Chapter 4

Reliability DFR
Learning Outcomes

• Explain product design using block diagrams

• Apply block diagrams to real-life product

• Explain various methods to calculate product reliability

using distributions
What are Reliability Block Diagrams?

Means to model system’s subsystems, components

and subcomponents interactions to calculate the
over-all system Reliability.

Makes system modeling easier by explaining system

subcomponents with blocks.
Types of models
Type of
System

System has redundant

System depends on all
component to improve
Components to run
Reliability

Use a series model when success of • Use a parallel model to explain

the system is dependant on the redundancy in a system design
success of each component of the
system Example:
• Backup power generator in case of
One component fails the whole power failure
system fails example: • Redundancy improves on system
• Belt in a machine reliability
• Main propeller in single propeller jet
Modeling a Series System
Series Model example
Modeling a Redundant System using a
Parallel model
Parallel Model example
Real-life systems are a combo of both
series and parallel components
In-Class workout