BlockSim: System Reliability and Maintainability Analysis Software Tool



The ultimate system visualization and analysis toolTM

ReliaSoft’s BlockSim software tool provides a comprehensive platform for system reliability, availability, maintainability and related analyses.

The software offers a sophisticated graphical interface that allows you to model the simplest or most complex systems and processes using reliability block diagrams (RBDs) or fault tree analysis (FTA) — or a combination of both approaches! In Version 10, Markov diagrams are also available (if supported by your license).

Ready to learn more?

Software Features

BlockSim supports an extensive array of reliability block diagram (RBD) configurations and fault tree analysis (FTA) gates and events, including advanced capabilities to model complex configurations, load sharing, standby redundancy, phases and duty cycles. Using exact computations and/or discrete event simulation, BlockSim facilitates a wide variety of analyses for both repairable and non-repairable systems. This includes:

  • System Reliability Analysis
  • Identification of Critical Components (Reliability Importance Measures)
  • Optimum Reliability Allocation
  • System Maintainability Analysis (Determine Optimum Preventive Maintenance Intervals, Spare Parts Provisions, etc.)
  • System Availability Analysis (Calculate Uptime, Downtime, Availability, etc.)
  • Throughput Calculation (Identify Bottlenecks, Estimate Production Capacity, etc.)
  • Life Cycle Cost Estimation

Synthesis Integration

With integration into the Synthesis Platform, analyses are now stored in a centralized database that supports simultaneous access by multiple users and shares relevant reliability information between Synthesis-enabled software tools. For enterprise-level repositories, both Microsoft SQL Server® and Oracle® are supported.

Available Training

ReliaSoft offers a three-day training course that addresses the topic of system reliability, maintainability and related analyses using a reliability block diagram (RBD) or fault tree analysis (FTA) approach. By combining a solid theoretical foundation with practical application examples and hands-on training on the use of the BlockSim software tool, this course will give you the knowledge and skills you will need to successfully apply these important reliability techniques.

Benefits and Applications

The BlockSim software provides an extensive array of tools to help you model and analyze systems and/or processes. Some of the potential applications and benefits for using reliability block diagrams (RBDs), fault tree analysis (FTA) and ReliaSoft’s BlockSim software include:

  • Identify critical components (or failure modes) and determine the most effective ways to improve system performance through design improvements and/or maintenance planning.
  • Use simulation to obtain estimated performance metrics that can facilitate decision-making in a variety of areas, such as scheduling planned maintenance, planning for spares, identifying bottlenecks in production throughput and estimating life cycle costs.
  • Identify vulnerabilities in a system and determine the most effective ways to reduce the risk.

Software Capability Highlights

  • Series, Parallel and Complex
  • k-out-of-n
  • Standby
  • Load Sharing
  • Subdiagrams
  • Multi Blocks and Mirrored Blocks

  • AND and OR Gates
  • Voting Gates (k-out-of-n)
  • Inhibit Gates
  • NOT, NAND and NOR Gates
  • Standby Configurations Using:
    • Standby Gates
    • Priority AND Gates
    • Sequence Enforcing Gates
  • Load Sharing Gates
  • Subdiagrams

  • Exact System Reliability Equation
  • Minimal Cut Sets
  • Metrics:
    • Reliability and Probability of Failure
    • Conditional Reliability
    • Conditional Probability of Failure
    • Reliable Life (aka Warranty Time)
    • BX% Life
    • Mean Life
    • Failure Rate
  • Plots:
    • Reliability/Unreliability vs. Time
    • pdf
    • Failure Rate vs. Time
    • Reliability Importance Plots

  • Duty Cycles
  • Maintenance Durations
  • Restoration Factors
  • Direct & Indirect Maintenance Costs
  • Spare Parts Availability
  • Maintenance Crew Logistics
  • State Change Triggers
  • Batch Simulation
  • Metrics:
    • Mean and Point Availability
    • Mean and Point Unavailability
    • Reliability and Probability of Failure
    • Mean Time to First Failure
  • Plots (for System and/or Block):
    • Point Reliability
    • Point Availability
    • Mean Availability
    • Costs
    • Up/Down Timeline
    • Block or System Downtime
    • Expected Failures
    • Expected Downing Events
    • Criticality Metrics (e.g., RS FCI, etc.)
    • Block Bubble Plot
    • Crew Metrics
    • Spare Part Metrics
  • Throughput Analysis
    • Throughput
    • Block Excess Capacity
    • Block Backlog and Backlog Processed

  • Maintenance Phases
  • Node and Stop Blocks
  • Varying Throughput
  • Subdiagrams

  • Discrete
  • Continuous

  • Allocation Analysis
  • Optimum Replacement
  • FRED Reports
  • Overlay Plots (aka Multi-Plots)
  • Synthesis Workbooks (spreadsheet and word processing modules combined)

  • Publish models based on diagram analyses and create metrics to track and display KPIs
  • Use models created from analyses performed in other Synthesis applications
  • Build RBDs or fault trees from data in Xfmea/RCM++/RBI or Lambda Predict
  • Use BlockSim diagrams to simulate response data for DOE++
  • Use BlockSim diagram results in RENO flowcharts

Latest Release
10.1.6 ♦ 24-Oct-2016 | Update 


Contact Us | Live Chat | Technical Support 


Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 Requirements 


Interface Languages: English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Simplified Chinese


Training: G522AQuick Start Guide


Why Upgrade? New in Version 10


Pubs and Videos: