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This skill predicts and analyzes component and system reliability, enabling MTBF/MTTF calculations, FMEA support, and life data insights for robust designs.
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---
name: reliability-analysis
description: Component and system reliability prediction and analysis skill with MTBF/MTTF calculations, failure rate databases, FMEA/FMECA support, fault tree analysis, and accelerated life testing data analysis.
allowed-tools: Read, Grep, Write, Bash, Edit, Glob
category: Testing and Validation
backlog-id: SK-020
metadata:
author: babysitter-sdk
version: "1.0.0"
---
# Reliability Analysis Skill
Component and system reliability prediction and analysis for electronic hardware.
## Purpose
This skill provides comprehensive capabilities for predicting and analyzing the reliability of electronic components and systems. It supports industry-standard reliability methodologies, failure rate calculations, and life testing data analysis.
## Capabilities
### MTBF/MTTF Calculations
- Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) for repairable systems
- Mean Time To Failure (MTTF) for non-repairable components
- Series and parallel system reliability modeling
- Redundancy calculations (active, standby, k-out-of-n)
- Mission reliability vs operational availability
### Failure Rate Databases
- MIL-HDBK-217F failure rate predictions
- Telcordia SR-332 methodology
- FIDES reliability methodology
- IEC 62380 electronic component reliability
- Custom component database management
### Derating Analysis
- Component stress ratio calculations
- Temperature derating curves
- Voltage and power derating
- Derating guideline compliance (NAVSEA, JPL, ESA)
- Stress analysis documentation
### FMEA/FMECA Support
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis facilitation
- Criticality analysis (CA) calculations
- Risk Priority Number (RPN) computation
- Severity, occurrence, detection ratings
- FMEA worksheet generation
- Action tracking and verification
### Reliability Block Diagram Analysis
- RBD construction and visualization
- Series, parallel, and complex configurations
- Active and standby redundancy modeling
- Common cause failure analysis
- System reliability calculation
### Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
- Fault tree construction (AND, OR, k-of-n gates)
- Minimal cut set identification
- Top event probability calculation
- Importance measures (Birnbaum, Fussell-Vesely)
- Common cause failure modeling
### Accelerated Life Testing Data Analysis
- Arrhenius model for temperature acceleration
- Eyring model for multi-stress acceleration
- Inverse power law for voltage/mechanical stress
- Acceleration factor calculation
- Life projection to use conditions
### Weibull Distribution Fitting
- Two-parameter and three-parameter Weibull
- Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE)
- Probability plotting
- Goodness-of-fit testing
- Confidence interval estimation
- B-life calculations (B1, B10, B50)
### Thermal Derating Curves
- Junction temperature estimation
- Thermal resistance modeling
- Safe operating area verification
- Thermal runaway analysis
- Heatsink selection guidance
## Prerequisites
### Installation
```bash
pip install numpy scipy pandas matplotlib reliability weibull
```
### Optional Dependencies
```bash
# For advanced reliability modeling
pip install surpyval lifelines
# For report generation
pip install jinja2 openpyxl
```
## Usage Patterns
### MTBF Calculation with MIL-HDBK-217
```python
import numpy as np
class MIL217Calculator:
"""MIL-HDBK-217F failure rate calculator"""
# Base failure rates (per 10^6 hours) - simplified examples
BASE_RATES = {
'resistor_film': 0.0037,
'capacitor_ceramic': 0.012,
'capacitor_electrolytic': 0.12,
'diode_general': 0.024,
'transistor_bipolar': 0.074,
'ic_digital': 0.16,
'ic_linear': 0.21,
'inductor': 0.0017,
'connector_pin': 0.00066,
'pcb_layer': 0.00042,
}
# Temperature factors (simplified)
@staticmethod
def temp_factor(temp_c: float, component_type: str) -> float:
if 'capacitor_electrolytic' in component_type:
return np.exp((temp_c - 25) / 15)
return np.exp((temp_c - 25) / 20)
# Environment factors
ENV_FACTORS = {
'ground_benign': 1.0,
'ground_fixed': 2.0,
'ground_mobile': 5.0,
'airborne_inhabited': 4.0,
'airborne_uninhabited': 8.0,
'space_flight': 0.5,
}
def calculate_component_fr(self, component_type: str, temp_c: float,
environment: str, quantity: int = 1) -> float:
"""Calculate failure rate for component type"""
base_rate = self.BASE_RATES.get(component_type, 0.1)
temp_factor = self.temp_factor(temp_c, component_type)
env_factor = self.ENV_FACTORS.get(environment, 2.0)
return base_rate * temp_factor * env_factor * quantity
def calculate_system_mtbf(self, components: list) -> dict:
"""Calculate system MTBF from component list"""
total_fr = sum(c['failure_rate'] for c in components)
mtbf = 1e6 / total_fr # Hours
return {
'total_failure_rate': total_fr,
'mtbf_hours': mtbf,
'mtbf_years': mtbf / 8760,
'components': components
}
# Example usage
calc = MIL217Calculator()
components = [
{'type': 'resistor_film', 'qty': 100, 'temp': 55},
{'type': 'capacitor_ceramic', 'qty': 50, 'temp': 55},
{'type': 'ic_digital', 'qty': 10, 'temp': 65},
]
for comp in components:
comp['failure_rate'] = calc.calculate_component_fr(
comp['type'], comp['temp'], 'ground_fixed', comp['qty']
)
result = calc.calculate_system_mtbf(components)
print(f"System MTBF: {result['mtbf_hours']:.0f} hours ({result['mtbf_years']:.1f} years)")
```
### Weibull Analysis
```python
from reliability.Fitters import Fit_Weibull_2P
from reliability.Probability_plotting import Weibull_probability_plot
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
# Life test data (hours to failure)
failures = [1200, 1500, 1800, 2100, 2400, 2800, 3200, 3800, 4500, 5500]
censored = [6000, 6000, 6000] # Units still running at test end
# Fit Weibull distribution
fit = Fit_Weibull_2P(
failures=failures,
right_censored=censored,
show_probability_plot=False
)
print(f"Beta (shape): {fit.beta:.3f}")
print(f"Eta (scale): {fit.eta:.1f} hours")
print(f"B10 Life: {fit.distribution.quantile(0.1):.1f} hours")
print(f"B50 Life: {fit.distribution.quantile(0.5):.1f} hours")
print(f"Mean Life: {fit.distribution.mean:.1f} hours")
# Reliability at specific time
time = 2000 # hours
R_2000 = fit.distribution.SF(time)
print(f"Reliability at {time} hours: {R_2000:.4f} ({R_2000*100:.2f}%)")
```
### Fault Tree Analysis
```python
from typing import List, Dict
class FaultTreeNode:
def __init__(self, name: str, gate_type: str = None, probability: float = None):
self.name = name
self.gate_type = gate_type # 'AND', 'OR', 'VOTE'
self.probability = probability # For basic events
self.children: List['FaultTreeNode'] = []
self.k = None # For k-out-of-n voting gates
def add_child(self, child: 'FaultTreeNode'):
self.children.append(child)
def calculate_probability(self) -> float:
if self.probability is not None:
return self.probability
child_probs = [c.calculate_probability() for c in self.children]
if self.gate_type == 'AND':
result = 1.0
for p in child_probs:
result *= p
return result
elif self.gate_type == 'OR':
result = 1.0
for p in child_probs:
result *= (1 - p)
return 1 - result
elif self.gate_type == 'VOTE':
# k-out-of-n gate
from itertools import combinations
from functools import reduce
import operator
n = len(child_probs)
k = self.k
prob = 0
for i in range(k, n + 1):
for combo in combinations(range(n), i):
term = 1.0
for j in range(n):
if j in combo:
term *= child_probs[j]
else:
term *= (1 - child_probs[j])
prob += term
return prob
# Example: Power supply failure fault tree
top = FaultTreeNode("Power Supply Fails", "OR")
primary_fails = FaultTreeNode("Primary Supply Fails", "AND")
primary_fails.add_child(FaultTreeNode("AC Power Loss", probability=0.01))
primary_fails.add_child(FaultTreeNode("UPS Fails", probability=0.001))
backup_fails = FaultTreeNode("Backup Supply Fails", probability=0.005)
top.add_child(primary_fails)
top.add_child(backup_fails)
system_probability = top.calculate_probability()
print(f"Top event probability: {system_probability:.6f}")
```
### Accelerated Life Test Analysis
```python
import numpy as np
from scipy.optimize import curve_fit
class ArrheniusModel:
"""Arrhenius acceleration model for temperature stress"""
def __init__(self):
self.activation_energy = None # eV
self.k_boltzmann = 8.617e-5 # eV/K
def acceleration_factor(self, temp_test: float, temp_use: float,
activation_energy: float) -> float:
"""Calculate acceleration factor between test and use conditions"""
temp_test_k = temp_test + 273.15
temp_use_k = temp_use + 273.15
af = np.exp((activation_energy / self.k_boltzmann) *
(1/temp_use_k - 1/temp_test_k))
return af
def estimate_activation_energy(self, temps: List[float],
failure_rates: List[float]) -> float:
"""Estimate activation energy from multi-temperature test data"""
temps_k = [t + 273.15 for t in temps]
inv_temps = [1/t for t in temps_k]
ln_rates = [np.log(r) for r in failure_rates]
# Linear regression: ln(rate) = A + Ea/(k*T)
slope, intercept = np.polyfit(inv_temps, ln_rates, 1)
self.activation_energy = slope * self.k_boltzmann
return self.activation_energy
# Example usage
model = ArrheniusModel()
# Multi-temperature test results
test_temps = [85, 105, 125] # Celsius
failure_rates = [0.001, 0.005, 0.02] # failures per 1000 hours
ea = model.estimate_activation_energy(test_temps, failure_rates)
print(f"Estimated activation energy: {ea:.2f} eV")
# Project to use conditions
af = model.acceleration_factor(125, 55, ea)
use_life = 2000 * af # If 2000 hours at 125C
print(f"Acceleration factor: {af:.1f}x")
print(f"Projected life at 55C: {use_life:.0f} hours")
```
## Usage Guidelines
### When to Use This Skill
- New product reliability predictions
- Design for reliability (DfR) activities
- Warranty cost projections
- FMEA and FMECA development
- Life test planning and analysis
- Field failure analysis support
### Best Practices
1. **Use appropriate failure rate models** for the application environment
2. **Consider temperature derating** for all components
3. **Document all assumptions** in reliability predictions
4. **Validate predictions** with field data when available
5. **Update failure rates** based on actual performance
6. **Include manufacturing defects** in early-life reliability models
### Process Integration
- ee-environmental-testing (life test analysis)
- ee-hardware-validation (reliability verification)
- ee-dfm-review (reliability design reviews)
## Dependencies
- reliability: Python reliability engineering library
- scipy: Statistical analysis
- numpy: Numerical computations
## References
- MIL-HDBK-217F Reliability Prediction
- FIDES Reliability Methodology Guide
- IEEE 1413 Methodology for Reliability Prediction
- SAE JA1000 Reliability Program Standard
This skill performs component and system reliability prediction and analysis for electronic hardware. It combines MTBF/MTTF calculations, failure-rate databases, FMEA/FMECA facilitation, fault tree and reliability block diagram modeling, Weibull fitting, and accelerated life test analysis. The goal is to produce defensible reliability metrics and traceable recommendations for design, test, and maintenance decisions.
The skill computes component failure rates using industry methods (MIL-HDBK-217, Telcordia SR-332, FIDES, IEC 62380) and aggregates them into system MTBF/MTTF using series/parallel and k-out-of-n models. It supports derating calculations, constructs RBDs and FTAs to identify weak points, and finds minimal cut sets and importance measures. For life-data tasks it fits Weibull distributions, runs goodness-of-fit and B-life calculations, and extracts acceleration factors from Arrhenius, Eyring, and inverse-power-law models to project use-life from ALT data.
Which failure-rate sources does the skill support?
It supports MIL-HDBK-217 variants, Telcordia SR-332, FIDES, IEC 62380 and allows custom component database entries.
Can I use field returns and censored test data together?
Yes — the life-data routines accept right-censored records and combine them with failure events for unbiased Weibull and MLE fitting.