Novel Vehicle and Fleet Reliability & Cost Modeling Tools

This project will develop the methodologies and modeling tools for predicting reliability, performance, and cost as integrated functions within a system framework. The methods and tools will provide for the evaluation of reliability, performance, and costs of fleets of vehicles down to the component level. The product resulting from this research will enable managers and engineers to identify and prioritize those parameters that drive reliability, performance, and cost by providing analysis in the form of trade off models. The ultimate goal of the methodologies and tools to be developed is to achieve improved levels of reliability and performance in existing and emerging products at comparable or lower costs. With this tool, managers, engineers, designers, and others could assess the predicted effects of issues such as materials and manufacturing variability on the reliability, performance, and cost of current and emerging systems. Statistical analysis techniques and algorithms supporting the developed methodologies will be implemented and applied within the system framework. The system would also provide the capability to compare the system generated predictions with actual performance, reliability, and cost data collected on deployed systems. This will enable a closed loop performance based logistics system.