Measurement of equipment degradation

All equipment deteriorates with time due to many stresses that act on any piece of equipment whether it is being stored, used, or lying dormant. Knowledge of the level and rate of deterioration is desirable to allow repair or replacement of equipment prior to failure or loss of adequate functional capability. Many of the traditional testing and surveillance techniques measure parameters of functional interest, but do not provide information relating to the actual deterioration that has occurred. This paper provides examples of techniques that may be used to evaluate indicators of deterioration and gives an example of evaluation of multiple types of data for a complex piece of equipment