Track 2 Session 5

8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, 2010

Weibull Analysis of Perplexing Field Data

The analysis of field data can be a bigger problem in some situations than many people realize. Analysis is easy when production rates and customer use are fairly steady. However, when ramping-up from low manufacturing rates to higher ones or when customers increase or change their system usage, more care is required during the analysis. Early in the history of a new product or system, everyone is closely watching the early field results. This group includes design, field service, project management and major customers. A system that would exhibit a constant failure rate (constant hazard rate) in the test laboratory often will not appear to be constant in these changing field situations. It is exactly at these early deployment times when calculations are being made and failures and future costs are being projected. Learn how to recognize this situation and prevent miscalculations in these situations.

Key Words: Weibull Analysis, Field Data, Ramp-Up Situation, Commercialization, Noisy Data Analysis

James McLinn

Rel-Tech Group

Hanover, Minnesota