A Study on Failure Characteristics and Reliability Prediction of the Rice Combine Harvester

콤바인 수확기(收穫機)의 고장특성(故障特性) 및 신뢰성(信賴性) 예측(豫測)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究)

This study was intended to examine the failure characteristics and breakdowns of the head-fed type combines generally used on farms. The failure distribution was assumed to follow Weibull distribution function and the Weibull parameters of the major parts, units and combine as whole were estimated by using the data collected in a survey. A computer program for the estimation of the Weibull parameter was developed. Monte Carlo method was used in predicting the time between failures. The results of study may be summarized as follows: 1. The number of failures per combine was 4.83 times per year and 0.3 times per hectare of combines of different ages. 2. According to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test method, it was proved that the Weibull distribution function is well fitted to the characteristics of the failure and breakdowns of combines. 3. Weibull parameters of failure distribution of the combine as a whole were estimated to give the shape parameter ${\beta}$=1.3089 and the scale parameter ${\alpha}$=105.2409. The combining area with 80% reliability was 1.1 ha, and the probability of operating the combine without any failure for a year, was $2.76{\times}10^{-4}$. 4. The mean time between failures (MTBF) of the combines was predicted to be 3.2 ha of operation, which corresponds to 32 hours of operation.