Fitness for service - A continuing challenge

Fitness for service, as defined by this author, is the ability of a material, component, or system - the product - to perform its designated function. A fitness for service program promotes quality, assures reliability, enhances confidence and improves the safety of products - which is crucial in a critical industry as nuclear energy. Fitness for service necessitates strict adherence to and conformance with all safety and quality requirements. In short, the product must perform its designated function, under designated operational and environmental conditions, for a designated period of time