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Track 1 Session 9
8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Friday June
22, 2007
The Right Distribution Makes All the
Difference!
Typically, four life distributions
are used in the analysis of reliability data: Normal, Lognormal,
Exponential and Weibull. But, how does one determine which
distribution to use? To understand the best distribution for the
analysis, an understanding of the failure modes is critical.
This presentation will review the
properties and characteristics of each of the four distributions. It
will show the analysis of a data set using each of the four
distributions and compare the results. It will use the Weibull++
software to do the data analysis. The session will end with a
discussion of the importance of understanding the data and the
failure modes and the use of critical thinking to assure that the
distribution selected by the software is appropriate for the data.
By attending this session,
reliability professionals will have a basic understanding of the
properties and characteristics of the four commonly used life
distributions. They will see the impact of the life distribution on
the data analysis and the need to critically question the software
distribution choice. They will see an example that illustrates the
actual cost of choosing the wrong distribution. Reliability
professionals will be able to better determine which distribution to
use and the advantages of using the correct distribution.
Key Words: Life
Distributions, Normal Distribution, Lognormal Distribution,
Exponential Distribution, Weibull Distribution, Reliability Analysis
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