COMPONENT LIFE CONCEPTS RELATED TO A THEORY OF WHOLE-LIFE EXPECTANCY.

This investigation suggests that by adopting a realistic life probability-time relation the problem of life prognostication may be simplified. This is directed towards providing information which will aid decision-making either in determining machine replacement or machine servicing. The proposition is submitted that while probability laws and statistically averaged life times t//1 are redundant sources of information on their own, a correlation of data derived from monitoring and performance data provides the basis of current information which, taken in conjunction with foregoing absolute terminal conditions and amended by 'safety margins', offers a method for assessing the critical extent to which a machine or component of a system has deteriorated so that a realistic decision on its future effective life-expectancy can be made.