Verifying reliability of solid rocket motors (SRMs) at minimum cost

Thiokol Corp. has developed an integrated probabilistic design approach. The approach produces systems with higher reliability and availability, and lower program life cycle costs, by ensuring that reliability assessments are an integral part of the design and manufacturing process. The reliability of a system is verified for a significantly lower cost than traditional binomial (success/failure) reliability demonstration programs. Process characterization is effectively planned as part of the design process and included as an integral part of the design demonstration, testing, and evaluation program. Thiokol´s statistical approach for engineering reliability, an approach developed and adopted as the design methodology that will be used to meet the product assurance needs for future solid rocket motors, is presented. Because of the robust nature of this approach, it can be applied within any manufacturing industry to increase reliability while decreasing overall program costs