Challenges in using the physics-of-failure approach in practical applications

• Published in: 2017 IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Irias, Nayara G. N., Souza, Frederico A. L., de Paula, Helder, Silva, Leonardo Adolpho R.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.10.2017
• Subjects: Context modeling; Faces; Hybrid models; Manufacturing; Motor drives; physics-of-failure (PoF); Predictive models; Probabilistic logic; probabilistic PoF; prognostics; reliability; Reliability engineering; Stress; Temperature; traditional approach; Vibrations
• DOI: 10.1109/IAS.2017.8101838

The authors plan to perform a new reliability analysis of a motor drive system for mining applications, whose environment is harsh due to the presence of vibration, high temperature, dust and other stress factors. The previous study was disregarded because it had been made using the traditional approach, based on handbook constant failure rate models. Since this traditional method is no longer recommended, the approach based on the physics-of-failure (PoF) has been deeply studied by the authors, to be applied in the aformentioned analysis. However, several difficulties have been experienced when using this approach for the reliability assessment of systems in operation. In this context, this paper presents a discussion about the challenges regarding the application of the PoF methodology in the field, and, in the face of such difficulties, it debates hybrid and probabilistic models that aim to overcome them. Finally, a questioning pointing out the problems that a field engineer may find when employing these reliability methods is exposed to raise a discussion that intends to enlighten the subject and promote their effective use in practice.