Reliability and Maintainability Management Tasks in System Life Cycle

To obtain the desired level of reliability of a system in the field environment, a series of management tasks with respect to reliability and maintainability must be performed throughout the system life cycle. The system life cycle may be divided into four phases as shown in Figure 1 (1). The reliability- and maintainability-related management tasks involved in each of these phases are presented below.

Concept and Definition Phase

This is the first phase of the system life cycle, in which system requirements are established and the basic characteristics are defined. During this phase various reliability- and maintainability-related management tasks are performed.

Some of these tasks are:

1. Defining the system capability requirements, management controls, parts control requirements, and terms used;

2. Defining the system reliability and maintainability goals in quantitative terms;

3. Defining system environmental factors during its life cycle;

4. Defining hardware and software standard documents to be used to meet reliability and maintainability requirements;

5. Defining constraints proven to be harmful to reliability;

6. Defining data collection and analysis needs during the system life cycle;

7. Defining methods to be used during the design and manufacturing phase;

8. Defining the management controls required for documentation;

9. Defining the combination of machines, facilities, manpower, and tools required to produce the design and its assemblies to the stated specifications;

10. Defining system safety requirements;

11. Defining the basic maintenance philosophy.

Acquisition Phase

This phase is concerned with activities related to system acquisition and installation as well as planning for the eventual support of the system under consideration. Many reliability- and maintainability-related management tasks are involved in this phase. Some of these tasks are as follows:

• Define all system technical requirements.

• Define the major design and development methods to be employed.

• Define the demonstration requirements.

• Define all the reliability and maintainability requirements to be satisfied.

• Define all the documents required as part of the final product, system, or equipment.

• Define the kind of evaluation methods to be used to assess the system.

• Define the kind of reviews to be performed.

• Define the kind of data the manufacturer must provide to the customer.

• Define the meaning of a degradation or failure.

• Define the cost restraints and the life cycle cost information to be developed

• Define the type of field studies, if any, to be conducted.

• Define the controls to be exercised by both the manufacturer and the customer during this phase.

• Define the kind of future logistics required (i.e., during initial acquisition and in-service period).

Operation and Maintenance Phase

This phase is concerned with tasks associated with the maintenance activity, management of the engineering, and support of the system during its entire operational life. Some of the reliability- and maintainability-related management tasks associated with this phase are presented below:

1. Collect, monitor, and analyse reliability and maintainability data

2. Manage and predict spare parts

3. Establish failure data banks

4. Provide adequate maintenance tools and test equipment

5. Prepare engineering and maintenance documents

6. Review the documentation with respect to any engineering change

7. Develop engineering change proposals

8. Provide adequate manpower

9. Develop maintenance support for the various levels of maintenance

Disposal Phase

This phase is concerned with tasks that are required to remove the system and all its nonessential supporting material. Two of the reliability- and maintainability related management tasks involved in this phase are calculating the final system life cycle cost and the reliability and maintainability values. The resulting life cycle cost takes into consideration the disposal action cost or income. The reliability and maintainability values are computed for the buyer of the used system as well as for application in the procurement of similar systems.

Reference

1. Dhillon, B. S. and Reiche, H. Reliability and Maintainability Management. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1985.

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