The management of system reliability

Abstract

The majority of this book consists of methods of probabilistic or statistical calculation to obtain numerical answers in the form of system reliability, availability, etc. As with other branches and specialisms in engineering, however, calculation is important, but not the whole story by any means. In fact many would claim, and we would not disagree, that the practice of reliability engineering is ∼80% management and ∼20% calculation whereas in expounding its theory the percentages must be reversed. We incline to the view that a reasonably good job can be made of ensuring that a product or system is adequately reliable, etc., without many calculations. The sophisticated probabilistic and statistical methods which dominate this book and others provide a very necessary edge in a competitive world. There is no doubt also that the existence of data from which figures can be derived for the reliability factors considerably enhances the value of managerially based reliability studies.