products and pave the way for novel perspectives on enhancing the quality of human-computer interaction services.

Temporal trends in lifetime risks of atrial fibrillation and its complications between 2000 and 2022: Danish, nationwide, population based cohort study

ObjectivesTo examine how the lifetime risks of atrial fibrillation and of complications after atrial fibrillation changed over time.DesignDanish, nationwide, population based cohort study.SettingPopulation of Denmark from 1 January 2000 to...

The biomechanics and prevention of vein graft failure in coronary revascularization

Saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) are the most widely used conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery; however, SVG failures due to neointimal hyperplasia present a significant long-term limitation to the effectiveness of myocardial revascularization. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the biological mechanisms of vein graft failure, including compensatory endothelial proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition, and adventitial disruption. We will discuss historical and emerging strategies for vein graft failure prevention with a focus on the role of mechanical vein graft support using external stenting. Finally, we will highlight the results of preclinical and human trials and discuss future directions for investigation.

The biomechanics and prevention of vein graft failure in coronary revascularization

Saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) are the most widely used conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery; however, SVG failures due to neointimal hyperplasia present a significant long-term limitation to the effectiveness of myocardial revascularization. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the biological mechanisms of vein graft failure, including compensatory endothelial proliferation, extracellular matrix deposition, and adventitial disruption. We will discuss historical and emerging strategies for vein graft failure prevention with a focus on the role of mechanical vein graft support using external stenting. Finally, we will highlight the results of preclinical and human trials and discuss future directions for investigation.

Defining Risk-Based Monitoring Frequencies to Verify the Performance of Water Treatment Barriers.

Preventing failures of water treatment barriers can play an important role in meeting the increasing demand for microbiologically safe water. The development and integration of failure prevention strategies into quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) offer opportunities to support the design and operation of treatment trains. This study presents existing failure models and extends them to guide the development of risk-based operational monitoring strategies. For barriers with rapid performance loss, results show that a failure of 15 s should be reliably detected to verify a log reduction value (LRV) of 6.0; thus, detecting and remediating these failures may be beyond current technology. For chemical disinfection with a residual, failure durations in order of minutes should be reliably detected to verify a LRV of 6.0. Short-term failures are buffered because the disinfectant residual concentration sustains a partial reduction performance. Therefore, increasing the contact time and hydraulic mixing reduces the impact of failures. These findings demonstrate the importance of defining precise frequencies to monitor barrier performances during operation. Overall, this study highlights the utility of process-specific models for developing failure prevention strategies for water safety management.

A novel method to predict and prevent commutation failures in LCC-HVDC systems

Commutation failures are the main drawbacks of the line-commutated converter-based high-voltage direct-current transmission systems. In this paper, the influences of the fault occurring moment on the commutation process are investigated quantitatively to predict and prevent commutation failures effectively. Then, the critical fault voltage and extinction angle calculation methods are presented based on the voltage–time area theory. The concept of the commutation failure domain and the security domain is determined to estimate the probability of commutation failures. Furthermore, the direct current and RMS voltage calculation methods under asymmetrical faults are presented. Based on them, we eventually propose a novel commutation failure prediction and prevention strategy. Compared with conventional methods, the proposed strategy takes account of the probabilistic characteristic of commutation failures. Moreover, the direct current is predicted rather than real-time measured, and the RMS voltage under asymmetrical faults can be calculated instantaneously. Therefore, the proposed strategy can obtain a rapid response and a stronger commutation failure immunity. The accuracy of the method proposed in this paper is validated by EMT results with PSCAD/EMTDC and the experimental results with RTDS.

Progression of Preclinical Heart Failure: A Description of Stage A and B Heart Failure in a Community Population.

The aims of this study are to evaluate the rate of progression of preclinical (Stage A and B) heart failure, identify associated characteristics, and evaluate long-term outcomes. Retrospective review of the Olmsted County Heart Function Study. Individuals categorized as Stage A or B heart failure at initial visit that returned for a second visit 4 years later were included. Logistic regression analyses evaluated group differences with adjustment for age and sex. At visit 1, 413 (32%) individuals were classified as Stage A and 413 (32%) as Stage B. By visit 2, 146 (35%) individuals from Stage A progressed with the vast majority (n=142) progressing to Stage B. In comparison, a total of 23 (6%) individuals progressed from Stage B. A greater rate of progression was seen for Stage A compared with Stage B (8.7 per 100 person-years [95% CI, 7.4-10.2] versus 1.4 per 100 person-years [95% CI, 0.9-2.1]; P<0.001). NT-proBNP correlated with progression for Stage B (P=0.01), but not for Stage A (P=0.39). A multivariate model found female sex (odds ratio, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.05-2.58]; P=0.03), increased E/e' (odds ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.02-1.26], P=0.02), and beta blocker use (odds ratio, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.25-3.82], P=0.006) were associated with progression for Stage A. There was a signal that cardiovascular mortality was higher in individuals who progressed, although not statistically significant (P=0.06 for Stage A and P=0.05 for Stage B). There is significant progression of preclinical heart failure in a community population, with progression rates higher for Stage A. NT-proBNP correlated with progression for Stage B, but not for Stage A. No statistically significant differences in long-term outcomes were seen. Study results have clinical implications important to help guide future heart failure screening and prevention strategies.

Heart failure prevention and monitoring strategies in HER2-positive breast cancer: a narrative review.

PurposeCardiotoxicity from anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) therapy carries a short- and long-term risk of incident heart failure and increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with breast cancer. Interruptions in anti-HER2 therapy due to cardiotoxicity can lead to suboptimal cancer treatment. The purpose of this narrative review is to outline opportunities to optimize cardiovascular care in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer to prevent interruptions in therapy.MethodsThis case-based review presents the current literature on evidence-based strategies for personalized cardiotoxicity risk assessment, risk mitigation interventions, cardiac function surveillance tools, and management of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction in breast cancer patients receiving anti-HER2 therapy.ResultsPretreatment cardiac risk assessment incorporates both treatment-related risk factors and patient-related risk factors for the development of cardiac dysfunction. Prevention and monitoring strategies while on treatment utilize risk factor modification, imaging and biomarker surveillance. Management of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction due to anti-HER2 therapy is evolving. Permissive cardiotoxicity in asymptomatic patients while starting cardioprotective therapies requires close collaboration between oncology and cardiology, and referral to cardio-oncology if available.ConclusionsPatient-centered, multimodal strategies to prevent, detect, and manage cardiotoxicity from anti-HER2 therapy are necessary to improve outcomes in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

First-line antiretroviral treatment and virological response among HIV adult patients at an accredited HIV care center, Cameroon

BackgroundViral load (VL) monitoring in the clinical follow-up of HIV patients to detect treatment failure is not routinely offered in Cameroon. The study was designed to characterize virological response on antiretroviral treatment (ART) among adults living with HIV and to identify predictors of virological failure (VF).MethodsBetween November 2014 and January 2016, a prospective, population-based cohort study was conducted among HIV-positive adults under first-line treatment and monitored at the Accredited HIV Care Center (AHCC) of Laquintinie Hospital of Douala. Clinical and biological data at the initiation of ART were collected from patients’ medical records. HIV VL at 12 and 24 months after the patient started treatment on ART were performed using quantitative real-time PCR protocol with the generic HIV Roche TaqMan assay. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis were performed in Stata SE11 version in data analysis.ResultsOverall 150 (45.5%) of 330 adults living with HIV were tested with at least one VL, and of these patients, 51 (34.0%) were tested with two VL during the followed-up. The VF was observed in 13 of 51 (25.5%) patients and among them, 8 (61.5%) switched to second-line ART regimens. Thirty-five (68.6%) of the 51 patients had an undetectable VL at the first VL measurement, and seven (13.7%) patients subsequently developed viral load rebound (VLR) on tritherapy. Using a multivariate analysis, the risk of VF was seven times higher in HIV adults who did not respect the medication hours (OR = 7.38, 95%CI = 1.56–34.90, p = 0.012) and eleven times higher in patients with none or primary school education (OR = 11.38, 95% CI = 2.41–53.76, p = 0.002).ConclusionLow education level and poor adherence are the main risk factors for VF. Strengthening therapeutic failure prevention strategies and routine VL surveillance would allow early detection of VF and contribute in achieving the third goal of UNAIDS which recommends “90–90-90” targets for People Living with HIV in resource-limited settings.

Immune Correlates of Diffuse Myocardial Fibrosis and Diastolic Dysfunction Among Aging Women With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) imparts increased heart failure risk to women. Among women with HIV (WHIV), immune pathways relating to heart failure precursors may intimate targets for heart failure prevention strategies. Twenty asymptomatic, antiretroviral-treated WHIV and 14 non-HIV-infected women matched on age and body mass index underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and immune phenotyping. WHIV (vs non-HIV-infected women) exhibited increased myocardial fibrosis (extracellular volume fraction, 0.34 ± 0.06 vs 0.29 ± 0.04; P = .002), reduced diastolic function (diastolic strain rate, 1.10 ± 0.23 s-1 vs 1.39 ± 0.27 s-1; P = .003), and heightened systemic monocyte activation. Among WHIV, soluble CD163 levels correlated with myocardial fibrosis (r = 0.53; P = .02), while circulating inflammatory CD14+CD16+ monocyte CCR2 expression related directly to myocardial fibrosis (r = 0.48; P = .04) and inversely to diastolic function (r = -0.49; P = .03). Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02874703.

Galectin-3 Is Associated With Stage B Metabolic Heart Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension in Young Obese Patients.

BackgroundObesity is a precursor to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Biomarkers that identify preclinical metabolic heart disease (MHD) in young obese patients would help identify high‐risk individuals for heart failure prevention strategies. We assessed the predictive value of GAL3 (galectin–3), FSTL3 (follistatin‐like 3 peptide), and NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) to identify stage B MHD in young obese participants free of clinically evident cardiovascular disease.Methods and ResultsAsymptomatic obese patients (n=250) and non‐obese controls (n=21) underwent echocardiographic cardiac phenotyping. Obese patients were classified as MHD positive (MHD‐POS; n=94) if they had abnormal diastolic function or left ventricular hypertrophy and had estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure ≥35 mm Hg. Obese patients without such abnormalities were classified as MHD negative (MHD‐NEG; n=52). Serum biomarkers timed with echocardiography. MHD‐POS and MHD‐NEG individuals were similarly obese, but MHD‐POS patients were older, with more diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. Right ventricular coupling was worse in MHD‐POS patients (P<0.001). GAL3 levels were higher in MHD‐POS versus MHD‐NEG patients (7.7±2.3 versus 6.3±1.9 ng/mL, respectively; P<0.001). Both GAL3 and FSTL3 levels correlated with diastolic dysfunction and increased pulmonary artery systolic pressure but not with left ventricular mass. In multivariate models including all 3 biomarkers, only GAL3 remained associated with MHD (odds ratio: 1.30; 95% CI, 1.01–1.68; P=0.04).ConclusionsIn young obese individuals without known cardiovascular disease, GAL3 is associated with the presence of preclinical MHD. GAL3 may be useful in screening for preclinical MHD and identifying individuals with increased risk of progression to obesity‐related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Strategies for failure prevention in a gas motor of launch vehicle control actuation system

Strategies for failure prevention in a gas motor of launch vehicle control actuation system

Strategies for failure prevention in a gas motor of launch vehicle control actuation system

Hydraulic servo actuators are employed for the thrust vector control of the liquid engines. Vane type gas motor, the prime mover of the system, is a critical subsystem with intricate dynamic elements such as rotor, bearings, vanes and speed regulator. Failure prevention of such critical systems, which is of paramount importance to the success of a launch vehicle mission, depends on making the design robust and ensuring that the critical parameters of the system hardware are within the specified range to give optimal performance. This paper addresses the strategies for achieving the design robustness through severe environmental stress testing and realisation of system hardware complying with quality requirements, which are essential for failure prevention. Towards this, critical environments for the gas motor have been identified and testing extended much beyond the system qualification levels, inducing failures. The test observations and data are analysed critically and design modifications made for broadening the operating environments. The quality systems and procedures for the system hardware are strengthened to assure reliable performance of the gas motor.

Analysis of an Angular Contact Ball Bearing Failure and Strategies for Failure Prevention

Bearing failures are one of the most common failure modes in the rotating machinery and equipment. Angular contact ball bearings are widely used considering their ability to carry the loads in both axial and radial directions, durability and low friction. The smooth functioning of these bearings greatly depends on the bearing load rating, material, type of fit with which it is assembled, the operating temperature and proper installation in the assembly. This paper presents the analysis of a failure of an angular contact ball bearing used in the gas motor system of an electrohydraulic control actuator used for launch vehicle attitude control. Detailed investigation of the failure is carried out by thermal and structural modeling of the bearing assembly, and the failure cause is identified as the combination of design error, hardware deviations and improper assembly operation which led to bearing misalignment and very high loading of the first row of balls resulting in excessive heating. The failure theory explains all the observations on the parts of the failed bearing. The physics of failure is understood, corrective actions to avoid the failure are addressed, and the strategies for prevention of similar failures are evolved.

The Financial Benefits of Various Catastrophic Failure Prevention Strategies in a Wind Farm: Two market studies (UK-Spain)

Operation of wind farms is driven by the overall aim of minimising costs while maximising energy sales. However, in certain circumstances investments are required to guarantee safe operation and survival of an asset. In this paper, we discuss the merits of various catastrophic failure prevention strategies in a Spanish wind farm. The wind farm operator was required to replace blades in two phases: temporary and final repair. We analyse the power performance of the turbine in the different states and investigate four scenarios with different timing of temporary and final repair during one year. The financial consequences of the scenarios are compared with a baseline by using a discounted cash flow analysis that considers the wholesale electricity market selling prices and interest rates. A comparison with the UK electricity market is conducted to highlight differences in the rate of return in the two countries.

Reliability of pathogen control in direct potable reuse: Performance evaluation and QMRA of a full-scale 1 MGD advanced treatment train

To safely progress toward direct potable reuse (DPR), it is essential to ensure that DPR systems can provide public health protection equivalent to or greater than that of conventional drinking water sources. This study collected data over a one-year period from a full-scale DPR demonstration facility, and used both performance distribution functions (PDFs) and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to define and evaluate the reliability of the advanced water treatment facility (AWTF). The AWTF's ability to control enterovirus, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium was characterized using online monitoring of surrogates in a treatment train consisting of ozone, biological activated carbon, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light with an advanced oxidation process. This process train was selected to improve reliability by providing redundancy, defined as the provision of treatment beyond the minimum needed to meet regulatory requirements. The PDFs demonstrated treatment that consistently exceeded the 12/10/10-log thresholds for virus, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, as currently required for potable reuse in California (via groundwater recharge and surface water augmentation). Because no critical process failures impacted pathogen removal performance during the yearlong testing, hypothetical failures were incorporated into the analysis to understand the benefit of treatment redundancy on performance. Each unit process was modeled with a single failure per year lasting four different failure durations: 15 min, 60 min, 8 h, and 24 h. QMRA was used to quantify the impact of failures on pathogen risk. The median annual risk of infection for Cryptosporidium was 4.9 × 10−11 in the absence of failures, and reached a maximum of 1.1 × 10−5 assuming one 24-h failure per process per year. With the inclusion of free chlorine disinfection as part of the treatment process, enterovirus had a median annual infection risk of 1.5 × 10−14 (no failures) and a maximum annual value of 2.1 × 10−5 (assuming one 24-h failure per year). Even with conservative failure assumptions, pathogen risk from this treatment train remains below the risk targets for both the U.S. (10−4 infections/person/year) and the WHO (approximately 10−3 infections/person/year, equivalent to 10−6 DALY/person/year), demonstrating the value of a failure prevention strategy based on treatment redundancy.

Decreasing the frequency of HVDC commutation failures caused by harmonics

Commutation failure, primarily caused by voltage drops and distortion, may lead to high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power interruption and AC system oscillation. To date, there have been few studies on the mechanism and prevention of commutation failure based on voltage distortion caused by harmonics. This study analyses the influence of harmonic voltage on commutation failure based on voltage time area and proposes a method for quantitative analysis of harmonic effects. The analysis shows that limiting the DC current is an effective method to mitigate commutation failure caused by harmonics. A voltage distortion-dependent commutation failure prevention strategy is proposed, and the controller is applied on the inverter side. The selection of parameters is based on the influence of various harmonic orders. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed methods are verified by simulations, which show that voltage distortion-dependent commutation failure prevention strategy can improve the DC system recovery characteristics and suppress subsequent commutation failure caused by harmonics.

Evolving Use of Natriuretic Peptides as Part of Strategies for Heart Failure Prevention.

Heart failure (HF) remains one of the major cardiovascular challenges to the Western world. Once established, HF is characterized by compromised life expectancy and quality of life with considerable dependence on hospital care for episodic clinical deterioration. Much is understood about the risk factors that predispose to the development of HF. With such a broad range of factors, it is clear that there is a large population at risk, potentially in excess of 25% of the adult population. Therein lies the major challenge at the outset of our efforts to prevent HF. With such a large population at risk, how do we develop an effective prevention strategy? HF prevention requires a multimodal approach. In this review, we focus primarily on the role of natriuretic peptide (NP) as a tool in a prevention strategy. Prevention of HF is a major public health challenge, underlined by the concerning epidemiological trends, the associated costs, and the continued difficulty to find effective therapies for the growing number of patients with preserved systolic function HF. Population-based approaches focusing on lifestyle and risk factor control have made some impact but not to a satisfactory level and also tend to result in a uniform approach across a population with different risk profiles. Individualizing risk is therefore required, with emerging data indicating that NP-guided risk stratification and intervention can reduce downstream incident HF and other cardiovascular events.

Molecular mechanisms of heart failure: insights from Drosophila

Heart failure places an enormous burden on health and economic systems worldwide. It is a complex disease that is profoundly influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Neither the molecular mechanisms underlying heart failure nor effective prevention strategies are fully understood. Fortunately, relevant aspects of human heart failure can be experimentally studied in tractable model animals, including the fruit fly, Drosophila, allowing the in vivo application of powerful and sophisticated molecular genetic and physiological approaches. Heart failure in Drosophila, as in humans, can be classified into dilated cardiomyopathies and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. Critically, many genes and cellular pathways directing heart development and function are evolutionarily conserved from Drosophila to humans. Studies of molecular mechanisms linking aging with heart failure have revealed that genes involved in aging-associated energy homeostasis and oxidative stress resistance influence cardiac dysfunction through perturbation of IGF and TOR pathways. Importantly, ion channel proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, and integrins implicated in aging of the mammalian heart have been shown to play significant roles in heart failure. A number of genes previously described having roles in development of the Drosophila heart, such as genes involved in Wnt signaling pathways, have recently been shown to play important roles in the adult fly heart. Moreover, the fly model presents opportunities for innovative studies that cannot currently be pursued in the mammalian heart because of technical limitations. In this review, we discuss progress in our understanding of genes, proteins, and molecular mechanisms that affect the Drosophila adult heart and heart failure.