Reliability and Availability Analysis of Timber Processing Plant

Abstract

We generally use the word reliable in our daily life. To study and analyze the performance of any product, a time based quality concept has been evolved which is called reliability. Everyone thinks of reliability of any product before purchasing that product. Today, reliability is one of the most important quality characteristics for customers and is used for products, systems, processes and components of system. First chapter is introductory in nature. In this chapter, we have briefly given introduction to reliability. Definition of reliability and basic concepts are discussed. A brief summary of literature available on the subject and summary of the work presented in the thesis also appears in this chapter. In the second chapter, the reliability of timber processing plant has been analyzed. The plant consists of seven sub-systems, namely Length cutting of long timber logs, Supply of timber logs to Horizontal Band Saw through Crane, Horizontal Band Saw which cuts huge timber log into small portions dimensionally suitable for cutting on Vertical Band Saw, Vertical Band Saw where timber pieces supplied from Horizontal Band Saw are to be cut into exact sizes along breadth and height wise, Sizzling Chamber in which timber is dried, Planner through which timber is smoothened and Final Inspection. Sizzling Chamber can also work in reduced state. The mathematical formulation of the problem is carried out using Markov-method. The Chapman-Kolomorgov differential equations are solved by using Runge-Kutta fourth order method to find out the reliability. The effect of failure and repair rates on the reliability has been studied in detail with the help of graphs and tables. In third chapter, we have given brief introduction to timber processing plant and also discuss the availability of timber processing plant. Industrial significance of the present work as well as the limitations and future scope of the work are also briefly discussed in this section.