Determining mechatronic system reliability using quantitative and qualitative methods

In this paper, we give an overview of the reliability analysis of mechatronic systems. Decisions in early development phases, such as the choice of parts and materials, have a strong impact on the system reliability. Hence, we focus on an early reliability analysis where changes in the system design require less effort than, for example, during production. At first, we examine which reliability methods are used within the domains mechanics, software, and electronics. Afterwards, we introduce a holistic method with which the reliability of mechatronic systems can be investigated. Besides the early reliability analysis, the focus of this paper is on the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods.