System Safety and Reliability Engineering Flashcards
6 cards from real ASEP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 System Safety and Reliability Engineering flashcards as text
What is the purpose of a system safety program plan (SSPP)?
Answer: To define the safety tasks, responsibilities, and schedule for managing system hazards throughout the life cycle
An SSPP defines how safety will be managed throughout the system life cycle, including tasks, roles, milestones, and hazard tracking.
In reliability block diagrams (RBDs), components arranged 'in series' means:
Answer: All components must function for the system to function
In a series RBD, all components must function for the system to operate; failure of any single component causes system failure.
What is 'failure rate' (λ) and how is it related to MTBF?
Answer: Failure rate is the number of failures per unit time; MTBF is the inverse of failure rate (1/λ)
Failure rate (λ) is the number of failures per unit time, and for a constant failure rate, MTBF = 1/λ.
What does 'Design for Reliability' (DfR) mean in practice?
Answer: Incorporating reliability requirements and analysis into the design process from the beginning
DfR integrates reliability requirements and methods (derating, FMEA, thermal analysis) into design early, reducing the cost and difficulty of achieving reliability targets.
A 'single point of failure' (SPOF) is best defined as:
Answer: A component whose failure alone causes the entire system to fail, with no backup
A SPOF is a component or subsystem that, if it fails, causes the entire system to fail because no redundancy or alternate path exists.
Which MIL standard provides guidance on reliability program requirements for defense systems in the US?
Answer: MIL-HDBK-217
MIL-HDBK-217 provides reliability prediction methods for electronic systems, while MIL-STD-882 covers system safety—both are key US DoD reliability and safety references.