Reliability Engineering (ME472/ME672)@IIT Indore

Tutorial - Weibull Probability Plotting

Q1. Time to Failures (in hours) for a component is as follows:

Failure No. 1 2 3 4 5
Time to failure 32 51 74 90 120
Use Weibull Probability Plotting method to estimate distribution parameters.
Q2. Time to Failures (in KM) data for Gear

Failure No. Time to Failure (in KM) Failure No. Time to Failure (in KM)
1 24557 13 87852
2 24574 14 89299
3 24658 15 89440
4 26363 16 91187
5 33861 17 92935
6 37257 18 93432
7 50849 19 95298
8 71884 20 98616
9 73492 21 98835
10 79709 22 99629
11 82064 23 146967
12 87325

Q3: Time to failure (TTF) of a component is given in following table. In table results for 12
similar components are given. Using “Probability Plotting Techniques” fir a Weibull
distribution in the TTF data and estimate its parameters (𝛽, 𝜂). Use Median Rank Formula.
State the assumptions clearly.
Failure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
No.
TTF 12.2 13.1 15.7 15.1 14.6 14.0 14.1 14.7 15.8 16.3 14.7 16.9

Q4: Six identical units are reliability tested under the same stresses and conditions. All units
are tested to failure, and the following times-to-failure are recorded: 48, 66, 85, 107, 125 and
152 hours. Find the parameters of the three-parameter Weibull distribution using probability
plotting.
Q5: of a sample of 50 items, the running times (hr) for failed and surviving items are as
shown in following table (12 failures, 38 survivals).
For a Weibull distribution using “Probability Plotting”. Estimate the distribution parameters
(𝛽, 𝜂). Also calculate 𝐿10 life of the item.

Dr. B.K.Lad Page 1

 Reliability Engineering (ME472/ME672)@IIT Indore

Item Time to Item Time to Item Time to Item Time to

Fail/Survive Fail/Survive Fail/Survive Fail/Survive
S1 40 S8 128 S18 156 S30 168
S2 51 S9 128 S19 156 S31 168
F1 54 F7 132 S20 158 S32 171
F2 70 F8 141 S21 158 F11 173
S3 73 S10 141 S22 158 S33 177
S4 73 S11 147 F10 161 S34 181
S5 80 S12 147 S23 162 S35 185
F3 85 S13 150 S24 162 S36 188
S6 90 F9 153 S25 165 F12 200
F4 96 S14 153 S26 165 S37 202
S7 102 S15 153 S27 166 S38 205
F5 108 S16 156 S28 166
F6 118 S17 156 S29 166

Hint:
1. First, rank the times-to-failures in ascending order
If there are suspension items then calculate mean order number using following formula

𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘 = 𝑖𝑡𝑖 = 𝑖𝑡𝑖−1 + 𝑁𝑡𝑖

(𝑛 + 1) − 𝑖𝑡𝑖−1
𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑁𝑡𝑖 =
1 + 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡
2. Obtain their median rank plotting positions using following formula
𝑖−0.3
Median rank 𝑀𝑅 (%) = 𝑁+0.4

Where N=total sample size, i= failure order number

3. On a Weibull probability paper, plot the times and their corresponding ranks
4. Draw the best possible straight line through these points
5. The third parameter of the Weibull distribution is utilized when the data do not fall on
straight line but fall on either a concave up or down curve. To obtain subtract same arbitrary
value (positive or negative) 𝑡0 (trial and error) until the data plots on an acceptable straight
line.

Dr. B.K.Lad Page 2