An Introduction to Time-to-Failure Analysis

Have you ever wondered how to quantify the reliability of a product? In this article, we'll explore the fundamentals of time-to-failure analysis, a cornerstone of reliability engineering. You'll learn how to move beyond simple averages and use powerful statistical tools to answer critical questions like, "What is the probability that this component will survive beyond a certain time?" and "How can we characterize the failure pattern of our products?"

This isn't just theory—this is a practical, step-by-step tutorial. We'll walk you through a complete analysis using a real-world example dataset and provide the R code for every step. You'll learn how to calculate and interpret key metrics like the survivor function i.e. reliability function and the mean time to failure, giving you a hands-on foundation for your own reliability projects.