MSc Reliability Engineering and Asset Management / Course details

Year of entry: 2023

Course unit details:
Reliability, Maintainability & Risk

Course unit fact file
Unit code MECH69072
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 20/21 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates

Analysing the reliability of plant items: Setting the scene: needs, definitions, and statistics of item failure. Decision analysis: identifying reliability problems using Pareto and trend analysis. Weibull analysis: graphical analysis of item life data, method of Median Ranks, the Cumulative Hazard plot. 

Assessing the reliability of plant systems: Reliability Block Diagrams  (RDBs): representation and assessment of the reliability of simple configurations. Assessment of larger, more complex and proof-tested systems, via System Reduction, Truth Table and Bayesian Techniques. Maintainability analysis. Estimating system repair times.

Advanced reliability and safety assessment: Fault Tree Analysis: (a) symbols and construction, (b) minimum cut sets, (c) top event quantification, (d) importance measures. Event Tree Analysis.  Simulation.  Case studies of applications in design for industrial safety. 
 

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Asset Management Strategy & Organisation MECH69001 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Asset Maintenance Systems MECH69032 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

The unit aims to:  equip the student with –

•  a working knowledge of the analytical techniques of reliability engineering;

•  an appreciation of the contribution that these techniques can make to the task of enhancing (a) the effectiveness of the maintenance function and (b) the availability, maintainability and, where relevant, the safety of the physical assets involved;

• an understanding of the information that will be needed if such benefits are to be realised

Syllabus

Analysing the reliability of plant items: Setting the scene: needs, definitions, and statistics of item failure. Decision analysis: identifying reliability problems using Pareto and trend analysis. Weibull analysis: graphical analysis of item life data, method of Median Ranks, the Cumulative Hazard plot. 

Assessing the reliability of plant systems: Reliability Block Diagrams  (RDBs): representation and assessment of the reliability of simple configurations. Assessment of larger, more complex and proof-tested systems, via System Reduction, Truth Table and Bayesian Techniques. Maintainability analysis. Estimating system repair times.

Advanced reliability and safety assessment: Fault Tree Analysis: (a) symbols and construction, (b) minimum cut sets, (c) top event quantification, (d) importance measures. Event Tree Analysis.  Simulation.  Case studies of applications in design for industrial safety. 
 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written exam 50%
Report 50%

Feedback methods

.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 25
Project supervision 61
Tutorials 4
Independent study hours
Independent study 60

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Moray Kidd Unit coordinator

Return to course details