General Philosophy and Process of Reliability Prediction
Introduction
Reliability prediction is a continuing activity throughout the design and development of a project, from initial conception to production and beyond. The prediction methods that apply at any particular time may vary, but the general philosophy and principles remain common throughout. The primary objectives of this chapter are to:
• Describe the purposes of prediction and its application at different stages of a project.
• Consider the general philosophy and principles behind prediction methods.
• List the main activities comprising a prediction process.
• Indicate the main limitations of the general philosophy.
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It is not the intention of this chapter to derive basic reliability expressions or to discuss probability and statistical theory. Information on these aspects is readily available in many standard textbooks.
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