Abstract
In reliability the words ‘series’ and ‘parallel’ are borrowed from electrical engineering. However, their meanings are changed. Items are in series for reliability only if failure of the system results from failure of any item. Two booster rockets might be employed to launch a missile. If both are needed for a successful launch then they are in series for reliability but in parallel for operation; if one rocket can fail without failing the mission then they are in parallel for both reliability and operation. With this proviso we can use block diagrams like electronic ‘black box’ diagrams to depict the relationships.
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© 1993 D.J. Sherwin and A. Bossche
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Sherwin, D.J., Bossche, A. (1993). Series systems. In: The Reliability, Availability and Productiveness of Systems. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1582-7_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1582-7_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4688-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1582-7
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