Sequential Analysis of the Reliability of an Antitank-Mine Simulator System

This paper discusses the development of an antitank-mine simulator system and the evaluation of the reliability of the system. The reliability of the system must be at least 75 per cent in order to be acceptable to the military. To achieve this degree of over-all system reliability, one must impose specifications upon each component of the system. More specifically, variations in the pressure at which the mine simulator actuates must be within prescribed bounds. Likewise, the strength of the electromagnetic signal emitted from the mine simulator must be reasonably consistent. The receiver must operate at a level of sensitivity that will assure a high probability of response to an electromagnetic signal issuing from the mine simulator and at the same time will rarely result in a triggering of the stopping mechanism by spurious electromagnetic signals from sources other than the mine simulator. The reaction time of the mine simulator must be such that actuation will occur under one of the first three roadwheels when the tank is traveling at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. Statistical methods utilizing efficient experimental design are employed to analyze component reliability and the reliability of the system as a whole.