Abstract: A system and method for reliability assessment and prediction of end items is provided herein. A reliability assessment program (RAP) in accordance with the present invention provides a reliability assessment of the new equipment and/or parts designed for in-field use by assessing the similarities and differences between the new equipment and the predecessor equipment. Predecessor end item field failure data is collected and analyzed to compare the degree of similarity between the predecessor fielded end item and the new design. Based on this comparison, an appropriate method of assessment is determined, for example, a similarity analysis process or a failure cause model. Both methods use models for comparison and generate an appropriate report expressing the failure rate prediction of the new design and/or the mean-time-between-failure (MTBF).

Abstract: A system and method for reliability assessment and prediction of end items is provided herein. A reliability assessment program (RAP) in accordance with the present invention provides a reliability assessment of the new equipment and/or parts designed for in-field use by assessing the similarities and differences between the new equipment and the predecessor equipment. Predecessor end item field failure data is collected and analyzed to compare the degree of similarity between the predecessor fielded end item and the new design. Based on this comparison, an appropriate method of assessment is determined, for example, a similarity analysis process or a failure cause model. Both methods use models for comparison and generate an appropriate report expressing the failure rate prediction of the new design and/or the mean-time-between-failure (MTBF).