The Mechanical model calculates failure rates for the mechanical parts supported by the Handbook of Reliability Prediction Procedures for Mechanical Equipment. For more information, see Mechanical Model. You can insert mechanical parts when any other model is use. However, the Mechanical model supports only the environments for the 299, MIL-HDBK-217, Telcordia, and Bellcore models. Determination of the environment to use for calculating the failure rate for a mechanical part follows.

If you frequently insert mechanical parts when other models are selected, use the Format Builder to insert Environment, 217 / Telcordia in the System Tree Items table. For more information, see Using the Format Builder to Modify an Enabled Table. Alternately, create and enable a custom System Tree Items form with this field. For more information, see Form Design Files.

If you rarely insert mechanical parts when other models are selected, or if you do not want to follow one of the above suggestions, temporarily switch the model selected in the parent assembly’s Calculation Data pane to a MIL-HDBK-217, Telcordia, or Bellcore model. After you select the appropriate environment for Environment, 217 / Telcordia, switch back to the original model. Even though this field is no longer visible, your selection for this field is still used as the environment for the mechanical part.