Mathematical Interrelationship Between Reliability and Maintainability in Various System Models

This paper defines and summarizes several concepts and tools which have been developed to aid in the analysis of electronic systems from the part level through the system level. The problems explored are those for which the parameters, failure rates, and repair rates may be assumed constant; i.e., the exponential distribution may be assumed. It also is assumed that all parts, components, etc., are operable at an arbitrary reference time zero. Moreover, a short cut for determining the mean of the type of equations discussed in this paper is presented, the direct method of defining limiting availability is included, and the method of determining the mean of the reliabilities from their Laplace transform is demonstrated, along with checks on the availability equation matrix of an active system.