Specific questions to ask the design engineers during a review specifically for reliability using failure data from operations and maintenance are: 1) show the calculated availability for the system based on a RAM model, 2) show the calculated number of failures during the specified mission time between turnarounds based on a reliability and maintainability (RAM) model, 3) show details of FEMA studies, 4) show details of FTA calculations, 5) show the calculated mean times between downing events, 6) show the calculated the mean time between cutbacks from full production capability and losses thus incurred, 7) show the QFD matrix and details, and 8) show the calculated cost of unreliability.
Why: Design reviews should demonstrate by calculation or through the use of models and reliability tools that the system is capable of achieving the design objects rather than making a giant leap of faith that all will be well and good.
When: Design reviews for reliability should be a part of the design process starting with conceptual designs and ending when the drawings are revised for the as-built system.
Where: This is a logical extension of the design process to show me rather than tell me how the system will function and is performed as a portion of the up-front design by the numbers process.
These definitions are written by H. Paul Barringer and are also posted on his web site at www.barringer1.com
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