Reliability Analysis

Abstract

This chapter explains the mathematics needed to perform reliability analysis and introduces the primary reliability parameters, which a development engineer must be familiar with today (Sects. 4.1 and 4.2). The so-called bathtub curve of failure rates is applied for the reliability of electronic systems; understanding the middle of this curve, which represents a constant failure rate, is critical in practice. The reliability parameters for electronic systems are easily calculated by applying this constant failure rate (Sect. 4.3). The failure modes of electronic components are described in Sect. 4.4. We show how the required reliability parameters for individual components and modules can be determined by applying the mode of constant failure rate (Sects. 4.5 and 4.6). In addition, we present how the system reliability can be calculated from the reliability of individual components. Finally, Sect. 4.7 contains recommendations for upgrading the reliability of electronic systems.