Failure Analysis

The analysis of failures is very important for revealing the cause of a particular failure, for taking appropriate measures to avoid similar failures in the future, and for improving similar products or processes. Historically, failure analysis has also contributed to the creation of new disciplines of mechanics and other branches, and to the better design…

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Introduction to diagnostics

The reliability of many objects, machines, transport means, various appliances, or processes can be increased and operational costs can be reduced by the application of diagnostics. This is a branch of technology dealing with the methods and means for ascertaining the condition of investigated objects. Even the “reliability” of humans can be increased and the…

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maintenance

The operational reliability and service life of machines, vehicles, various appliances, bridges, and many other long-life objects are strongly influenced by maintenance. This term generally denotes small works for restoring full operability, such as cleaning, exchange of oils and filters, and tightening of the locked screws and other adjustments, as well as the repairs of paints…

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Bathtub Curve

Failure rate, can change with time. Figure 1 shows the time course of λ(t) typical of nonrepairable objects, such as electrical bulbs, pumps, switches, or springs, and also living beings, including humans. Such course can be obtained if the operation of a high number of objects of the same kind is monitored. Due to its shape, resembling…

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probability basics

The occurrence of failures is usually accompanied by some uncertainty. This is due to many factors that we cannot control, and call them therefore random. Similarly, we speak about random events, which can happen or not, depending on random influences. For their prediction, we use the concept of probability and the related methods. However, before these methods will be…

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Basic Terms of Reliability

In matters of reliability, people from various branches — manufacturers, customers, technicians, and lawyers — must often communicate together, especially when trying to find the answers to the following questions: ”What happened and why?“, ”Who is guilty of this accident?”, ”Who should pay the damages caused by the failure?”, or “How should the warranty be…

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