The service life assessment of previous fatigue stress has a fundamental role in estimating the reliability of products like fiber optical connectors, and should replicate use in severe environments in telecommunications systems. However, the vibration prediction models used in the literature present limitations in vibration life prediction. In this paper, we propose using the insertion loss fatigue life and including it in the Weibull distribution to determine the Weibull parameters ƞ and β to evaluate fiber optic connector reliability R(t) under environmental and mechanical testing stress. We analyzed the failure data of a standard telecommunication fiber optical connector under a program of service life stress testing against that of a fiber optical connector under only mechanical vibration stress testing. The fiber connectors were monitored during the vibration testing to review the transient change of the optical signal. Their results showed that the reliability of the fiber connectors submitted to the service life program was $R\left(t\right)=0.694$, while that of the fiber connectors submitted to mechanical vibration only was $R\left(t\right)=0.970$. In addition, the analysis showed that the service life testing consumed 70.2% of the product’s lifetime. We present in Numerical Validation the steps to determine the acceleration factors of the vibration test developed.

In the paper, the formulated Weibull vibration reliability methodology is based on the cumulative vibration damage analysis. It lets us determine the reliability index of each damage element, each damage block, and the reliability of the analyzed element. The vibration cumulated damage is cumulated until D=1, by using the addressed vibration stress and a nonlinear cumulative damage model. Based on static and modal analysis, the vibration stress is determined by incorporating to it the geometry, weight and resonance effects. In the reliability analysis the Weibull shape (β) parameter is determined directly from the number of blocks, for which D=1. The damage element, damage block, and element reliability are all determined based on the values of beta (β) and D_i elements. Finally, based on the cumulated applied cycles n_i the Weibull scale (η) parameter is determined by to each D_i elements, damage block, and analyzed element.

In this paper, based on the Weibull Inverse Power Law, we present a methodology to determine the following: (1) the failure percentiles, referred to as the P–S–N field, of an S–N curve for a 42CrMo4 steel material exhibiting bilinear ($s_1 \mathrm{and} s_2)$ behavior (e.g., a competence failure mode); (2) the Weibull family that characterizes the entire bilinear behavior; and (3) the zero-vibration test plan that meets the required vibration reliability index of $R\left(t\right)=0.97$ with a reliability confidence level of $CL=0.75$. From the application, based on the formulated normal–Weibull relationship, we determine the failure percentiles for the normal (one, two, and three) sigma levels, as well as those failure percentiles corresponding to the capability ($Cp$) and ability ($Cpk$) indices. Finally, we present the formulation to determine the $R\left(t\right)$ index and the $CL$ level associated with each normal percentile, along with their numerical values.

Communication via optical fiber is increasingly being used in harsh applications where environmental vibration is present. This study involves a Weibull reliability analysis focused on the performance of fiber optic connectors when they are subjected to mechanical random vibration stress to simulate real-world operating conditions, and the insertion loss (IL) degradation is measurable. By analyzing the testing times and stress levels, the Weibull shape ($\beta$) and scale ($\eta$) parameters are estimated directly from the maximal and minimal principal IL stresses (${\sigma }_1$, ${\sigma }_2$), enabling the prediction of the connector’s reliability with efficiency. The sample size n is derived from the desired reliability (R(t)), and the GR-326 mechanical vibration test (2.306 Grms for six hours) is performed on optical SC angled physical contact (PC) polish fiber endface connectors that are monitored during testing to evaluate the IL transient change in the optical transmission. The method is verified by an experiment performed with ${\sigma }_1=0.3960$ and ${\sigma }_2=0.1910$ where the IL measurements are captured with an Agilent N7745A source-detector optical equipment, and the Weibull statistical results provide a connector’s reliability R(t) = 0.8474, with a characteristic value of $\eta$ = 0.2750 dB and $\beta$ = 3. Finally, the connector’s reliability is as worthy of attention as the telecommunication sign conditions.

In this paper, the method to determine the percentiles of the P-S-N field when it presents bilinear (s1 and s2) behavior (e.g competence failure mode) is given. The percentiles are determined around the Weibull scale (η) parameter in Cycles that corresponds to the median applied stress of the whole bilinear behavior. The reliability (R(t)) index that corresponds to each P-S-N percentile are also determined. As well as the confidence reliability percentile (CL) that corresponds to each P-S-N percentile. The formulation to relate CL with its corresponding normal P-S-N percentile is also given. Numerically, the percentiles of the normal (one, two, and three) sigma levels, as well as those that correspond to the capability Cp and Cpk indices are related with their CL values, and R(t) indices. To validate the Weibull cycle bilinear family, a test plan is designed and numerically performed. In the numerical application we use the 42CrMo4 steel material.

Protocolo de Identificación de Riesgos para Gasolineras Caso de estudio: Empresa Operadora de Hidro SA de CV