Abstract
Comprehensive failure analysis methods are currently available to electronic designers, extending to the use of computers to estimate the probability of failures.
The mechanical designer has few such tools at his disposal. The paper presents two practical methods of reviewing a mechanical design to improve its reliability. The first is a potential fault analysis, which considers each component and its relation to the function of the whole. The use of this analysis as a project control method is also shown. The second method is a systematic design review method, which aims to consider every aspect and function of a design and its components, to ensure that no factor has been overlooked. The application of these methods is discussed.
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