A formal method to characterize robot reliability

The authors have identified robot system failure modes and characterized the robot system reliability using a structure function model from systems theory. To validate this model, a reliability experiment with a laboratory-scale, teach-pendant microbot was conducted assuming independent failures and ignoring induced failures, since they were not observed. Although the method was developed in a laboratory setting with a small-scale robot, the model can be extended to industry-scale robots. The results can provide feedback to the maintenance and supply organization for supporting robot design studies