POLIT.

Challenges of science today, 2-5 April 2024

UDC 629.7.017.1
ENHANCING PRODUCT LIFECYCLE WITH RELIABILITY ENGINEERING
Ivaschenko Dmytro, Marinchenko Hanna, Serhii Yehorov
National Aviation University, Kyiv
Academic adviser – Kozhokhina O. V., associate professor
Keywords: Reliability Engineering, Product Lifecycle, Statistical Models, Weibull Distribution,
Exponential Distribution, MTTF, Design for Reliability, Failure Mode Analysis, Customer
Satisfaction, Manufacturing Excellence
In today's competitive landscape, the importance of reliability engineering across the entire
product life cycle cannot be overstated. From the initial stages of product planning to the final phase of
disposal, ensuring a product's reliability is paramount for meeting customer expectations and securing a
competitive edge in the market. Reliability engineering is the discipline focused on maximizing product
reliability and minimizing the effects of failures. This involves embedding reliability into the product
right from the design and development stage, ensuring minimal variation in production processes, and
implementing effective maintenance strategies to mitigate performance degradation over time.
The product life cycle encompasses several critical stages, including product planning, design
and development, verification and validation, production, field deployment, and disposal [1]. At each
stage, reliability engineering plays a crucial role in ensuring the product's performance aligns with
customer expectations and industry standards. In the planning phase, a multidisciplinary team sets
reliability targets, translating customer expectations into engineering requirements. During design and
development, techniques such as robust reliability design and failure mode and effects analysis
(FMEA) are employed to integrate reliability into the product.
As the product moves into the verification and validation phase, the focus shifts to demonstrating
the design's reliability and the manufacturing process's capability to produce the product consistently.
In the production phase, maintaining a stable process that does not degrade the product's inherent
reliability is crucial. Finally, in the field deployment phase, activities such as warranty data analysis
and customer feedback collection are key to monitoring reliability performance and initiating
continuous improvement efforts.
Incorporating reliability engineering throughout the product life cycle is not just about avoiding
failures; it's about building trust with customers, reducing costs associated with warranties and repairs,
and ultimately delivering products that stand the test of time.
 POLIT. Challenges of science today, 2-5 April 2024

Within the realm of reliability engineering, several metrics and statistical distributions play
pivotal roles in accurately predicting and enhancing a product's reliability throughout its lifecycle. A
fundamental concept is the reliability function R(t), which represents the probability of a product
performing its intended function without failure over a specified period under given conditions. This

function is mathematically expressed as

for the exponential distribution, where λ is the constant failure rate, illustrating the simplicity and
applicability of this distribution in modeling products with a constant hazard rate [2].

Additionally, the mean time to failure (MTTF) serves as a central measure of reliability,
especially in the planning and design phases, providing an average lifespan estimate of a product before
failure. For the exponential distribution, MTTF is simply the inverse of the failure rate, MTTF=1/λ,
highlighting the distribution's appeal in applications where the failure mechanism is random and
memoryless.
These metrics and models are instrumental in the design, testing, and analysis phases of
reliability engineering, enabling the development of products that meet or exceed the reliability
expectations set forth at the planning stage. Through the integration of reliability engineering principles
and statistical methodologies, manufacturers can achieve higher levels of product reliability, customer
satisfaction, and competitive advantage in the marketplace [3].
Integrating reliability engineering throughout the product life cycle is essential for meeting the
evolving expectations of customers and staying competitive in today's market. By employing statistical
 POLIT. Challenges of science today, 2-5 April 2024

models like the exponential and Weibull distributions, manufacturers can predict and enhance product
reliability, setting precise targets and understanding the nuances of product failure [4]. This approach
not only aids in designing products with inherent reliability but also in making informed decisions
during production, deployment, and disposal stages.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the continuous application of reliability engineering principles ensures the delivery of
products that consistently perform as expected, fostering trust and satisfaction among customers. In an
era where quality and reliability are paramount, adopting a comprehensive reliability engineering
strategy is the cornerstone of achieving excellence and sustainability in product development and
manufacturing.
References:
[1] Laplante C. Improving Reliability Throughout the Product Life Cycle. 2018 Annual
Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS), Reno, NV, USA, 22–25 January 2018
[2] Wang, F. K., and Keats, J. B. (2004), Operating characteristic curve for the exponential
Bayes-truncated test, Quality and Reliability Engineering International, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 337–342.
[3] Meeker W. Life Cycle Reliability Engineering. Journal of Quality Technology. 2008. Vol. 40,
no. 3. P. 345–348.
[4] Yang G. Life Cycle Reliability Engineering : USA, Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley, 2007. 544
p.