The FIDES reliability prediction method

摘要

Reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) requirements have become increasingly important in recent years with regard to bid critical or decisive factors in certain tenders. Accordingly, the prediction of RAM figures (in particular reliability) has become a focal point, while the processes, tools and methods established to obtain as realistic as possible failure rates (or rather MTBF figures) have had to be critically revised. This article describes why and how the FIDES method [1] has been adopted by Thales for main line transportation applications and has been implemented in Thales' process and tool environment using the PTC Windchill Quality Solution tool suite. After a brief background of the method itself, the article will report on its set-up and use in the process and the initial results of the evaluation studies and the pilots since 2015. The conclusion discusses the benefits of the new approach and presents an outlook for further extensions and progress.