The Reliability Engineering Glossary
Reliability engineering and related fields use a vocabulary unique to our field of endeavor. For example, the term ‘reliability’ has the meaning of ‘trustworthy’ in everyday English use. For us, ‘reliability’ has a precise engineering definition.
Glossary description and plans
This glossary is meant to help us learn the language of reliability engineering. The category of ‘Terms’ is like a dictionary, including terms and their definitions as used by engineers. The category of ‘Methods’ is a listing of the techniques, tools, approaches, or concepts that may be found within a reliability plan. In the near future, we expect to expand the ‘Methods’ pages to include guidelines on use or application, examples, and additional references.
We also plan to expand the glossary to include formulas and failure mechanisms. Please let us know if there is another list of terms that should be added if you do not find a term that should be included or if you would like to recommend a change to an existing entry.
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- Ambient air pressureThe pressure exerted by the weight of air in the atmosphere. Read More
- Ambient temperatureThe air temperature measured below a device, in a uniform temperature environment, enjoying natural air convection and not substantially heated by reflective or radiant surfaces. Read More
- AmbiguityThe inability to distinguish which of two or more subunits of a product or item has failed. Read More
- Ambiguity GroupThe number of possible subunits of a product or item identified by BIT, ETE, or manual test procedures, which might contain the failed hardware or software component. Read More
- Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)The technique for estimating and testing experimental treatment effects, with one or more observable yet uncontrollable factors influencing the response variable. Read More
- Analysis of means (ANOM)A statistical procedure for troubleshooting industrial processes and analyzing the results of experimental designs with factors at fixed levels. It provides a graphical display of data. Read More
- Analysis of variance (ANOVA)A basic statistical technique for determining the proportion of influence a factor or set of factors has on total variation. It subdivides the total variation of a data set into meaningful component parts associated with specific sources of variation to test a hypothesis on the parameters of(...) Read More
- Analysis of variance, fixed effectsAn analysis of variance using preselected factor’s levels from the range of values of the factors. Read More
- Analysis of variance, mixed modelAn analysis of variance using preselected factor’s levels from the range of values of some factors, and some factors have randomly selected levels from the corresponding factor’s assumed distribution. Read More
- Analysis of variance, random effectsAn analysis of variance using randomly selected factor levels from the assumed distribution of each factor. Read More
- Analytical studyA theory and model based research that either predicts future outcomes or suggests appropriate changes to garner desired outcomes. Read More
- Andon boardA visual control device in a production area; it is typically a lit overhead display, indicating the current system status and emerging problems. Read More
- AnthropogenicInduced or altered by the presence of humans. Read More
- AnthropometricsQuantitative descriptions and measurements of the physical body variations in people. These are useful in human factors design. Read More
- AnthropometryThe science of measuring the human body and its parts and functional capabilities. Includes lengths, circumferences, body mass, etc. Read More
- Antistatic materialA material (packaging, paper, polymer, coating, flooring, etc.) that inhibits triboelectric charging. Useful to protect electrostatic discharge damage to electronic or other items. Read More
- Apparent resolutionThe size of the least increment on the measurement instrument. Often used in advertisements to classify the measurement instrument. Read More
- Applicability criteriaThe specific set of conditions that must characterize the failure behavior of an item for a given type of maintenance task to be capable of improving its reliability. Read More
- Application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)An integrated circuit (IC) that is custom-designed for a particular task or application. Read More
- ApportionmentThe breakdown or allocation of reliability goals or objectives to elements within the product. Read More
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