WinR Design for Reliability Software

Introduction:

WinR™ is a reliability analysis software tool developed at Sandia National Laboratories.  WinR combines a fault tree analysis ( see Figure 1) and optimization capability with failure data management and full graphics output to provide a powerful design-for-reliability tool. WinR can be used throughout the entire equipment life cycle, from optimal reliability allocation early in design to analysis of field failure data for equipment in use

Figure 1. Fault Tree.

Benefits:

WinR™ can be used throughout the equipment lifecycle to improve reliability and reduce costs.  Use of WinR™ during the design phase of equipment can help ensure that reliability objectives are met and that potential reliability problems are identified and solved before prototypes are built. When equipment upgrades are under consideration, WinR™ supports cost-benefit studies.  If several upgrades are considered, reliability optimization helps ensure the greatest reliability gains for the lowest cost. WinR™ spares optimization capability can help develop cost effective spares inventories or spares kits for equipment.  Finally, WinR™'s field failure data analysis capabilities provide an efficient means for understanding reliability problems in field use.

Capabilities:

WinR™ includes a fault tree editor and solver that represent the central reliability analysis engine around which other capabilities revolve.  Analysis results include MTBF (see Figure 2 ), availability, MTTR and cost for repairable analysis and reliability, unreliability and cost for non-repairable analysis.  Sensitivity and variability results are a routine part of WinR™ output.  Output results can be examined in both graphics and tabular form.  A genetic optimization capability, integrated with WinR™, can be used for reliability optimization, optimal reliability allocation, or spares optimization.  Finally a field failure analysis capability is included that allows a reliability model, complete with uncertainty distributions on failure rates and repair times, to be created automatically from data representing individual field equipment failure events.

Figure 2. Mean Time Between Failures.

Applications

Analyses typically performed with WinR™ include:

• Reliability allocation and optimal allocation;
• Trade-off studies and cost-benefit studies;
• Fault tree analysis and root-cause analysis;
• Maintenance cost studies;
• Warranty cost analysis;
• Cost minimization;
• Reliability optimization;
• Spares optimization; and
• Field failure data analysis.

Reference:

WinR™ User's Reference Manual, Sandia National Laboratories, 1998.