FAILURE STUDIES IN REDUNDANT SYSTEMS

Abstract

A quantitative analysis of the system is first required to determine all possible failure mode. This is often accomplished using what is called a 'failure mode and effects analysis', which is a systematic and organised method for dete. zaination and evaluation of all potential failures mechanism in an operating system. Therefore, due emphasis is given on failure mode in Chapter 3. System failures are primarily caused by the malfunction of constituent components. Failure analysis may, therefore, be considered as another aspect of design under risk and due emphasis is given in Chapter 4» Th conduct any quantitative reliability analysis and system optimisation meaningful estimates of component failure*-ratoo are clearly required, It follows that the knowledge of the component failure-rates of an overall equipment can be predicted. From actual field experience, workers on the subject of reliability have derived failure'rate-►data for components. The same component used under different condi-tions will have correspondingly different failure-rates.