NHPP Model based Reliability Growth Management of a Hybrid DC-DC Converter

摘要

This paper examines reliability growth management of a hybrid DC-DC converter by using a Crow-AMSAA model. Reliability growth management consists of reliability growth planning and assessment. First, the main activity of planning involves constructing a planning curve that establishes interim reliability goals throughout the program. It is essential to determine the initial mean time between failures (MTBF) of a target system to implement the planned reliability growth curve. In this study, reliability block diagrams were employed to estimate initial MTBF from the reliability function. Second, the assessment of reliability involves periodically evaluating reliability during a test program and comparing the results to planned reliability goals and a growth curve. With respect to reliability growth management, required data was collected from 27 hybrid DC-DC converters that were installed in the field for almost two years. The results indicated that the reliability target of the systems was achieved via reliability growth management.