Practical Preventive Reliability Using Matrix Forms

This paper describes a practical new tool to improve the reliability of equipment. It uses a matrix form to help monitor anticipated component faults precisely. The tool provides the practical measures necessary to generate matrix tables that accurately display all causes of failure and all planned programmatic analyses, tests, processes, and inspections. When completed, the matrix tables give users in-depth visibility of the degree of protection against component failure that is provided by the program's preventive measure plans. The matrix form is an excellent technique for tracking, and thereby influencing, the reliability of nonelectronic spacecraft subsystems or components. It has been applied successfully to improve the reliability of nonelectronic spacecraft subsystems and devices. No electronic applications have been tried, but the procedure can be useful in the electronics field, eg. in integrated circuit production planning, and perhaps in process control, inspection or test lines for other electronic components. The drawing of forms, and the recording/manipulation of the data can be computerized. The matrix form procedure can result in a cost increase to a design agency from programmic additions that are inferred from review of the matrices. The major cost to a reliability group is incurred usually in producing detailed fault tree information for the matrices.