THE DESIGN OF RELIABILITY DATA-BASES .1. REVIEW OF STANDARD DESIGN CONCEPTS

Main styles in the design of reliability data banks (RDB's) are review ed. The conceptual and mathematical tools underlying these designs are summarized. A key point is the method for assessing failure rates for competing failure modes. The theory of independent competing risk and the relation to colored Poisson processes is explained. The notions o f observed and naked failure rates are defined, and their equivalence under the assumption of independence is shown. In conclusion, the need s of different users are compared with the information currently offer ed.