ABSTRACT
The term reliability is a term that has been used extensively, but is often
misunderstood. Reliability has been described by some as a group of statis-
ticians spewing endless streams of data. Others have described it as testing a
device ad nauseam. Reliability is neither of these. Reliability is a characteristic that describes how good a device really is.
It is a measure of the dependability of the device. It is a characteristic that must
be planned for, designed, and manufactured into a device. The inclusion of
reliability in manufacturing is important because, no matter how reliably a
device is designed, it will not be a success unless it is manufactured and serviced
reliably. Thus, reliability is the state of mind that all personnel associated
with a product must be in. It is a philosophy that dictates how good a device
will be.
