Bathtub Curve in Reliability Analysis. A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62933/nfdxjj93Abstract
The bathtub curve is a popular concept and an important tool in reliability analysis. It describes the pattern or shape of the hazard rate function of products or systems throughout their life cycles over time. It helps in understanding failure modes and identifying critical periods in the systems life cycle in many fields such as engineering, quality management, electronics manufacturing, and other applied fields. This paper reviews the stages of the curve in some detail, along with everything that has been written by researchers on statistical estimation methods for the failure rate at each stage, highlighting the distributions related to this curve. It also addresses how to identify the points of change and transformation in this curve and the extent of its impact on preventive maintenance. The paper concludes with some critical points and objections to the bathtub curve.
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