Journal of Quality Engineering and Management

Design of an integrated model combining ALT and ADT for lifetime estimation in the reliability analysis of a Turbine Engine Nozzle

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zahra Azhari 1
Mehdi Karbasian 1
Behrooz Shahriari 2

1 Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Industry, Malek Ashtar University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.

2 Faculty of Mechanics, Malek Ashtar University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.48313/jqem.2025.522859.1523
Abstract
Purpose: Reliability is one of the most critical quality characteristics of components, products, and systems. Unlike other attributes, it cannot be directly measured and is usually evaluated only after significant operational time under real conditions. However, waiting for long-term field data may reduce market competitiveness in commercial industries and pose serious safety risks in sensitive systems such as military equipment. Therefore, reliability prediction plays a vital role in key decision-making areas such as product release timing, warranty policies, and maintenance planning. This study aims to present an integrated model based on accelerated degradation testing and accelerated life testing to predict the lifetime of a turbine engine nozzle under operational conditions.
Methodology: Initially, the ADT was designed and conducted to monitor the degradation trend of the nozzle's critical feature at various temperature and time levels. Using the power-law and Arrhenius acceleration models, acceleration parameters and the activation energy were estimated. Subsequently, the ALT was performed under high-stress thermal conditions using the extracted parameters, and the corresponding failure times were recorded. Finally, by integrating the results of both tests and applying statistical methods such as maximum likelihood estimation and degradation path modeling, the system's lifetime distribution was modeled.
Findings: The implementation of the proposed model on a turbine engine nozzle demonstrated its ability to predict lifetime accurately and to reduce testing time and cost significantly.
Originality/Value: This model introduces a novel analytical framework that systematically combines two testing methods (ADT and ALT), with the output of one serving as input to the other. The proposed approach can be generalized and applied to other critical industrial and defense-related products.

Keywords

Reliability
Accelerated degradation testing
Accelerated life testing
Arrhenius model
Turbine engine nozzle
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Journal of Quality Engineering and Management
Volume 15, Issue 1
Spring 2025
Pages 50-66

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