Model parameter estimation and residual life prediction for a partially observable failing system

We consider a partially observable degrading system subject to condition monitoring and random failure. The system's condition is categorized into one of three states: a healthy state, a warning state, and a failure state. Only the failure state is observable. While the system is operational, vector data that is stochastically related to the system state is obtained through condition monitoring at regular sampling epochs. The state process evolution follows a hidden semi‐Markov model (HSMM) and Erlang distribution is used for modeling the system's sojourn time in each of its operational states. The Expectation‐maximization (EM) algorithm is applied to estimate the state and observation parameters of the HSMM. Explicit formulas for several important quantities for the system residual life estimation such as the conditional reliability function and the mean residual life are derived in terms of the posterior probability that the system is in the warning state. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the estimation procedure and failure prediction method. A comparison results with hidden Markov modeling are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 190–205, 2015     

A sequential scheduling problem with impatient jobs

There are n customers that need to be served. Customer i will only wait in queue for an exponentially distributed time with rate λ_i before departing the system. The service time of customer i has distribution F_i, and on completion of service of customer i a positive reward r_i is earned. There is a single server and the problem is to choose, after each service completion, which currently in queue customer to serve next so as to maximize the expected total return. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 659–663, 2015     

序降应力加速寿命试验(上)——试验分析篇

加速寿命试验是高可靠长寿命型产品的量化评估的重要途径,广泛应用于武器装备的定寿延寿课题中。为了进一步提高加速寿命试验的效率,提出一种新的试验方法——序降应力加速寿命试验。通过理论模型建立、试验数据分析和蒙特卡罗仿真对该方法的有效性进行分析。研究结果表明,在相同的试验环境下序降应力加速寿命试验方法不但能大幅度提高试验效率,同时还能提高试验分析精度。因此,在武器装备的定寿延寿课题中,序降应力加速寿命试验值得推广。     

基于GSPN的舰载服务器系统可靠性建模及分析

提出一种基于广义随机Petri网(Generalized Stochastic Petri Net,GSPN)的舰载服务器系统可靠性分析方法。深入分析舰载服务器系统故障模式的基础上,建立冗余服务器子系统的GSPN模型和共享数据盘子系统的GSPN模型,进而综合得到舰载服务器系统的全局GSPN模型,有效模拟了舰载服务器系统的动态行为。仿真实验验证了所提方法的有效性,为舰载服务器系统的分析与设计提供理论参考。     

某装备系统机电产品贮存可靠性评估方法

针对某装备系统机电产品长期自然贮存环境下可靠性无法准确评估的难题,提出了一种基于极小χ2估计和拟合优度检验的贮存可靠性评估方法,并对试验数据进行了分析、计算和处理。该方法通过拟合产品的失效分布来确定其分布函数参数,并根据确定的分布函数来预测产品的贮存可靠寿命。与现有的评估方法相比,采用该方法确定的分布函数更能反映产品的可靠性变化规律,对机电产品的贮存寿命预测结果更加合理,在工程研究领域具有很好的实用价值。     

Some aging properties of parallel and series systems with a random number of components

In this article, we study aging properties of parallel and series systems with a random number of components. We show that the decreasing likelihood ratio property is closed under the formation of random minima. We also show, by counterexamples, that other aging properties are not closed under the formation of random minima or maxima. Some mistakes in the literature are corrected. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 61: 238–243, 2014     

Some comparisons of residual life of coherent systems with exchangeable components

Most of the research, on the study of the reliability properties of technical systems, assume that the components of the system operate independently. However, in real life situation, it is more reasonable to assume that there is dependency among the components of the system. In this article, we give sufficient conditions based on the signature and the joint distribution of component lifetimes to obtain stochastic ordering results for coherent and mixed systems with exchangeable components. Some stochastic orders on dynamic (or conditional) signature of coherent systems are also provided. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 61: 549–556, 2014     

Stochastic scheduling subject to machine breakdowns: The preemptive‐repeat model with discounted reward and other criteria

We consider the problem of scheduling a set of jobs on a single machine subject to random breakdowns. We focus on the preemptive‐repeat model, which addresses the situation where, if a machine breaks down during the processing of a job, the work done on the job prior to the breakdown is lost and the job will have to be started from the beginning again when the machine resumes its work. We allow that (i) the uptimes and downtimes of the machine follow general probability distributions, (ii) the breakdown process of the machine depends upon the job being processed, (iii) the processing times of the jobs are random variables following arbitrary distributions, and (iv) after a breakdown, the processing time of a job may either remain a same but unknown amount, or be resampled according to its probability distribution. We first derive the optimal policy for a class of problems under the criterion to maximize the expected discounted reward earned from completing all jobs. The result is then applied to further obtain the optimal policies for other due date‐related criteria. We also discuss a method to compute the moments and probability distributions of job completion times by using their Laplace transforms, which can convert a general stochastic scheduling problem to its deterministic equivalent. The weighted squared flowtime problem and the maintenance checkup and repair problem are analyzed as applications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004     

Bivariate models from univariate life distributions: A characterization cum modeling approach

Bivariate life distribution models are of importance for studying interdependent components. We present a generic approach by introducing a new concept of characterized model in stead of a characterized distribution. It strikes a balance between characterization and modeling approaches to eliminate their individual limitations and incorporate their respective strengths. The proposed model, being a characterized one, admits many important properties irrespective of the choice of marginal distributions. The retention of univariate IFR, DFR, IFRA, DFRA, NBU, and NWU class properties in the bivariate setup has been ensured along with some results on series combinations and convolution. No other models, available in the literature, can ensure simultaneous retention of these fundamental and extremely important class properties. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004     

An adaptive forecasting algorithm and inventory policy for products with short life cycles

Products with short life cycles are becoming increasingly common in many industries, such as the personal computer (PC) and mobile phone industries. Traditional forecasting methods and inventory policies can be inappropriate for forecasting demand and managing inventory for a product with a short life cycle because they usually do not take into account the characteristics of the product life cycle. This can result in inaccurate forecasts, high inventory cost, and low service levels. Besides, many forecasting methods require a significant demand history, which is available only after the product has been sold for some time. In this paper, we present an adaptive forecasting algorithm with two characteristics. First, it uses structural knowledge on the product life cycle to model the demand. Second, it combines knowledge on the demand that is available prior to the launch of the product with actual demand data that become available after the introduction of the product to generate and update demand forecasts. Based on the forecasting algorithm, we develop an optimal inventory policy. Since the optimal inventory policy is computationally expensive, we propose three heuristics and show in a numerical study that one of the heuristics generates near‐optimal solutions. The evaluation of our approach is based on demand data from a leading PC manufacturer in the United States, where the forecasting algorithm has been implemented. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004.