Optimal-arrangement and importance of the components in a consecutive-k-out-of-r-from-n:F system

The authors examine: the determination of an optimal consecutive k-out-of-r-from-n:F system, under permutations of the components, and the Birnbaum-importance of components in the i.i.d. case. The authors first study (theorem 1) the optimality of a general system, with not necessarily s-identical components, under permutation of the components. Then they study (theorem 2) the importance of components in the i.i.d. case. Theorem 2 is readily derived from theorem 1. The main results are given in theorems 1 and 2, and proofs are given. The assumptions are: the system and each component are either good or failed: all binary component states are mutually statistically independent, and all n can be arranged in any linear order; and the system fails if and only if within r consecutive components, there are at least k failed ones