Archive of Past Issues

This page presents an archive of past issues of ReliaSoft's Reliability HotWire, monthly eMagazine for the reliability professional. A subject index for ReliaSoft's reliability publications (including the HotWire) is also available.

Issue 100, June 2009	Using DOE++ For Product and Process Optimization A Pro-rata Warranty Model for Non-Repairable Products Phase diagrams in BlockSim FMEA Templates and FMEA Accelerator
Issue 99, May 2009	Hands On: Reliability DOE with Covariates Reliability Allocation and Optimization Using BlockSim Minimal Cut Sets in BlockSim MultiPlots and Saving Plots in Lambda Predict 3
Issue 98, April 2009	Demonstration Test Design Using the DRT Tool in Weibull++ Reliability Allocation Using Lambda Predict Differences Between BlockSim and RENO Variability Analysis in DOE++
Issue 97, March 2009	Using Multiple Reliability Tools to Augment Limited Data An Application of BlockSim’s Log of Simulations DOE++ Quick and Customized Reports Importing Data from Excel into Xfmea/RCM++
Issue 96, February 2009	Comparing Two Products Using a Single Metric Preventive Maintenance and the Cost Per Unit Time Equation Tools to Design Reliability Tests Training Seminar Discounts
Issue 95, January 2009	Replicated Runs and Repeated Runs Analysis of Variance DOE++'s File Import Wizard RSS Feeds from ReliaSoft
Issue 94, December 2008	Using DOE++ to Analyze Unbalanced Designs MTTF, MTBF, Mean Time between Replacements and MTBF with Scheduled Replacements DOE++'s Analysis History Window Severity Class and Failure Probability Ratings in Xfmea/RCM++
Issue 93, November 2008	Interaction Between the House of Quality (within Design for Six Sigma) and the FMEA (within Design for Reliability) Using OC Curves in Design of Reliability Tests Monitoring Analysis Progress in Xfmea/RCM++ DOE++'s Modify Design Window
Issue 92, October 2008	Can the Likelihood Value be Greater Than 0? Derating for Electronic Components Making Changes to Existing DOE++ Designs Adding Items from One BlockSim Project to Another
Issue 91, September 2008	Using BlockSim for System Capability Analysis The Distribution Wizard in Weibull++ 7 Navigating Among Xfmea/RCM++ Project Windows Modeling On-condition Maintenance in BlockSim
Issue 90, August 2008	Using ALTA with Multi-Stress Physics of Failure Models Estimating the Expected Number of Failures for Items with Minimal or Perfect Repair Adding Records Out of Order in Xfmea/RCM++ Block Status/Function Indicators in BlockSim
Issue 89, July 2008	Modeling a Complex Maintenance Scenario in BlockSim Maintenance Policies in BlockSim Comparing Data Sets in Weibull++ Copying Pictures of Xfmea/RCM++ Hierarchies to Other Applications
Issue 88, June 2008	An Example of Using Reliability DOE for Life Testing Type I and Type II Errors and Their Applications Selecting Transformations in DOE++ Pnz in Weibull++
Issue 87, May 2008	How to Define a Complicated Stress Profile Residual Plots for Lifetime Distributions Excluding Effects from DOE++ Analyses Probability Scales in Weibull++ 7
Issue 86, April 2008	Degradation Analysis in Destructive Testing - Part II Discussion of the Residual Sum of Squares in DOE Editing Optimal Solutions in DOE++ The XFRACAS Portal Page Tasks Area
Issue 85, March 2008	Degradation Analysis in Destructive Testing Introduction to Design of Experiments (DOE) - DOE Types Copying Multiple Items in Xfmea/RCM++ Example Files for ReliaSoft Software
Issue 84, February 2008	Introduction to Design of Experiments (DOE) Software Reliability Growth Modeling Using the Standard and Modified Gompertz Models Notification E-mails for New Statuses in XFRACAS Reporting Options in Xfmea/RCM++
Issue 83, January 2008	Life Data Analysis with Zero-Time (Out-Of-The-Box) Failures Analyzing Growth Success/Failure and Reliability Data Using the Lloyd Lipow Model Stress Profiles in ALTA's Monte Carlo and SimuMatic Utilities Repeatability of Results in BlockSim and RENO
Issue 82, December 2007	Estimating Reliability Based on Multiple Random Stress Types Analyzing Success/Failure and Reliability Data Using the Logistic Model Preventive Maintenance and Inspections During Maintenance Phases in BlockSim Running ReliaSoft's Software Under Windows Vista
Issue 81, November 2007	Life Data Analysis of Load Sharing Units Analyzing Success/Failure Data Using the Crow Discrete Reliability Growth Model Multiple Failure Modes in Weibull++ Keeping Your Software Up to Date
Issue 80, October 2007	Analyzing Excess System Downtime Through System Modeling Reliability Requirements and Specifications Rank Regression or MLE in Life Data Analysis BlockSim 7's Maintenance Templates
Issue 79, September 2007	Time Varying and Multi-Phase Throughput Analysis Availability and the Different Ways to Calculate It Actions Management Features Offered in Xfmea/RCM++ Try Before You Buy… Easily.
Issue 78, August 2007	Analysis and Modeling of Grouped and Opportunistic Preventive Maintenance Reliability Growth Analysis with Missing or Erroneous Data Lambda Predict provides a variety of print-ready reports for analysis, including Failure Rate, Parts List, Pi Factors, and more FMEA Hierarchy and the FMEA Worksheet in Xfmea/RCM++
Issue 77, July 2007	Using FMEA Templates to Speed Up and Improve the Quality of FMEA or RCM Analyses Restoration Factors in BlockSim Scheduling Simultaneous Maintenance in BlockSim Custom Libraries in Lambda Predict
Issue 76, June 2007	On-Condition Maintenance Using P-F Interval or Failure Detection Threshold (FDT) Basic Steps of Applying Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) – Part III Folio Association in Weibull++ and ALTA Changes to Degradation Analysis in ALTA 7
Issue 75, May 2007	Using Off-Site Spare Part Stocks to Maintain Systems Expanded Models for Accelerated Life Test Analysis with Time-Varying Stresses Weibull++ 7 and ALTA 7 Integration Duty Cycles in BlockSim 7
Issue 74, April 2007	Using Duty Cycles in System Reliability Analysis Introduction to the Generalized Eyring Life-Stress Relationship BlockSim 7's Resource Usage window Managing Stress Profiles in ALTA 7 PRO
Issue 73, March 2007	Usage-Based Warranty Analysis Basic Steps of Applying Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) – Part II RENO's Item Properties Table Prioritizing Issues in Xfmea/RCM++
Issue 72, February 2007	You Have a Small Data Set: What Do You Do? Basic Steps of Applying Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) – Part I Exporting Descriptions to Phrase Sets in Xfmea/RCM++ Conditional formatting in RENO
Issue 71, January 2007	The RCM Perspective on Maintenance How Good Is Your Assumed Distribution's Fit? Find/Replace in Xfmea/RCM++ Lambda Predict 2's Grid Templates
Issue 70, December 2006	Using BlockSim 6 for Planning Just-In-Time Ordering of Spare Parts Standards Based Reliability Prediction in a Nutshell New Features in Xfmea/RCM++ 4's FMEA Worksheet Lambda Predict 2's Library Browse Window
Issue 69, November 2006	Using the New Change Log Utility in Xfmea or RCM++ How Long Should You Burn In a System? Preventing data loss in Lambda Predict Simplifying data entry in Xfmea and RCM++
Issue 68, October 2006	Don’t Let Your Event/Maintenance Log Data Go to Waste How to Simplify Complex RBDs with a Commonly Used Distribution Assigning item properties based on part number in Lambda Predict Repeatability of simulation results in RENO
Issue 67, September 2006	Analysis of Accelerated Tests with Competing Failure Modes What Would Deming Do? Weibull++ File Import Wizard RENO Subcharts and Subroutines
Issue 66, August 2006	Process Variation and Capability Assessment Reliability Importance Measures of Components in a Complex System - Identifying the 20% in the 80/20 Rule Confidence bounds in the Weibull++ 7 Function Wizard Creating/editing phrase sets in RCM++/Xfmea
Issue 65, July 2006	Degradation Analysis in Step-Stress Accelerated Testing Reliability Growth Test Planning and Management RENO's Definitions Report Order of standby blocks in BlockSim
Issue 64, June 2006	Analyzing Warranty Data of Repairable Systems Economical Life Model for Repairable Systems Default plot titles in Weibull++ 7 and RENO (*) Linked blocks in Lambda Predict
Issue 63, May 2006	Modeling Event Trees in RENO Minimal Cut Sets Tips on working with plots in Weibull++ and RENO Returns within the sales period in Weibull++
Issue 62, April 2006	Modeling Periodical Inspection and Early Failure Detection in BlockSim Component Reliability Importance in System Reliability Analysis Component failure rates and system failure rates in Lambda Predict Adjusting the status display in RENO's Simulation Console
Issue 61, March 2006	Probabilistic Event and Risk Analysis with RENO Common Beta Hypothesis Test In Reliability Growth and Repairable Systems Analysis Flag Markers and their order of execution in RENO Analysis plans in RCM++ and Xfmea
Issue 60, February 2006	Using Simulation to Design Reliability Demonstration Tests Bayesian Confidence Bounds Maintenance task assigned intervals in RCM++ RENO's intelligent equation-building features
Issue 59, January 2006	Analysis of Non-Homogeneous Warranty Data Parametric Recurrence Data Analysis and the GRP Model Converting data formats in Weibull++ 7's Warranty Analysis Folio Using and changing RENO Spreadsheets during simulation
Issue 58, December 2005	Quantifying Optimum Burn-in Period Monitoring Warranty Returns Using Statistical Process Control (SPC) Customizing Failure Effect Categorization and Task Selection logic charts in RCM++ Tying external documents to analyses in RCM++ and Xfmea using linking and attachment
Issue 57, November 2005	Applications of Non-Parametric Recurrence Data Analysis in Reliability Engineering Introduction to Non-Parametric Recurrence Data Analysis Weibull++ 7's Degradation Model Wizard Using Defined Variable Names in Weibull++ 7
Issue 56, October 2005	Using Weibull++ 7 and Monte Carlo Simulation for Probabilistic Design Overview of the Gumbel, Logistic, Loglogistic and Gamma Distributions Weibull++ 7's MDI Using Weibull++ 7 with event logs Where to find Weibull++ 7 examples and case studies
Issue 55, September 2005	Applications of the Weibull-Bayesian Distribution in Life Data Analysis Introduction to the Weibull-Bayesian Distribution Static bloks in BlockSim Modeling Categorical Factors in ALTA Debugging in RENO
Issue 54, August 2005	Determining the Connection Between Test and Field Reliability Treating Common Cause Failures in Fault Trees Allocating reliability goals across system components in Lambda Predict Goodness-of-fit statistical tests in RGA Where to find RENO examples and case studies
Issue 53, July 2005	Modeling Interactions Between Variables in Accelerated Life Testing or Life-Stress Analysis Using Categorical Variables in Accelerated Life Testing and Life-Stress Analysis Maintenance task packaging in RCM++ The differences between Xfmea Standard and Xfmea Enterprise Goodness-of-fit results in Weibull++
Issue 52, June 2005	Standards Based Reliability Prediction: Applicability and Usage to Augment RBDs (Part III) Introduction to Developmental Test Analysis with the Lloyd-Lipow Model Cost Calculation for Maintenance Strategies in RCM++ Linked Actions and Tasks in Xfmea and RCM++
Issue 51, May 2005	Standards Based Reliability Prediction: Applicability and Usage to Augment RBDs (Part II) Utilizing Residual Plots in Accelerated Life Testing Data Analysis The AVGOF and AVPLOT columns in Weibull++'s Distribution Wizard Using Weibull++ to predict optimum replacement date or remaining life in hours Container blocks and mirrored blocks in BlockSim 6.2
Issue 50, April 2005	Standards Based Reliability Prediction: Applicability and Usage to Augment RBDs (Part I) Introduction to the Temperature-Humidity Relationship BlockSim's Algorithm Setup window Comparing times-to-failure data sets in ALTA
Issue 49, March 2005	Using Warranty Return Data to Compare Different Product Designs Introduction to the Crow-AMSAA Reliability Growth Model Opening Lambda Predict's parts libraries in the background Changing operating conditions for multiple components in Lambda Predict: MIL-217 Global Edit
Issue 48, February 2005	Using BlockSim to Analyze Systems that Do Not Operate 24 Hours per Day Beta Binomial Confidence Bounds on the Mixed Weibull Distribution Viewing all block properties simultaneously in BlockSim: the Item Properties Table The location parameter in Weibull++
Issue 47, January 2005	Life Cycle Cost Analysis Characteristics of the Lognormal Distribution Organizing displayed systems in RGA's System Operation plot ReliaSoft's 2005 public reliability training seminars - dates and locations Reliability-related Web sites
Issue 46, December 2004	Using Weibull++ and blockSim to calculate t-sub-0 Basic Concepts of FMEA and FMECA What is the difference between cumulative and instantaneous MTBF? What type of life data analysis can be done when all data is suspended?
Issue 45, November 2004	Bringing It All Together Common Shape Parameter Likelihood Ratio Test Characteristic life vs. mean life in the Weibull distribution Weibull distribution vs. Power Law model
Issue 44, October 2004	Data Analysis and Reporting Comparison of RBD and Fault Tree Simulation Start times greater than zero in RGA 6 Failure times data in RGA 6: when to use Weibull++ in addition to RGA
Issue 43, September 2004	Data Collection Basic Concepts of Accelerated Life Testing Analysis Converting classifications and modes in RGA 6 Changing x-axis label orientation in RGA 6
Issue 42, August 2004	Field Data Likelihood Ratio Confidence Bounds The Beta (hyp.) value in the Crow Extended Model in RGA 6 Tracking reliability growth across test phases in RGA 6 Evaluating improvements across stages in RGA 6
Issue 41, July 2004	Reliability Testing Fielded Systems in Reliability Growth (Part II) Xfmea's failure cause matrix Customizing the appearance of the Project window in Xfmea
Issue 40, June 2004	Restructured Reliability Education Offerings Fielded Systems in Reliability Growth (Part I) Error message in BlockSim when import XML file from XFMEA International Applied Reliability Symposium keynote speaker
Issue 39, May 2004	Introduction to Reliability Growth Foundations of Reliability Contact information for ReliaSoft's international distributors Integrating FMEA with APQP guidelines in Xfmea Searching for and importing previously analyzed components in Xfmea
Issue 38, April 2004	An Accelerated Life Testing Model Involving Performance Degradation Overview of Fault Tree Gates (Part II) New features and enhancements in Xfmea Standard Attaching documents to RGA 6 files Separating classification and mode data in RGA 6
Issue 37, March 2004	Software Reliability Growth Overview of Fault Tree Gates (Part I) Importing data from Microsoft Excel into RGA 6 Organizing systems in the Advanced System View in RGA 6 Finding past issues of the Hotwire
Issue 36, February 2004	Developmental Testing with Corrective Actions Implemented During the Test and Delayed Fixes Predicting Warranty Returns Assigning a fixed effectiveness factor in RGA 6 Marking termination time on RGA 6 plots
Issue 35, January 2004	Financial Applications for Weibull Analysis Specifications and Product Failure Definitions BlockSim RBD circular references Theory behind ReliaSoft applications
Issue 34, December 2003	Using Accelerated Life Testing Analysis to Characterize "Shelf Life" What Are Confidence Bounds? Assigning stress profiles in ALTA 6 PRO B and C parameters in ALTA 6
Issue 33, November 2003	Expanded Algebraic Solutions for RBDs and FTDs Ability to Edit Item Properties in Separate Worksheets Maximum Likelihood Function ReliaSoft's 2004 public training seminars dates and locations Mean metric when using the Weibull distribution System reliability uncertainty in BlockSim
Issue 32, October 2003	Limitations of Using the MTTF as a Reliability Specification Characterizing Your Product's Reliability Difference between RBDs and FTDs Weibull++ probability plot and calculated MLE
Issue 31, September 2003	Using Maintenance Policies Overview of BlockSim Containers in Simulation Xfmea Standard database maintenance tools Building a custom application using Weibull++ engines Index of ReliaSoft's publications
Issue 30, August 2003	Analyzing Accelerated Test Data with Unrelated Failures Using Pools and Crews in System Analysis (Part II) Weibull++'s Use True 3-P MLE on Weibull option Rank regression in ALTA
Issue 29, July 2003	Using the Fault Tree Method to Analyze Dependent and Independent Failure Modes Using Pools and Crews in System Analysis (Part I) Revision tracking in Xfmea ReliaSoft seminars
Issue 28, June 2003	The Effect of Inspection Intervals Throughput Analysis (Part II) Email notifications in Xfmea Criticality analysis in Xfmea
Issue 27, May 2003	Using Reliability Block Diagrams to Analyze Dependent and Independent Failure Modes Throughput Analysis (Part I) Editing records in Xfmea's FMEA Hierarchy Xfmea's Check Analysis utility
Issue 26, April 2003	ReliaSoft's Alternate Ranking Method Relationship Between Availability and Reliability Free reliability tools Defining stress relations for general log-linear model in ALTA
Issue 25, March 2003	Introduction to Probability Theory Understanding Unbiasedness BlockSim 6 data entry shortcuts ReliaSoft support options
Issue 24, February 2003	Imperfect Repair Design of Reliability Tests Specifying icons on Weibull++ Data Folio Control Panel Converting temperature values in ALTA ReliaSoft's software validation and quality assurance practices
Issue 23, January 2003	A Look Under the Hood at the Cumulative Damage Model Comparing Two Data Sets Changing the Data Type in Weibull++ Correcting Distortion in Chart Wizard Charts
Issue 22, December 2002	The Bathtub Curve and Product Failure, Part Two Reliability of Standby Systems with a Switching Device Reliability Benchmark Survey Report Work Center Page Numbers Using the Results Panel to Print Calculated Results Weibull++ File Import Wizard
Issue 21, November 2002	The Bathtub Curve and Product Failure, Part One Determining the Reliability of a System with Standby Redundancy Calculating Optimum Replacement Time in Weibull++ Using the Weibull++ QCP for Multiple Data Sheets Creating Web-friendly Graphics from RS Draw
Issue 20, October 2002	Determining System Reliability with Load Sharing Difference Between Physical and Reliability-Wise Arrangement Difference Between ALTA 6 Standard and ALTA 6 PRO Source for Reliability Resources on the Web Specify Time-Varying Stress Profiles in ALTA 6
Issue 19, September 2002	Looking at Thermal Cycling in QALT Contour Plots and Confidence Bounds on Parameters (Part II) ReliaSoft License Policies Hide/Display RBD Reliability Equation in BlockSim Represent Subdiagram Block as Distribution in BlockSim
Issue 18, August 2002	Accelerated Life Testing...Why? Contour Plots and Confidence Bounds on Parameters Differences Between ALTA and Weibull++ Significance Level in ALTA's Likelihood Ratio Test Utility Nested Functions in the Weibull++ or ALTA Function Wizard
Issue 17, July 2002	Let the Data Speak About Activation Energy Differences Between Type I and Type II Confidence Bounds Stress Plots for Multiple Stresses in ALTA's Side-by-Side Plots ALTA 6 PRO's Time Varying Stress Calculation Options
Issue 16, June 2002	Verifying the Assumption of a Constant Shape Parameter in Accelerated Life Data Comparison of MLE and Rank Regression When the Data Set Contains Suspensions BlockSim Format Painter BlockSim Integration with Weibull++
Issue 15, May 2002	Generalized Gamma Distribution and Reliability Analysis Location Parameter of the Weibull Distribution Stress Levels in ALTA 6 Probability Plots ALTA 6 PRO Stress Libraries
Issue 14, April 2002	Financial Applications for Weibull Analysis Characteristics of the Weibull Distribution BlockSim Subdiagrams and Repair Times User Name and Company in Weibull++ 5.0
Issue 13, March 2002	Using Reliability Information Throughout the Organization Defining Distributions - Part 2: Deriving Reliability Functions Windows 2000 and Weibull++ 5.0 Data Requirements for ALTA Analysis
Issue 12, February 2002	Multimodal Analysis Defining Distributions - Part 1: The Probability Distribution Function System Failure Rates and BlockSim MLE Parameter Estimates in Weibull++ Interview with Brian Haan of LaserComm Inc.
Issue 11, January 2002	Customer Usage Profiling Nonparametric Analysis Confidence Bounds PNZ in Weibull++
Issue 10, December 2001	Fostering a Culture of Reliability Rank Regression Parameter Estimation Underlying Theory for ReliaSoft Software Confidence Bounds on Parameters in Weibull++
Issue 9, November 2001	Determining the Connection Between Test and Field Reliability Maximum Likelihood Estimation Probability Scales in Weibull++ Plots BlockSim and k-out-of-n parallel redundancy configurations
Issue 8, October 2001	Estimating Availability Through Simulation Probability Plotting ReliaSoft Plots in Other Applications Repeating Simulation Results in BlockSim Weibull++'s "Use True 3-P MLE on Weibull" Option
Issue 7, September 2001	Using Accelerated Life Testing Analysis to Characterize "Shelf Life" The Reliability Function Program ID on Weibull++ and ALTA Plots Stress Profiles in ALTA 6 PRO Circular References in BlockSim RBDs
Issue 6, August 2001	Reliability Allocation and Optimization Sources of Reliability and Life Data - Part 2: Field Data Align Blocks in BlockSim Borders on Weibull++ Plots
Issue 5, July 2001	Analyzing Sudden-Death Testing Data Sources of Reliability and Life Data - Part 1: Reliability Testing Basics Display Suspensions on Probability Plots Design Reliability Test with Two Test Units Copy RBD into Diagrams within BlockSim Interview with Dr. Robert Herrick of Agilent Technologies
Issue 4, June 2001	Analyzing Step-Stress Data What Are Confidence Bounds Parameters B and C in ALTA Insert Identical Blocks in Series in BlockSim Weibull++ Multiple Plots
Issue 3, May 2001	Determining the Reliability of Complex Systems - Part 2: Simulation Developing Good Reliability Specifications Component Failure and Repair Information in BlockSim Weibull++ Default Multiple Plot Settings Two Stresses in ALTA
Issue 2, April 2001	Determining the Reliability of Complex Systems - Part 1: Analytical Techniques Specifications and Product Failure Definitions Speedy Data Entry in Weibull++ and ALTA Two Stresses in ALTA Latest Software Updates Windows 2000 Installations
Issue 1, March 2001	Which Analysis Settings Should I Use? Characterizing Your Product's Reliability MLE Line and Weibull++ Probability Plots Error When Opening Weibull++ or ALTA Folio Simultaneous Updates of Multiple Blocks in BlockSim Sharing Plots from ReliaSoft Software