With emphasis on practical aspects of engineering, this bestseller has gained worldwide recognition through progressive editions as the essential reliability textbook. This fifth edition retains the unique balanced mixture of reliability theory and applications, thoroughly updated with the latest industry best practices.

Preface to the First Edition xv Preface to the Second Edition xvii Preface to the Third Edition xix Preface to the Third Edition Revised xxi Preface to the Fourth Edition xxiii Preface to the Fifth Edition xxv Acknowledgements xxvii 1 Introduction to Reliability Engineering 1 1.1 What is Reliability Engineering? 1 1.2 Why Teach Reliability Engineering? 2 1.3 Why Do Engineering Products Fail? 4 1.4 Probabilistic Reliability 6 1.5 Repairable and Non-Repairable Items 7 1.6 The Pattern of Failures with Time (Non-Repairable Items) 8 1.7 The Pattern of Failures with Time (Repairable Items) 9 1.8 The Development of Reliability Engineering 9 1.9 Courses, Conferences and Literature 11 1.10 Organizations Involved in Reliability Work 12 1.11 Reliability as an Effectiveness Parameter 12 1.12 Reliability Programme Activities 13 1.13 Reliability Economics and Management 14 Questions 17 Bibliography 18 2 Reliability Mathematics 19 2.1 Introduction 19 2.2 Variation 19 2.3 Probability Concepts 21 2.4 Rules of Probability 22 2.5 Continuous Variation 28 2.6 Continuous Distribution Functions 33 2.7 Summary of Continuous Statistical Distributions 41 2.8 Variation in Engineering 41 2.9 Conclusions 47 2.10 Discrete Variation 48 2.11 Statistical Confidence 51 2.12 Statistical Hypothesis Testing 53 2.13 Non-Parametric Inferential Methods 57 2.14 Goodness of Fit 59 2.15 Series of Events (Point Processes) 61 2.16 Computer Software for Statistics 64 2.17 Practical Conclusions 64 Questions 66 Bibliography 68 3 Life Data Analysis and Probability Plotting 70 3.1 Introduction 70 3.2 Life Data Classification 71 3.3 Ranking of Data 75 3.4 Weibull Distribution 78 3.5 Computerized Data Analysis and Probability Plotting 85 3.6 Confidence Bounds for Life Data Analysis 89 3.7 Choosing the Best Distribution and Assessing the Results 95 3.8 Conclusions 102 Questions 103 Bibliography 107 4 Monte Carlo Simulation 108 4.1 Introduction 108 4.2 Monte Carlo Simulation Basics 108 4.3 Additional Statistical Distributions 108 4.4 Sampling a Statistical Distribution 110 4.5 Basic Steps for Performing a Monte Carlo Simulation 113 4.6 Monte Carlo Method Summary 115 Questions 118 Bibliography 119 5 Load–Strength Interference 120 5.1 Introduction 120 5.2 Distributed Load and Strength 120 5.3 Analysis of Load–Strength Interference 123 5.4 Effect of Safety Margin and Loading Roughness on Reliability (Multiple Load Applications) 124 5.5 Practical Aspects 131 Questions 132 Bibliography 133 6 Reliability Prediction and Modelling 134 6.1 Introduction 134 6.2 Fundamental Limitations of Reliability Prediction 135 6.3 Standards Based Reliability Prediction 136 6.4 Other Methods for Reliability Predictions 141 6.5 Practical Aspects 143 6.6 Systems Reliability Models 143 6.7 Availability of Repairable Systems 147 6.8 Modular Design 151 6.9 Block Diagram Analysis 152 6.10 Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) 157 6.11 State-Space Analysis (Markov Analysis) 158 6.12 Petri Nets 165 6.13 Reliability Apportionment 169 6.14 Conclusions 170 Questions 170 Bibliography 175 7 Design for Reliability 177 7.1 Introduction 177 7.2 Design for Reliability Process 178 7.3 Identify 179 7.4 Design 183 7.5 Analyse 196 7.6 Verify 197 7.7 Validate 198 7.8 Control 198 7.9 Assessing the DfR Capability of an Organization 201 7.10 Summary 201 Questions 202 Bibliography 203 8 Reliability of Mechanical Components and Systems 205 8.1 Introduction 205 8.2 Mechanical Stress, Strength and Fracture 206 8.3 Fatigue 208 8.4 Creep 214 8.5 Wear 214 8.6 Corrosion 216 8.7 Vibration and Shock 216 8.8 Temperature Effects 218 8.9 Materials 220 8.10 Components 220 8.11 Processes 221 Questions 222 Bibliography 223 9 Electronic Systems Reliability 225 9.1 Introduction 225 9.2 Reliability of Electronic Components 226 9.3 Component Types and Failure Mechanisms 229 9.4 Summary of Device Failure Modes 243 9.5 Circuit and System Aspects 244 9.6 Reliability in Electronic System Design 245 9.7 Parameter Variation and Tolerances 254 9.8 Design for Production, Test and Maintenance 258 Questions 259 Bibliography 260 10 Software Reliability 262 10.1 Introduction 262 10.2 Software in Engineering Systems 263 10.3 Software Errors 265 10.4 Preventing Errors 267 10.5 Software Structure and Modularity 268 10.6 Programming Style 269 10.7 Fault Tolerance 269 10.8 Redundancy/Diversity 270 10.9 Languages 270 10.10 Data Reliability 272 10.11 Software Checking 272 10.12 Software Testing 274 10.13 Error Reporting 275 10.14 Software Reliability Prediction and Measurement 276 10.15 Hardware/Software Interfaces 281 10.16 Conclusions 281 Questions 283 Bibliography 283 11 Design of Experiments and Analysis of Variance 284 11.1 Introduction 284 11.2 Statistical Design of Experiments and Analysis of Variance 284 11.3 Randomizing the Data 296 11.4 Engineering Interpretation of Results 297 11.5 The Taguchi Method 297 11.6 Conclusions 301 Questions 302 Bibliography 305 12 Reliability Testing 306 12.1 Introduction 306 12.2 Planning Reliability Testing 307 12.3 Test Environments 309 12.4 Testing for Reliability and Durability: Accelerated Test 313 12.5 Test Planning 322 12.6 Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action Systems (FRACAS) 323 Questions 324 Bibliography 325 13 Analysing Reliability Data 327 13.1 Introduction 327 13.2 Pareto Analysis 327 13.3 Accelerated Test Data Analysis 328 13.4 Acceleration Factor 329 13.5 Acceleration Models 330 13.6 Field-Test Relationship 335 13.7 Statistical Analysis of Accelerated Test Data 336 13.8 Reliability Analysis of Repairable Systems 339 13.9 CUSUM Charts 343 13.10 Exploratory Data Analysis and Proportional Hazards Modelling 346 13.11 Field and Warranty Data Analysis 348 Questions 351 Bibliography 355 14 Reliability Demonstration and Growth 357 14.1 Introduction 357 14.2 Reliability Metrics 357 14.3 Test to Success (Success Run Method) 358 14.4 Test to Failure Method 359 14.5 Extended Life Test 360 14.6 Continuous Testing 361 14.7 Degradation Analysis 362 14.8 Combining Results Using Bayesian Statistics 363 14.9 Non-Parametric Methods 365 14.10 Reliability Demonstration Software 366 14.11 Practical Aspects of Reliability Demonstration 366 14.12 Standard Methods for Repairable Equipment 367 14.13 Reliability Growth Monitoring 373 14.14 Making Reliability Grow 382 Questions 383 Bibliography 385 15 Reliability in Manufacture 386 15.1 Introduction 386 15.2 Control of Production Variability 386 15.3 Control of Human Variation 390 15.4 Acceptance Sampling 391 15.5 Improving the Process 395  15.6 Quality Control in Electronics Production 399 15.7 Stress Screening 402 15.8 Production Failure Reporting Analysis and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) 404 15.9 Conclusions 405 Questions 405 Bibliography 406 16 Maintainability, Maintenance and Availability 408 16.1 Introduction 408 16.2 Availability Measures 409 16.3 Maintenance Time Distributions 410 16.4 Preventive Maintenance Strategy 411 16.5 FMECA and FTA in Maintenance Planning 415 16.6 Maintenance Schedules 415 16.7 Technology Aspects 415 16.8 Calibration 417 16.9 Maintainability Prediction 417 16.10 Maintainability Demonstration 418 16.11 Design for Maintainability 418 16.12 Integrated Logistic Support 418 Questions 419 Bibliography 420 17 Reliability Management 421 17.1 Corporate Policy for Reliability 421 17.2 Integrated Reliability Programmes 421 17.3 Reliability and Costs 424 17.4 Safety and Product Liability 428 17.5 Standards for Reliability, Quality and Safety 428 17.6 Specifying Reliability 431 17.7 Contracting for Reliability Achievement 432 17.8 Managing Lower-Level Suppliers 434 17.9 The Reliability Manual 435 17.10 The Project Reliability Plan 436 17.11 Use of External Services 436 17.12 Customer Management of Reliability 437 17.13 Selecting and Training for Reliability 439 17.14 Organization for Reliability 440 17.15 Reliability Capability and Maturity of an Organization 442 17.16 Managing Production Quality 444 17.17 Quality Management Approaches 446 17.18 Choosing the Methods: Strategy and Tactics 447 17.19 Conclusions 448 Questions 449 Bibliography 450 Appendix 1 The Standard Cumulative Normal Distribution Function 451 Appendix 2 χ2(α, ν) Distribution Values 453 Appendix 3 Kolmogorov–Smirnov Tables 455 Appendix 4 Rank Tables (5 %, 95 %) 457 Appendix 5 Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) 465 Appendix 6 Reliability, Maintainability (and Safety) Plan Example 467 Appendix 7 Matrix Algebra Revision 474 Index 476

“This informative, quick read will give the reader simple explanations and an overview of the various major forms of energy and how energy is stored and transported.”  (IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, 1 November 2013)