Weibull++ Example 11 - Failure Modes RBD Analysis

Examples provided here are purely for illustrating software features and functionality.

Weibull++ Example 11 – Failure Modes RBD Analysis

Download Example File for Version 10 (*.rsgz10) or Version 9 (*.rsr9)

Background

A particular component can fail due to six independent primary failure modes: A, B, C, D, E and F. The component fails if mode A, B or C occurs. If mode D, E or F occurs alone, the component does not fail; however, the component will fail if any two (or more) of these modes occur (i.e., D and E; D and F; E and F). The objective is to analyze each failure mode using the 2-parameter Weibull distribution with MLE and to determine the lower 1-sided 90% confidence bound on the reliability of this component at 100 hours.

Experiment and Data

An independent test on each failure mode is conducted. The following tables record the times-to-failure data of each mode (in hours).

Mode A Mode B Mode C
Number
in Group
State Time Number
in Group
State Time Number
in Group
State Time
1 F 1144 1 F 19 1 F 2221
1 F 1719 1 F 140 1 F 2257
1 F 2129 1 F 292 1 F 2569
1 F 2803 1 F 432 1 F 3029
1 F 3020 1 F 528 1 F 3805
1 F 3082 1 F 552 10 S 5000
1 F 3589 1 F 605
1 F 3973 1 F 734
1 F 4337 1 F 779
1 F 5011 1 F 874
1 F 5029
18 S 5500
Mode D Mode E Mode F
Number
in Group
State Time Number
in Group
State Time Number
in Group
State Time
1 F 1063 1 F 1290 1 F 605
1 F 1085 1 F 2261 1 F 760
1 F 1399 1 F 2355 1 F 773
1 F 1445 1 F 3209 1 F 854
1 F 1550 1 F 3284 1 F 890
1 F 2056 1 F 3394 1 F 1165
1 F 4384 1 F 3596 1 F 1220
1 F 4863 1 F 4203 1 F 1320
8 S 5000 1 F 4254 1 F 1967
1 F 4294 1 F 2606
1 F 4420 1 F 2834
10 S 5000 15 S 3000

Analysis

Step 1: Create a new Weibull++ standard folio data sheet that holds grouped times-to-failure data with suspensions.

Step 2: Rename the folio to “Component” and the data sheet to “A.” Enter the data given for Failure Mode A and use the 2-parameter Weibull distribution with MLE to calculate the parameters, as shown next.

Figure 1: Data sheet A with data entered and results shown.

Step 3: Insert another data sheet into the folio by choosing Life Data > Folio Sheets > Insert Data Sheet. Rename the new data sheet to “B,” enter the data given for Failure Mode B and calculate the parameters. Repeat for the remaining failure modes.

Step 4: Add a diagram to the project by choosing Insert > Tools > Diagram. Click the Data Sheets page of the diagram control panel. All the calculated data sheets in the project will be shown. Drag a data sheet onto the diagram to create a block that represents that data sheet.

Figure 1: Degradation analysis folio.

The following plot shows the exponential curves for six of the tested samples (with the scaling adjusted to Y= 40 to 100 and X= 0 to 20).

Figure 2: Data Sheets page of the diagram control panel.

Step 5: Build the RBD that describes the reliability-wise configuration of the failure modes. To add a node that requires that 2 out of 3 paths must function for the system to function, choose Diagram > Diagram Tools > Add Node. Then double-click the node to specify the number of required paths.

Figure 3: Completed reliability block diagram.

Step 6: Return to the Main page of the diagram control panel, then click Calculate to analyze the diagram. Use the Quick Calculation Pad to calculate the lower 1-sided 90% confidence bound on the reliability at 100 hours. The lower bound is estimated to be 82.23%, as shown next.

Figure 4: Solving for the lower 90% 1-sided confidence bound on reliability at 100 hours.