Mean time (to) first failure (MTFF, sometimes MTTFF) is a concept in
reliability engineering
Reliability engineering is a sub-discipline of systems engineering that emphasizes the ability of equipment to function without failure. Reliability is defined as the probability that a product, system, or service will perform its intended functi ...
, which describes time to failure for
non-repairable components like an
integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...
soldered on a circuit board.
For
repairable
A repairable component is a component of a finished good that can be designated for repair.
Overview
Repairable components tend to be more expensive than non-repairable components (consumables). This is because for items that are inexpensive to ...
components like a replaceable light bulb the concept of
mean time between failures is used to describe the
failure rate
Failure is the social concept of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and is usually viewed as the opposite of success. The criteria for failure depends on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. On ...
.
MTFF and MTTF (mean time to failure) have identical meanings. The key is that this is a non-repairable and non-recoverable failure. For example, the failure of a TV typically isn't measured by this criterion because the TV can be repaired. However, if this failure was due to a burned out integrated circuit, that circuit itself can't be repaired and must be replaced. The failure of that circuit is measured by mean time to failure. It's generally used to predict the first failure after manufacturing.
References
Engineering failures
Reliability engineering
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