Reliability Engineering

This book gives a practical guide for designers and users in Information and Communication Technology context. In particular, in the first Section, the definition of the fundamental terms according to the international standards are given. Then, some theoretical concepts and reliability models are presented in Chapters 2 and 3: the aim is to evaluate performance for components and systems and reliability growth. Chapter 4, by introducing the laboratory tests, puts in evidence the reliability concept from the experimental point of view. In ICT context, the failure rate for a given system can be evaluate by means of specific reliability prediction handbooks; this aspect is considered in Chapter 5, with practical applications. In Chapters 6, 7 and 8, the more complex aspects regarding both the Maintainability, Availability and Dependability are taken into account; in particular, some fundamental techniques such as FMECA (Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis) and FTA (Fault Tree Analysis) are presented with examples for reparable systems.

It is well known that reliability and dependability are assuminga strategic role in all contexts where productperformance and safety are specific requirements.

To this purpose this book representsa practical guide for designers and users in Information and Communication Technology area and for those that treat the different stages of the life cycle of products.

Starting from the definition of the fundamental terms according to the international standards, basic techniques for the evaluation of the reliability of components and systems are presented.

A specific feature of this book is to describe reliability concepts starting from an experimental point of view: for this reason particular attention has beenpaid to laboratory tests. For instance in ICT area, a practical way for evaluating the failure rate for a given system is to use properreliability prediction handbooks. In the book manyexamples are reported to this purpose.

Last, the more complex aspects regarding the Dependability of complex systems are taken into account; in particular, some fundamental techniques such as FMECA (Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analysis) and FTA (Fault Tree Analysis) are presented with examples for reparable systems.