Notes on:

Nonoperating Reliability Databook Reliability Analysis Center

Nonoperating Reliability Databook, Reliability Analysis Center, Griffiss AFB, Rome NY, 1987 (329 pages+). Document F30602-84-C-0162.

I DON'T PUBLISH NOR SELL THIS BOOK -- CONTACT RAC FOR INFO ON OBTAINING IT!

This data source provides quantitative models based on real data for how components degrade over time spent in storage. The book was primarily conceived to provide reliability information about spare parts or consumable equipment that may be stockpiled and stored for years before being used (the failure rate is expressed in failures per million storage hours). However many embedded systems spend a significant part of their life in short-term storage, such as an automobile parked in a garage, so nonoperating reliability can play a big part in everyday systems.

The failure rates take into account factors such as storage conditions, failure mechanisms, type of component, and how often the component is tested while in storage. Some of the information has a decidedly military flavor (e.g., missiles), and would have to be adapted for commercial use. The data covers: resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, transistors, microcircuits, hybrids, tubes, relays, switches, meters, connectors, and "miscellaneous" (accelerometers, batteries, pumps, switches, valves).

The data may be somewhat dated and perhaps more applicable to military-grade components than commercial components. However, it is the most comprehensive data of this type available.

Topic coverage: (*** = emphasized; ** = discussed with some detail; * = mentioned)

Author summary (from the preface):

"This publication is the first RAC databook devoted entirely to one specific field use condition. NONOP-1 is a compilation of nonoperating field and test data for an assortment of electrical and electromechanical parts. The data presented have been collected by the Reliability Analysis Center (RAC) from many government and nongovernment sources and resides in RAC databases.

"NONOP-1 provides summarized and unsummarized data on a variety of part types. Records are grouped into various logical sub-categories to allow quick comparisons between related part types. Summary data tables provide field failure rates for the merged data records along with their respective predicted failure rate values. Predicted failure rates have been derived using RAC's Nonoperating Reliability Prediction System (RAC-NPRS) which is based on RADC Technical Report, Impact of Nonoperating Periods on Equipment Reliability, RADC-TR-85-91. A component failure rate section for miscellaneous components which are not currently represented by reliability prediction models and a section outlining the effects of periodically testing nonoperating systems are also presented. This book is intended to complement documents such as RADC-TR-85-91 or MIL-HDBK-217. Users are cautioned that any data presented herein may not be used in lieu of contractually cited references."

Contents:

INTRODUCTION                                           1

SECTION 1:   BACKGROUND                                3
Background                                             5
Assumptions                                            7
Data Types                                             9

SECTION 2:   OVERVIEW                                  11
General                                                13
Environmental Analysis                                 13
Component Failure Mechanisms Due to the Effects
           of Storage                                  20
  Microcircuit Failure Mechanisms                      21
  Diodes & Transistors                                 29
  Electronic Tubes                                     29
  Resistors                                            30
  Capacitors                                           30
  Inductors                                            31
  Connectors                                           31
Effects of Periodic Testing on System Reliability      31
RAC Tools for Predicting Nonoperational Reliability    38

SECTION 3: DATA TABLES                                 39
Data Files                                             41
Nonoperational Component Reliability Summary Section   49
Nonoperational Component Reliability Detail Data
          Section                                      65
 Resistors                                             67
 Capacitors                                            101
 Inductors                                             133
 Diodes                                                147
 Transistors                                           167
 Microcircuit Field Data                               185
 Microcircuit Test Data                                211
 Hybrids                                               245
 Tubes                                                 255
 Relays                                                267
 Switches                                              277
 Meters                                                289
 Connectors                                            297
 Miscellaneous                                         307

REFERENCES                                             319
APPENDIX A: PERIODIC TEST MODEL DERIVATION             323

Go to: other data sources | resource page

Philip Koopman: koopman@cmu.edu