The Synthesis Platform and Version 8 of Weibull++, ALTA, BlockSim, Xfmea and RCM++ are available now!

BlockSim: System Reliability and Maintainability Analysis Software Tool

The ultimate system visualization and analysis tool!

Click to see a picture of the BlockSim software interface for system reliability and maintainability modeling and analysis...Click to see a picture of the BlockSim software interface for system reliability, maintainability and availability modeling and analysis...ReliaSoft’s BlockSim software tool provides a comprehensive platform for system reliability, availability, maintainability and related analyses.

The software offers a sophisticated graphical interface that allows you to model the simplest or most complex systems and processes using reliability block diagrams
(RBDs) or fault tree analysis (FTA)
— or a combination of both approaches!

Software Features

BlockSim supports an extensive array of reliability block diagram (RBD) configurations and fault tree analysis (FTA) gates and events, including advanced capabilities to model complex configurations, load sharing, standby redundancy, phases and duty cycles. Using exact computations and/or discrete event simulation, BlockSim facilitates a wide variety of analyses for both repairable and non-repairable systems. This includes:

  • System Reliability Analysis
  • Identification of Critical Components (Reliability Importance Measures)
  • Optimum Reliability Allocation
  • System Maintainability Analysis (Determine Optimum Preventive Maintenance Intervals, Spare Parts Provisions, etc.)
  • System Availability Analysis (Calculate Uptime, Downtime, Availability, etc.)
  • Throughput Calculation (Identify Bottlenecks, Estimate Production Capacity, etc.)
  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis

Synthesis Integration

With the release of Version 8, BlockSim analyses are stored in a centralized database that supports simultaneous access by multiple users and shares relevant reliability information between Synthesis-enabled software tools. For enterprise-level repositories, both Microsoft SQL Server® and Oracle® are supported.

Available Training

ReliaSoft offers three training courses that address the topic of system reliability, maintainability and related analyses using a reliability block diagram (RBD) or fault tree analysis (FTA) approach. By combining a solid theoretical foundation with practical application examples and hands-on training on the use of the BlockSim software tool, these training courses will give you the knowledge and skills you will need to successfully apply these important reliability techniques.

Applications and Benefits

The BlockSim software provides an extensive array of tools to help you model and analyze systems and/or processes. Some of the potential applications and benefits for using reliability block diagrams (RBDs), fault tree analysis (FTA) and ReliaSoft's BlockSim software include:

  • Identify critical components (or failure modes) and determine the most effective ways to improve system performance through design improvements and/or maintenance planning.
  • Use simulation to obtain estimated performance metrics that can facilitate decision-making in a variety of areas, such as scheduling planned maintenance, planning for spares, identifying bottlenecks in production throughput and estimating life cycle costs.
  • Identify vulnerabilities in a system and determine the most effective ways to reduce the risk.
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Software Capability Highlights



Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD)

  • Series, Parallel and Complex Configurations Using Standard Blocks
  • k-out-of-n Configurations Using Node Blocks
  • Subdiagram Blocks
  • Standby Configurations
  • Load Sharing Configurations
  • Multi Blocks and Mirrored Blocks

Fault Trees

  • AND Gates
  • OR Gates
  • Voting Gates (k-out-of-n)
  • Inhibit Gates
  • NOT Gates
  • NAND Gates
  • NOR Gates
  • Standby Configurations Using:
    • Standby Gates
    • Priority AND Gates
    • Sequence Enforcing Gates
  • Load Sharing Gates
  • Subdiagrams

Analytical Diagrams

  • System Equations: Reliability, pdf and Failure Rate
  • Cut Sets
  • Metrics:
    • Reliability
    • Probability of Failure
    • Conditional Reliability
    • Conditional Probability of Failure
    • Reliable Life
    • BX% Life
    • Mean Life
    • Failure Rate
  • Plots:
    • Unreliability vs. Time
    • Reliability vs. Time
    • pdf
    • Failure Rate vs. Time
    • Reliability Importance vs. Time
    • Static Reliability Importance
    • Static Reliability Importance Tableau
    • Block Unreliability
    • Block Reliability
    • Block pdf
    • Block Failure Rate

Simulation Diagrams

  • Detailed Settings Include:
    • Duty Cycles
    • Maintenance Durations
    • Restoration Factors
    • Direct and Indirect Maintenance Costs
    • Availability of Spare Parts and Maintenance Crews
  • Maintainability/Availability Analysis
  • Throughput Analysis (Constant or Variable with Time)
  • Detailed Results at System and Block Level, and for Crews and Spare Part Pools
  • Metrics:
    • Point Availability
    • Point Unavailability
    • Point Reliability
    • Point Probability of Failure
    • Mean Availability
    • Mean Unavailability
    • Time for Availability
    • Time for Reliability
    • Mean Time to First Failure
  • Plots:
    • Point Availability
    • Point Reliability
    • Costs (System or Block)
    • Mean Availability (System or Block)
    • System Failures
    • Throughput (System or Block)
    • Up/Down (System or Block)
    • Block Downtime
    • Block Expected Failures
    • Block Expected Downing Events
    • Block Excess Capacity
    • Block Backlog
    • Block Backlog Processed
    • Block Bubble Plot
    • ReliaSoft Failure Criticality Index
    • ReliaSoft Downing Event Criticality Index
    • ReliaSoft Downtime Criticality Index
    • Crew Plots: Calls, Costs, Time, etc.
    • Spare Part Pool Plots: Items, Calls, Costs, etc.

Phase Diagrams

  • Operational Phases
  • Maintenance Phases
  • Node and Stop Blocks
  • Phase Subdiagram Blocks

System Improvement Tools

  • Allocation Analysis
  • Optimum Replacement

Plotting/Reporting

  • Overlay Plots (MultiPlots)
  • FRED Reports
  • Spreadsheet-Based Reports
  • Word-Based Reports

Import/Export Types

  • Projects
  • Analyses, Overlay Plots, Reports
  • Resources
  • Analyses from Previous Versions
  • XML

Centralized Data Storage

  • Standard Repository (*.rsrp)
  • Microsoft SQL Server®
  • Oracle®
  • Simultaneous Access by Multiple Users
  • Centralized Configuration of Analysis Settings
  • User Access Levels

Integration with ReliaSoft Software

Available Services

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