Calculating Probability of Machine Failure and Repair with Exponential Durations

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the probability of a machine being in a non-working (repair) state, given that its operational and repair durations follow exponential distributions. Participants explore theoretical aspects, mathematical formulations, and implications of these probabilities in the context of alternating renewal processes.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant introduces the problem of a machine that operates for an exponential duration with mean alpha before failing, followed by a repair time that is also exponential with mean beta, and seeks the probability of the machine being in a repair state.
  • Another participant provides a mathematical formulation for the probability of the machine being non-working, stating it as \(P_{ko} = \frac{\beta}{\alpha+\beta}\), derived from the expected values of the operational and repair times.
  • A different participant suggests that the fraction of time the machine is off-line can be approximated by considering a long period of time \(T\) and the mean number of failures, leading to the same probability expression as above.
  • Subsequent posts introduce a related problem involving an alternating renewal process and the evaluation of service times in a second system that depends on the state of the first system.
  • Participants discuss the implications of the first system going off while servicing an arrival in the second system, raising questions about queuing and service continuity.
  • One participant suggests running a simulation to empirically determine the distribution due to the complexity of the analytical approach.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

While some participants agree on the mathematical formulation for the probability of the machine being in a repair state, there are differing views on the implications and complexities of the related alternating renewal process and how to handle service continuity and queuing. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approach to analyze the second system.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the assumptions involved in the analysis of the alternating renewal process, particularly regarding service continuity and queuing dynamics when the first system goes off during service. There are also unresolved mathematical steps related to the distribution of expanded service times.

hemanth
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i have a machine which runs for exponential duration with mean alpha,and fails.
once it fails, to repair it, it takes an exponential duration with mean beta then again it comes back to service and this continues.
what is the probability that it is in non working(repair) state.
 
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hemanth said:
i have a machine which runs for exponential duration with mean alpha,and fails.
once it fails, to repair it, it takes an exponential duration with mean beta then again it comes back to service and this continues.
what is the probability that it is in non working(repair) state.


If we indicate with $T_{ok}$ and $T_{ko}$ the time before a failure and the repairing time [both are random variables...], then their p.d.f. are...

$\displaystyle f_{ok} (x) = \frac{1}{\alpha}\ e^{- \frac{x}{\alpha}} ,\ f_{ko} (x) = \frac{1}{\beta}\ e^{- \frac{x}{\beta}} $ (1)

... and their expected values are

$\displaystyle t_{ok}= \frac{1}{\alpha}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} x\ e^{- \frac{x}{\alpha}}=\alpha,\ t_{ko}=\frac{1}{\beta}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} x\ e^{- \frac{x}{\beta}}=\beta$ (2)

From (2) You can easy find that the probability that the machine is non working is...

$\displaystyle P_{ko}= \frac{t_{ko}}{t_{ok}+t_{ko}}= \frac{\beta}{\alpha+\beta}$ (3)

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
chisigma said:
If we indicate with $T_{ok}$ and $T_{ko}$ the time before a failure and the repairing time [both are random variables...], then their p.d.f. are...

$\displaystyle f_{ok} (x) = \frac{1}{\alpha}\ e^{- \frac{x}{\alpha}} ,\ f_{ko} (x) = \frac{1}{\beta}\ e^{- \frac{x}{\beta}} $ (1)

... and their expected values are

$\displaystyle t_{ok}= \frac{1}{\alpha}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} x\ e^{- \frac{x}{\alpha}}=\alpha,\ t_{ko}=\frac{1}{\beta}\ \int_{0}^{\infty} x\ e^{- \frac{x}{\beta}}=\beta$ (2)

From (2) You can easy find that the probability that the machine is non working is...

$\displaystyle P_{ko}= \frac{t_{ko}}{t_{ok}+t_{ko}}= \frac{\beta}{\alpha+\beta}$ (3)

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
thanks a lot $\chi$ $\sigma$,
i was wondering whether this could be done directly, this was obvious but not sure with the proof. was thinking to find the pdf and do the long way.
thanks a lot
 
hemanth said:
i have a machine which runs for exponential duration with mean alpha,and fails.
once it fails, to repair it, it takes an exponential duration with mean beta then again it comes back to service and this continues.
what is the probability that it is in non working(repair) state.


We consider a long period of time \(T\) so that the fraction of time spent being repaired is close to the mean. Then if \(n\) is the (mean) number of failures the machine is off-line for a total duration \(n\beta\), and:

\(\displaystyle n=\frac{T-n\beta}{\alpha}\)

so:

\( \displaystyle n=\frac{T}{\alpha+\beta}\).

Hence the fraction of time machine is off-line is:

\( \displaystyle \frac{n\beta}{T}=\frac{T \beta}{(\alpha+\beta)T}=\frac{\beta}{\alpha+\beta}\)

CB
 
Thanks a lot CB, i have one more question,

i have a process which is ON for exponential duration with mean alpha,and then it goes OFF.
once it is OFF, it remains OFF for an exponential duration with mean beta then again it comes back to ON and this ON-OFF continues.
This is a kind of alternating renewal process.

associated with this i have another system, where arrivals are generated according to a general distribution A(t) and have a general service time distribution B(t), these arrivals are served whenever the first system(alternating renewal process) is on.

i need to evaluate the distribution of the expanded service time(i.e expanded by the off duration s).
assuming that first ON start and first arrival are synchronized.
thanks a lot once again.
 
hemanth said:
Thanks a lot CB, i have one more question,

i have a process which is ON for exponential duration with mean alpha,and then it goes OFF.
once it is OFF, it remains OFF for an exponential duration with mean beta then again it comes back to ON and this ON-OFF continues.
This is a kind of alternating renewal process.

associated with this i have another system, where arrivals are generated according to a general distribution A(t) and have a general service time distribution B(t), these arrivals are served whenever the first system(alternating renewal process) is on.

i need to evaluate the distribution of the expanded service time(i.e expanded by the off duration s).
assuming that first ON start and first arrival are synchronized.
thanks a lot once again.


We need more information, what happens if the first system goes off while the second is servicing an arrival? Is there any queuing? ...

The simplest interpretation has the second system service an arrival once if the first system is on when the arrival occurs irrespective of what subsequently happens to the first system's state, and all arrivals in the second system are serviced without having to queue if the first is on.

Then the service time is sampled from a distribution with density \(B(t)\) with probability \(\beta/(\alpha+\beta)\) and from the distribution of the sum of a service time from distribution with density \(B(t)\) plus an off time of system 1 with probability \(1-\beta/(\alpha+\beta)\). The density of a sum of RV is the convolution of their individual densities.

CB
 
When the first system goes off when an arrival is being served, the service is continued from the left point when it again becomes on (preemptive resume). subsequent arrivals when one is being served are queued, and served one after the other during the ON periods of the first system.
 
hemanth said:
When the first system goes off when an arrival is being served, the service is continued from the left point when it again becomes on (preemptive resume). subsequent arrivals when one is being served are queued, and served one after the other during the ON periods of the first system.

I would run a simulation to determine an emprical distribution as the system is becoming too complicated for an analytic approach to be worth while (at for me, I would not trust the analysis without simulation support anyway)

CB
 

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