Reliability Prediction Handbooks: Evaluation of the System Failure Rate

Abstract

The evaluation of the failure rates for device, components and systems is often a very difficult task. In order to simplify the failure rate evaluation for established electronic and electromechanical devices, it is possible to use ad hoc handbooks. In fact, values for failure rates are given for many devices in the failure rate handbooks. In this chapter an historical overview on these handbooks is given. Many handbooks are available where the laws on dependency of the failure rate on different stresses are considered. In 5.1 a brief introduction about the first generation handbooks is given. In 5.2 the second generation handbooks are presented. A USA military handbooks is presented in the next 5.3, 5.4 and 5.5 are devoted to Farada and third generation handbook respectively. In 5.6 example of failure rate evaluation are discussed. Finally, the units for failure rate, the FIT, is introduced in 5.7.