ReliaSoft's Reliability HotWire: Issue 37

In this issue:

Issue 37, March 2004

	Hot Topics
	Reliability Basics
	Tool Tips
	Latest Software Updates
	Hot News
	From the Edge
	Contribute to HotWire

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Hot Topics

Software Reliability Growth
When considering reliability growth, some sort of hardware is typically being analyzed. But the same theory and analysis procedures can also be applied to the analysis of software. The faults (bugs) that are found during each day's testing of the software can be recorded and then analyzed, just as would be done for hardware. This article will explore how software reliability growth can be analyzed using RGA 6.

Reliability Basics

Overview of Fault Tree Gates (Part I)
Gates are the logic symbols that interconnect contributory events and conditions in a fault tree diagram. The AND and OR gates, as well as Voting OR gates in which the output event occurs if a certain number of the input events occur (i.e. k-out-of-n redundancy), are the most basic types of gates in classical fault tree analysis. These basic gates are explicitly provided for in BlockSim FTI and are described in this article along with their BlockSim implementations. Additional gates will be introduced in next month's issue of the HotWire.

Tool Tips

What is the appropriate format for importing data from a Microsoft Excel file into RGA 6?

In RGA 6, how can systems be organized while being viewed in the Advanced System View?
Where can I find past issues of the HotWire?

Latest Software Updates

New service releases are now available for BlockSim (SR 6.2.4) and Xfmea (SR 2.0.1). To determine the compile revision of the application on your computer, select About from the Help menu.

Application	Date Created	Version
BlockSim
BlockSim	3/9/04	6.2.4
BlockSim Update	N/A	SR 6.2.4
Xfmea
Xfmea Standard	3/2/04	2.0.1
Xfmea Standard Update	N/A	SR 2.0.1

Hot News

Dr. Larry Crow is teaching at ReliaSoft in April Dr. Larry Crow, the leading authority in reliability growth and repairable systems analysis, will be using his expertise and the newly released RGA 6 PRO software to teach ReliaSoft's RS 511 course: Reliability Growth, Repairable System Data Analysis and RGA. Scheduled for April 19-21, this course will cover state-of-the-art methods for planning and evaluating the reliability of complex systems during three key life cycle phases: design, developmental testing and customer field use. RGA 6 PRO will be used to complement and enhance the attendee's knowledge in the area of reliability growth and repairable system data analysis. For course details and registration information, please visit: http://Seminars.ReliaSoft.com/april04.htm.

2004 Applied Reliability Symposium The keynote speaker for the 2004 Applied Reliability Symposium is United States Navy Rear Admiral Michael C. Bachmann. He will be presenting The Challenge of Sustaining Aging Naval Weapon Systems. Rear Admiral Michael C. Bachmann is currently assigned as the Assistant Commander for Aviation Logistics. Prior to this assignment, he was assigned as Commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division with additional duties as the Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation, and Shore Station Management. For a complete list of presenters at this June 16-18 event, please visit: http://www.ARSymposium.org/2004/2004matrix_p.htm.

Free Xfmea Major Version Upgrade! Thanks to diligent work by our R&D staff and the great feedback from our Xfmea users, ReliaSoft has just announced a free major version upgrade for Xfmea. New and enhanced features include:

Integrated Control Plan and Design Verification Plan and Report (DVP&R) utilities.
Integrated Process Flow Diagrams, Cause and Effect Diagrams and other relationship diagrams.
A new Database Query utility that allows users to search multiple projects simultaneously.
A new Import Wizard utility that combines query and import capabilities to make it easier to build new system configurations based on existing analyses.
And much more

Additional features, benefits and examples can be viewed at: http://Xfmea.ReliaSoft.com/version2.htm.

Maintain-IT Seminars in UK this May ReliaSoft's distribution partner in the UK, Maintain-IT, is currently offering practical workshops to engineers who are interested in gaining more technical knowledge. Topics include Maintenance Optimization through Historical Data Analysis & Systems RAM Analysis, Reducing the Costs of Spares and FMEA/FMECA for Maintenance, Manufacturing and Process & Safety. Case studies and practical examples, along with software packages provided by ReliaSoft, will be used to aid understanding and facilitate the learning process. For detailed course outlines, please visit: http://www.maintain-it.co.uk.

Calendar of Public Events:

	March	Advanced System Analysis and BlockSim Training Seminar - March 22 - 24, 2004 in Tucson, AZ. An intensive theoretical and hands-on course (utilizing BlockSim) that exposes the attendee to the advanced concepts, principles and requirements for performing detailed system reliability, maintainability, availability and related analyses. For more information, see http://Seminars.ReliaSoft.com/.
		FMEA/FMECA Analysis and Xfmea Training Seminar - March 25 - 26, 2004 in Tucson, AZ. This course offers an overview of FMEA/FMECA analysis procedures with emphasis on the use of the Xfmea software. For more information, see http://Seminars.ReliaSoft.com/.
	April	QALT Boot Camp April 19 - 21, 2004 in Tucson, AZ. This intensive three day course covers advanced topics, concepts and applications of quantitative accelerated life testing (QALT) analysis and ReliaSoft's ALTA PRO software. For more information, see http://Seminars.ReliaSoft.com.
		Reliability Growth, Repairable System Data Analysis and RGA April 19 - 21, 2004 in Tucson, AZ. Presented by Dr. Larry Crow, this course will discuss state-of-the-art methods for planning and evaluating the reliability of complex systems during three key life cycle phases: design, developmental testing and customer field use. Hands-on use of RGA 6 PRO will be used to enhance the learning process. For more information, see http://Seminars.ReliaSoft.com.
		Singapore Introduction to Reliability April 21, 2004 in Singapore. This one-day course provides a high level overview of reliability engineering principles and their applications in a maintenance centered organization. For more information, see http://www.ReliaSoft.com/seminars/index.htm.
		Master the Subject, Master the Tools Training Seminar (MSMT) - Life data analysis, introduction to accelerated life data analysis and introduction to system analysis: May 3-7, 2004 in Tucson, AZ. For more information, see http://Seminars.ReliaSoft.com/.

From the Edge

In addition to the monthly Reliability HotWire, ReliaSoft publishes Reliability Edge, a printed newsletter that includes articles and information related to the field of reliability engineering. An article of interest in the current edition:

Choosing an Appropriate Distribution to Analyze Process Variations - This article describes a reliability analysis of various process variations for aluminum wire bonds used in hybrid electronic modules. It illustrates the importance of selecting an appropriate distribution for data analysis based on an understanding of the real world factors driving the data and calculating the mathematical best fit to the distribution. To view the entire article see: http://www.ReliaSoft.com/newsletter/v4i2/delphi.htm.

Contribute to HotWire

Contributions Welcomed
As always, your feedback and contributions are appreciated. ReliaSoft is able to provide the most user-friendly reliability software packages and support because we listen to our customers. This applies to our newsletters and publications as well. We welcome any suggestions or contributions you may have for Reliability HotWire. If you have a topic or article that you think would be useful to the readers of Reliability HotWire, feel free to contact us.