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Click on each question to check your answer.
1. What are the pro and con of incorporating a “weak link” in engineering design?
By incorporating a “weak link” into our design intentionally, we encourage the “weak link” to fail first if the demand exceeds the system capacity. In this way, we can limit the severity of failure by ensuring the mode of failure. The disadvantage is that the inclusion of “weak links” reduces the overall capacity of the system. (p. 262)
2. Please explain the term “capacity” and its relevance to the failure of engineering systems.
Capacity is the engineering system’s ability to withstand demand imposed on it. When the demand placed on the system exceeds its capacity, failure occurs. (p. 251)
3. What is the value in using methods like FMEA to identify possible failures?
The usage of methods like FMEA forces the engineer to systematically consider all the components of a system and how they may fail. This is more reliable and rigorous than identifying failure modes solely based on experience and intuition. (p. 252)