November 2025

What does the manufacturing industry look like in Oklahoma? In this episode of Gear Talk, Wes Cash sits down with Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell to discuss the manufacturing industries prevalent in the state of Oklahoma and identify what steps are being taken to bring more skilled professionals to the state and reduce the skills gap.

For most engineers, the phrase “inherent reliability” is practically sacred: a machine leaves the factory with a baked-in limit to how reliable it can ever be. Maintenance and operating practices can help maintain that level, but they generally can’t raise it. But what happens when a brand-new machine consistently fails long before its expected life?

Equipment failure is often treated like a mechanical mystery. When a bearing overheats, a gearbox leaks, or a motor vibrates itself into early retirement, the focus immediately lands on the physical symptom. Teams investigate the component, the hardware, the environment, or the lubricant.

Many maintenance departments today “fight fires” instead of approaching their problems systematically. This article will focus on the four common types of maintenance problems with the ultim…