An Analysis of the Exponential Function as the Underlying Distribution for Describing Failures in Inertial Measurement Units.

Abstract

This study examined the assumption that the underlying failure distribution for inertial measurement units is exponential. Failure data from three inertial measurement units, the KT-73 unit from the A-7D/E and AC-130H, the FLIP unit from the C-5A, and the LN-15 unit from the B-52G/H, were analyzed by use of the SIMFIT computer program. This program is a curve fitting technique employed for fitting a sample of data to twelve theoretical distributions. The research hypothesis was to show that the 'exponential assumption' of failures for the above units was inappropriate by finding a failure distribution which would better model the failure data. The results indicated that the gamma was, in fact, the best model of the distributions tested and several other models, such as the Weibull and lognormal, were generally found to be better than the exponential model. Other areas of reliability discussed include renewal, data aggregation, and infant mortality. (Author)

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1977
Accession Number
ADA044189

Entities

People

  • Levi D. Lowman Jr
  • Lowell R. Crowe

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Computer Programs
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Science
  • Databases
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Information Science
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Logistics
  • Maintenance
  • Random Variables
  • Statistical Algorithms
  • Statistical Distributions
  • Statistical Tests
  • Statistics
  • Surveys

Readers

  • Inertial Navigation Systems.
  • Statistical inference.