Why is the study of reliability engineering important to science student today?

Answer 1

What is Reliability?

Reliability is a broad term that focuses on the ability of a product to perform its intended function. Mathematically speaking, assuming that an item is performing its intended function at time equals zero, reliability can be defined as the probability that an item will continue to perform its intended function without failure for a specified period of time under stated conditions. Please note that the product defined here could be an electronic or mechanical hardware product, a software product, a manufacturing process or even a service.

Why is Reliability Important?

There are a number of reasons why reliability is an important product attribute, including:

· Reputation.A company's reputation is very closely related to the reliability of its products. The more reliable a product is, the more likely the company is to have a favorable reputation.

· Customer Satisfaction. While a reliable product may not dramatically affect customer satisfaction in a positive manner, an unreliable product will negatively affect customer satisfaction severely. Thus high reliability is a mandatory requirement for customer satisfaction.

· Warranty Costs.If a product fails to perform its function within the warranty period, the replacement and repair costs will negatively affect profits, as well as gain unwanted negative attention. Introducing reliability analysis is an important step in taking corrective action, ultimately leading to a product that is more reliable.

· Repeat Business.A concentrated effort towards improved reliability shows existing customers that a manufacturer is serious about its product, and committed to customer satisfaction. This type of attitude has a positive impact on future business.

· Cost Analysis.Manufacturers may take reliability data and combine it with other cost information to illustrate the cost-effectiveness of their products. This life cycle cost analysis can prove that although the initial cost of a product might be higher, the overall lifetime cost is lower than that of a competitor's because their product requires fewer repairs or less maintenance.

· Customer Requirements.Many customers in today's market demand that their suppliers have an effective reliability program. These customers have learned the benefits of reliability analysis from experience.

· Competitive Advantage.Many companies will publish their predicted reliability numbers to help gain an advantage over their competitors who either do not publish their numbers or have lower numbers.

by Umeano Emmaunel