diff --git a/component_failure_modes_definition/component_failure_modes_definition.tex b/component_failure_modes_definition/component_failure_modes_definition.tex index abd4889..e0bcc94 100644 --- a/component_failure_modes_definition/component_failure_modes_definition.tex +++ b/component_failure_modes_definition/component_failure_modes_definition.tex @@ -15,6 +15,104 @@ for a given type of part can be obtained from standard literature\cite{mil1991} \cite{mech}. %The failure modes for a given component $K$ form a set $F$. + + +\subsection{Systems, functional groups, sub-systems and failure modes} + +It is helpful here to define some terms, `system', `functional~group', `component', `base~component' and `sub-system'. + +A System, is really any coherent entity that would be sold as a safety critical product. +A sub-system is a system that is part of some larger system. +For instance a stereo amplifier separate is a sub-system. The +whole Sound System, consists perhaps of the following `sub-systems': +CD-player, tuner, amplifier~separate, loudspeakers and ipod~interface. + +%Thinking like this is a top~down analysis approach +%and is the way in which FTA\cite{nucfta} analyses a System +%and breaks it down. + +A sub-system will be composed of component parts, which +may themselves be sub-systems. However each `component part' +will have a fault/failure behaviour and it should +always be possible to obtain a set of failure modes +for each `component'. + +If we look at the sound system again as an +example; the CD~player could fail in serveral distinct ways, no matter +what has happened to it or has gone wrong inside it. + + +Using the reasoning that working from the bottom up forces the consideration of all possible +component failures (which can be missed in a top~down approach) +we are presented with a problem. Which initial collections of base components should we choose ? + +For instance in the CD~player example; to start at the bottom; we are presented with +a massive list of base~components, resistors, motors, user~switches, laser~diodes all sorts ! +Clearly, working from the bottom~up we need to pick small +collections of components that work together in some way. +These are termed `functional~groups'. For instance the circuitry that powers the laser diode +to illuminate the CD might contain a handful of components, and as such would make a good candidate +to be one of the base level functional~groups. + + +In choosing the lowest level (base component) sub-systems we would look +for the smallest `functional~groups' of components within a system. A functional~group is a set of components that interact +to perform a specific function. + +When we have analysed the fault behaviour of a functional group, we can treat it as a `black box'. +We can now call our functional~group a sub-system. The goal here is to know how will behave under fault conditions ! +%Imagine buying one such `sub~system' from a very honest vendor. +%One of those sir, yes but be warned it may fail in these distinct ways, here +%in the honest data sheet the set of failure modes is listed! +This type of thinking is starting to become more commonplace in product literature, with the emergence +of reliability safety standards such as IOC1508\cite{sccs},EN61508\cite{en61508}. +FIT (Failure in Time - expected number of failures per billion hours of operation) values +are published for some micro-controllers. A micro~controller +is a complex sub-system in its self and could be considered a `black~box' with a given reliability. +\footnote{Microchip sources give an FIT of 4 for their PIC18 series micro~controllers\cite{microchip}, The DOD +1991 reliability manual\cite{mil1991} applies a FIT of 100 for this generic type of component} + +As electrical components have detailed datasheets a useful extension of this would +be failure modes of the component, with environmental factors and MTTF statistics. + +Currently this sort of information is generally only available for generic component types\cite{mil1991}. + + +%At higher levels of analysis, functional~groups are pre-analysed sub-systems that interact to +%erform a given function. + +\vspace{0.3cm} +%\begin{table}[p] +\begin{tabular}{||l|l||} \hline \hline + {\em Definition } & {\em Description} \\ \hline +System & A product designed to \\ + & work as a coherent entity \\ \hline +Sub-system & A part of a system, \\ + & sub-systems may contain sub-systems \\ \hline +Failure mode & A way in which a System, \\ + & Sub-system or component can fail \\ \hline +Functional Group & A collection of sub-systems and/or \\ + & components that interact to \\ + & perform a specific function \\ \hline +Failure Mode & The collection of all failure \\ +Group & modes from all the members of a \\ + & functional group \\ \hline +Base Component & Any bought in component, which \\ + & hopefully has a known set of failure modes \\ \hline + \hline +\end{tabular} +%\end{table} +\vspace{0.3cm} + +\begin{figure}[h] + \centering + \includegraphics[width=400pt,bb=0 0 680 500,keepaspectratio=true]{./fmmd_uml.jpg} + % fmmd_uml.jpg: 680x500 pixel, 72dpi, 23.99x17.64 cm, bb=0 0 680 500 + \caption{UML respresentation of Failure Mode Data types} + \label{fig:fmmd_uml} +\end{figure} + + \subsection{Unitary State Component Failure Mode sets} An important factor in defining a set of failure modes is that they diff --git a/component_failure_modes_definition/fmmd_uml.dia b/component_failure_modes_definition/fmmd_uml.dia new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dee129f Binary files /dev/null and b/component_failure_modes_definition/fmmd_uml.dia differ diff --git a/component_failure_modes_definition/fmmd_uml.jpg b/component_failure_modes_definition/fmmd_uml.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6f8c24c Binary files /dev/null and b/component_failure_modes_definition/fmmd_uml.jpg differ diff --git a/symptom_abstraction/symptom_abstraction.tex b/symptom_abstraction/symptom_abstraction.tex index 66de095..72789e8 100644 --- a/symptom_abstraction/symptom_abstraction.tex +++ b/symptom_abstraction/symptom_abstraction.tex @@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ This paper focuses on the process of building the blocks that are used in the hi \section{Introduction} Fault finding is intinctively performed from the top-down. -A faulty peice of equipement is examined and will have a +A faulty piece of equipment is examined and will have a symptom or specific fault. The area or sub-system within the equipemnt will next be looked into. Secific measurements and checks will be made, and finally a component or a low level sub-system @@ -154,13 +154,13 @@ System & A product designed to \\ & work as a coherent entity \\ \hline Sub-system & A part of a system, \\ & sub-systems may contain sub-systems \\ \hline +Failure mode & A way in which a System, \\ + & Sub-system or component can fail \\ \hline Functional Group & A collection of sub-systems and/or \\ & components that interact to \\ & perform a specific function \\ \hline Base Component & Any bought in component, which \\ & hopefully has a known set of failure modes \\ \hline -Failure mode & A way in which a System, \\ - & Sub-system or component can fail \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} %\end{table}