Failure mechanisms based prognostics

Prognostics methods are being developed to evaluate the reliability of a system in its actual life-cycle conditions, to estimate the times to failure and to mitigate system risks. A key requirement in any prognostics method is identification of the appropriate parameter(s), which, can be used to asses impending failure, if monitored. This paper presents a physics-of-failure based methodology, which uses failure modes, mechanisms and effects analysis (FMMEA) to enhance prognostics planning and implementation. Also presented are two ways of implementing the FMMEA based methodology.