MACE64062-12

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

RELIABILITY AND MAINTAINABILITY

TWO HOURS

Answer THREE questions

January, XXX 2012

For candidates taking:

 Fourth Year Mechanical Engineering
 MSc or Diploma in Mechanical Engineering Design

Paper set by Dr T. Alonso-Rasgado (Ext. 63857)

SOLUTIONS
 SOLUTION PAPER
QUESTION 1

a) A system is cooled by four identical pumps. Under normal operating conditions

all pumps are required to operate in order to provide adequate cooling. The
reliability of the pumping system is found to be 0.6. Under emergency
conditions, adequate cooling will be generated provided that no more than one
pump fails.

i. Calculate the system reliability under emergency operating conditions.

[8 marks]

4 Pumps. The reliability of each pump=R

The reliability of the pumping system=0.6=R4
4
R= √0 . 6=0. 88
probability of failure of each pump=F=1-R=1-0.88=0.12

Emergency operating conditions

RRRR
FRRR
RFRR or simply R4+4FR3
RRFR
RRRF

Remergency = (0.88)4+(4)(0.12)(0.88)3
= (0.6) (0.48) (0.88)3
=0.9271

b) The total fraction F(t) failed of a new prototype engine during 1000hrs of
testing is shown in Table Q1b.

Time t(hours) Number of Total Fraction

Engines fail up to Failed F(t)
time t
0 0 0
100 0 0
200 0 0
300 0 0
400 6 0.02
500 33 0.11
600 96 0.32
700 216 0.72
800 273 0.91
900 297 0.99
1000 300 1

Table Q1b

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 i. Using the data given in Table Q1b plot the cumulative distribution
function [4 marks]

ii. Using the cumulative distribution function you have plotted, explain in
terms of failures what occurs at 400 hours, 650 hours and 1000 hours
[4 marks]

Failures start to occur after 400 hours.

50% of the components have failed after approximately 650 hours.
After 1000 hours all components have failed.

c) What is the aim of using Weibull's probability distribution function in reliability

analysis? [2 marks]

Weibull's probability distribution function is used to understand how

failure occurrences are distributed over time.

d) Explain in which cases “run to failure” maintenance could be used. [2 marks]

There are some cases where the use of this type of maintenance makes
sense, for example in a plant, which employs a great number of similar
machines that are not expensive to replace or to repair. When one
breaks down, others are scheduled to take up the slack and
production is not affected very much.

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QUESTION 2

a) A designer has produced a reliability block diagram for a missile system as

shown in Figure Q2a.

Missile
Primary radar, R=0.9 R=0.85

Missile
Launch R=0.85
guidance
R=0.90
Missile
R=0.85
Switch R=? Secondary Radar
R=0.9
Missile
R=0.85

Figure Q2a

i. If the overall reliability of the system is 0.8865 calculate the reliability of

the switch. [7 marks]

Consider the system reduced to three elements in series

RA RB RC

RC = 1-(1-.85)4 = 0.99949
RB = 0.9
Rsystem=RA x RB x RC
0.8865= RA x 0.9 x 0.99949
RA = 0.8865/(0.9 x 0.99949) = 0.9855

Now consider how the reliability of element R A can be calculated

from its component elements

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 RA = 1-(1-0.9) (1-0.9 x Rswitch) = 0.9855
(1-0.9) (1-0.9 x Rswitch) = 1-0.9855 = 0.0145
1-0.9 x Rswitch = 0.0145/0.1 = 0.145
Rswitch = (1-0.145)/0.9
Rswitch = 0.95

b) Describe the principles of the comparative reliability analysis method

[4 marks]

Comparative Reliability Analysis. Reliability modelling may be used to

compare two or more items of equipment.

The method of analysis is as follows.

(i) For a defined mode of failure, examine the design and list all the events that
may lead to failure. For example, in a pump, one failure mode is ‘failure to
contain fluid' and one of the failure events that would lead to that failure
mode is leakage through the shaft seal.

(ii) Compose an event structure based on the failure events using series and
parallel elements as required to model the reliability.

(iii) Analyse the event structure using conventional statistical methods

letting each event have a reliability Ri which is unquantified.

(iv) Repeat this process for alternative designs and compare the results.

c) Explain

i. What are reliability models? [3 marks]

Reliability models are block diagrams that show the relationships

between elements from a reliability perspective. They are based on the
requirements that must be satisfied for a system to function
satisfactorily and not on the physical layout of components.

ii. The importance of using reliability model models in a reliability analysis.

. [3 marks]

Reliability models are used in design to highlight the critical parts of

systems that are particularly important to ensure high reliability. After
reviewing a reliability model it may be that certain changes are made to
improve the system reliability. Also, in small items of equipment, a
reliability model may be made of different components to evaluate
equipment reliability.

iii. What is maintainability? [3 marks]

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 Maintainability can be defined with respect to the probability that a
device or system can be returned to a specified condition using pre-
specified practices within a specified time.

QUESTION 3

a) A bottling line consists of six machines, depalletizer, filler, pasteurizer, trayload

packer, mead packer, and palletizer. Empty bottles are loaded by the
depalletizer and are filled, pasteurized, packed and palletized using the
machines as they travel down the line with conveyors being used to transfer
the product between each stage. The system can run in two different
configurations, so depending on product type, either the trayload packer or the
mead packer is used for packing. On average the mead packer configuration
operates 60% of the total time. The mean time between failures and the mean
time for repairing these machines are given in Table Q3a.

Mean time between Mean time to repair

failures MTBF (hrs) MTTR (hrs)
Depalletizer 1000 5
Filler 300 3
Pasteurizer 2000 2
Trayload Packer 400 8
Mead Packer 200 2
Palletizer 500 5
Conveyors 1000 1

Table Q3a

i. Draw the availability block diagram for the system for each of the
two configurations.
[3 marks]

Mead Packer Configuration

Tray Loader Configuration

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 where: AC- Availability of Conveyor
AD- Availability of Depalletizer
AF- Availability of Filler
APS- Availability of Pasteurizer
AM – Availability of Mead Packer
AT – Availability of Trayload Packer
AP- Availability of Palletizer

ii. Calculate the system availability A s over a 10000 hour time period.
[5 marks]

Availability=MTBF/(MTBF+MTTR)

1000 1000
= =0 . 9990
AC = 1000+1 1001
1000 1000
= =0 . 9950
AD = 1000+5 1005
300 300
= =0. 9901
AF = 300+3 303
2000 2000
= =0 . 9990
APS = 2000+2 2002
200 200
= =0. 9901
AM = 200+2 202
400 400
= =0 .9804
AT = 400+8 408
500 500
= =0. 9901
AP = 500+5 505

System Availability for Configuration 1 with Mead Packer,

AConfig1 = Ac4 x AD x AF x APS x AM x AP

= (0.9990)4 x 0.9950 x 0.9901 x 0.9990 x 0.9901 x0.9901
= 0.9960 x 0.9950 x 0.9901 x 0.9990 x 0.9901 x0.9901
=0.9609

System Availability for Configuration 2 with Trayload Packer

AConfig2 = Ac4 x AD x AF x APS x AT x AP

= (0.9990)4 x 0.9950 x 0.9901 x 0.9990 x 0.9804 x0.9901
= 0.9960 x 0.9950 x 0.9901 x 0.9990 x 0.9804 x0.9901
=0.9515

Since Configuration 1 runs for 60% of time and Configuration 2 runs for

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 the rest of the time, then for the time period considered the system
availability is given by

Asys= (0.6 x AConfig1) + (0.4 x AConfig2)

=(0.6 x 0.9609) + (0.4 x 0.9515) = 0.9571 or 95.71%

The availability of the system for a 10000 hour time period = 0.9571x10000
=9571 hours

iii. Calculate the system unavailability Us. [2 marks]

Unavailability of the system Usys=1- Asys=1-0.9571=0.0429 or 4.29%

or 0.0429x10000=429 hours for a 10000 hour time period

or 10000-9571=429 hours for a time period of 10000 hours.

b)
i. Define the mean time to failure (MTTF) and from first first principles show
that the mean time to failure of a component is given by
1
MTTF=
λ
where λ is the mean failure rate. [4 marks]

The mean time to failure is the mean (average) time between failures of a
system, and is often attributed to the "useful life" of the device i.e. not
including 'infant mortality' or 'end of life' if the device is not repairable

F(t) is the probability of failure up to time t (not at time t but in the period up to
t).
F(t) is the cumulative function.

dF ( t )
f ( t )=
The failure probability density function is dt

t2

The probability of failure between t = t1 and t = t2 is 1

∫t f ( t ) ¿dt
The mean time to failure MTTF is the mean value of the probability density
function.
Therefore
∞
MTTF=∫ t⋅f ( t )⋅dt
0

( dRdt )⋅dt
∞
MTTF=∫ t −
0
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integrating by parts
∞
∞
MTTF=[ t⋅(−R ) ] ∫ (−R )⋅1⋅dt
0−
0
giving the useful equation
∞
MTTF=∫ R ( t )⋅dt
0
If the mean failure rate λ is constant, then
∞
MTTF=∫ e− λ⋅t⋅dt
0
1
MTTF=
λ

ii. Define and illustrate by means of a figure the active redundancy of a

machine. [3 marks]

A set of elements are in parallel active redundancy if all the elements of the
system are normally working but the system will continue to function
satisfactorily provided that any single element of the system will work.

R1

R2

R3

Rn

iii. Define “effect models” in the context of a quantified risk assessment.

[3 marks]

Effect Models are analytical techniques and simulation methods that are used
to assess the physical characteristics of effects caused by hazards including:
risen temperature caused by burning materials, etc. Effect models are based
on the laws of physics that describe material behaviour.

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QUESTION 4

a) Figure Q4a shows a buffer storage system which functions as follows:

 Fluid is fed into a tank at irregular intervals through a non return valve J.
 The pump provides a steady supply of liquid from the tank to
downstream processes.
 The drain is normally closed except for maintenance work.
 Valve A is normally open but is closed in order to isolate the pipework
from the tank for maintenance work on the tank or pump.
 Valve B is an isolation valve.
 Valve C is a pressure release valve.
 Valve D is normally closed but is opened only in rare cases to divert
fluid back to the tank.
 Valve E is a flow control valve that is used to regulate the supply of fluid
to the downstream processes.
 The function of the Vent is to keep the air pressure above the liquid at
atmospheric pressure.

Figure Q4a

i. Undertake a Failure Mode Effect and Criticality Analysis

(FMECA) on the system shown in Figure Q4a. Consider only the
following components in your analysis: valves A, B, C, D, E, the
Pump and the Vent. Present your answer in the form of a table
and explain the scoring system you have used in determining the
most critical failure modes.
[8 marks]

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 Failure mode Consequence Probability Consequence Criticality
rating (y) rating (x) rating (x, y)
Valve A Stuck open/Fails to Maintenance
close difficult/System
must be drained to 1 2 2
replace pump

Pump Mechanical failure System downtime

3 2 6
Valve B Stuck open/Fails to Maintenance
close difficult/System
must be drained to 1 2 2
replace pump

Pressure relief Fails to release Sytem over- 3 10 30

Valve C under pressure pressure

Valve D Fails to open i) Fluid leak from

system downstream
i) 2 i) 2
1
ii) Possible over-
ii) 10 ii) 10
pressure

Control valve E (i) Fails to move (i) Loss of process

accurately fluid flow rate
control, wasted
(i) 2 (i) 7 (i) 14
product

ii) Fails closed (ii) In conjunction

with valves D and C,
(ii) 1 (ii) 10 (ii) 10
an overpressure
situation possible

Vent Blocked Vacuum forms in

tank as pump
operates causing 1 10 10
the tank/inlet pipe to
crumple/collapse.
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 Different methods can be used to determine the most critical failure modes. One method is:

 Score the likelihood of failure of each failure mode on a scale 1-10 (10 = most severe).
 Score the consequence of failure on a scale of 1-10 (10 = most likely).
 Criticality is then calculated as: score of likelihood of failure x score of consequence failure (most critical
case = 100)

ii. According to your analysis what is the most critical component? [2 marks]

The criticality rating identifies the pressure relief valve as the most critical item.

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 b) Draw the Fault Tree diagram for the system shown in Figure Q4a considering the undesirable event as ‘Failure to deliver
process fluid to the downstream processes at the required flow rate’. For this case use only valves A, B, C, D, E, the Pump
and the Vent/Tank. [7 marks]

Failure to deliver process fluid at required flow rate

or

No process fluid supplied Incorrect Piping

Flowrate failure

or

Vent/Tank Pump Valve A Valve B Valve C Valve D Valve E

fails fails fails/Closed fails/Closed fails/Open fails/Open fails/Closed

or

Pump Valve A Valve B Valve C Valve D Valve E

malfunction fails part fails part fails part open/leaks fails part fails to move/leaks
closed/leaks closed/leaks open/leaks

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 c) Explain how Failure Mode and Maintenance Analysis can be used as a basis
to select appropriate condition monitoring techniques [3 marks]

FMMA can be used as a basis to select appropriate condition monitoring

techniques.
The method is as follows:

(i) Determine the principal failure modes.

(ii) Derive a morphological chart that shows the alternative methods by
which each failure mode may be detected.
(iii) Choose an optimum set of monitoring methods that enables the failure
modes to be detected using the minimum number of monitoring
methods.

END OF EXAMINATION PAPER

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