Reliability Engineering: A Life Cycle Approach

Reliability Engineering – A Life Cycle Approach is based on the author’s knowledge of systems and their problems from multiple industries, from sophisticated, first class installations to less sophisticated plants often operating under severe budget constraints and yet having to deliver first class availability. Taking a practical approach and drawing from the author’s global academic and work experience, the text covers the basics of reliability engineering, from design through to operation and maintenance. Examples and problems are used to embed the theory, and case studies are integrated to convey real engineering experience and to increase the student’s analytical skills. Additional subjects such as failure analysis, the management of the reliability function, systems engineering skills, project management requirements and basic financial management requirements are covered. Linear programming and financial analysis are presented in the context of justifying maintenance budgets and retrofits. The book presents a stand-alone picture of the reliability engineer’s work over all stages of the system life-cycle, and enables readers to:

• Understand the life-cycle approach to engineering reliability





• Explore failure analysis techniques and their importance in reliability engineering





• Learn the skills of linear programming, financial analysis, and budgeting for maintenance





• Analyze the application of key concepts through realistic Case Studies

This text will equip engineering students, engineers and technical managers with the knowledge and skills they need, and the numerous examples and case studies include provide insight to their real-world application. An Instructor’s Manual and Figure Slides are available for instructors.

Edgar Bradley is a Consultant, specializing in Benchmarking, Human Capital Evaluation and RAM work (Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability). His qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (1964) and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Akron, Ohio, USA (1969) as well as an MBA from Cranfield University, in the UK (1975). For over 40 years he has also served as a lecturer in the Faculty of Industrial Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, lecturing and developing courses on the MSc programme on inter alia, Reliability Engineering, Maintenance Engineering, Project Management, Industrial Marketing and Systems Engineering. He has also lectured in Reliability Engineering at the University of Pretoria. In 2013 he was appointed as lecturer in Quality at the Namibian University of Science and Technology. He has commenced lectures in Reliability Engineering this year at North West University as well. For the past seven years he has worked as a Mechanical Consulting Engineer, giving consulting and training to the petroleum and other industries in the Middle East and in Southern Africa.