What is Reliability Engineering? The Science of Predicting System Failures

What is reliability engineering? It might sound like a complex question, but the answer is surprisingly simple. #ReliabilityEngineering is the study of system failures. By understanding how and why systems fail, we can take steps to prevent those failures and improve system performance. This is a critical field, especially in today's world where businesses rely more and more on #technology. Without reliable systems, businesses would quickly come to a standstill. In this article, we will explore what reliability engineering is and some of the ways it can benefit your organisation.

Reliability engineering is a branch of engineering that deals with the prediction of system failures. It uses statistical analysis to understand how systems fail and to predict future behaviour. This information is used to assess system performance, asset availability, lifecycle cost and risk. It also enables maintenance and support programmes to be developed which support the achievement of organisational objectives. Reliability analysis can be applied to hardware, software and even humans!?

There are a number of key techniques which are used in reliability engineering:

• Fitting of distributions to failure and maintenance data. Statistical distributions are used in reliability engineering to predict system behaviour. There are a variety of statistical distributions that can be used, each appropriate to different scenarios. The most common distributions used in reliability engineering are the Exponential Distribution, Normal Distribution, the Lognormal Distribution, and the Weibull Distribution.?
• System modelling. System modelling represents a designed or physical asset in an analytical format which can support determination of system weakness, prioritisation of design improvements and assessment of system characteristics. Common system modelling techniques in reliability engineering are Reliability Block Diagrams, Functional Block Diagrams and Markov Models.?
• Reliability and maintainability predictions. Before the system is operational, generic failure, maintenance and repair rates for system components can be used, in conjunction with system models, to predict the reliability and maintainability characteristics of designed systems.?
• Simulation. Simulation is the creation and analysis of a dynamic model of a system which can be used to support decision making. Simulation allows for the analysis of system behaviour under different conditions, including failure and repair scenarios. Monte Carlo simulation is commonly used within reliability engineering.?
• Failure mode analysis. Failure mode analysis is a technique used to identify potential failure modes for system components and to assess the effect of those failures on system operation. It is typically used during the design phase but can also be applied to existing systems. Failure mode analysis is often used as the first step in the development of maintenance and support programmes.?
• Reliability and maintainability testing and demonstration. Testing and demonstration are used to verify system reliability and maintainability in the operational environment. This allows for the validation of predictions made during the design phase and can identify issues which may not have been considered during the design process.?
• Physics of failure techniques. Physics of failure techniques are used to understand the mechanisms by which system components fail. Physics of failure can be used to predict failure rates of systems by analysing the scientific causes and methods of material failure.?

Each of these techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages, but when used together they provide a powerful tool for predicting system behaviour. Reliability engineering is an essential part of any system design, development and sustainment activity. It can be used to support the achievement of organisational objectives by reducing the risk of system failure, increasing asset availability and reducing lifecycle costs.

If you want to improve the reliability of your systems in a cost effective way, then consider investing in reliability engineering. It could be the best decision you ever make! If you would like to learn more about reliability engineering and how it can benefit your organisation, please reach out to us via our website below. We would be happy to discuss your specific needs and requirements https://assetmanagementassociates.com.au/