Development of an innovative approach for complex, causally determined failure chains

A high number of examples in today’s global industry prove that it is difficult to ensure a certain level of quality. One possible reason is the increasing complexity of modern mechatronic product systems. Interface problems due to several involved science disciplines and the lack of understanding subsystems, which are delivered by different suppliers, make it difficult to identify critical components and specifications of elements. Furthermore, it is even harder to estimate the effects of elements because of their unknown dependencies and relations. Therefore it becomes more and more improbable to develop a safe, sustainable and high quality product right from the beginning. In order to understand failures in complex system structures today’s engineering industries need a generic approach that increases the understanding of systems, identifies critical components and considers the different levels of a system. It shall examine failures that cause system errors but also failures that limit system functions. Thus, it is necessary to model and simulate the causally failure chains and analyse over several system levels and elements with their dependencies. This leads to a better understanding of the whole picture of cause and effect. This research paper points out which requirements this new model-based approach has to fulfill and how it is possible to link quality and reliability methods to achieve an overall understanding and analysis of a complex system to assure high quality and sustainability.