Traps
(Test, Analyze, and Fix)

1. Reliability qualification (demonstration) test is required.
   
   Alarms: Reliability growth (TAAF) test is not planned during EMD.
   
   Escapes: Implement the TAAF concept during EMD to ensure the early incorporation of corrective action.
   
   Benefits: Design weakness will be eliminated prior to production.
   
   
2. Design changes are implemented during low-rate initial production (LRIP).
   
   Alarms: Verification of design changes prior to LRIP is not permitted by schedule.
   
   Escapes: Evaluate candidate design changes using design engineering fundamentals; use reliability growth test to verify that design changes preclude failure recurrence.
   
   Benefits: Fixes will be identified during reliability growth testing.
   
   
3. Reliability growth (TAAF) test is planned as a separate entity.
   
   Alarms: TAAF concept is not being applied to all development testing during EMD; only design changes affecting functional performance are considered.
   
   Escapes: Implement a closed-loop failure reporting, analysis, and corrective action system for all development tests; ensure that corrective actions from all tests are implemented in the reliability development test hardware.
   
   Benefits: Reliability growth test will be more efficient.
   
   
4. Reliability growth testing is performed during EMD.
   
   Alarms: No provisions are made to continue TAAF process during early operational use.
   
   Escapes: Implement a field reporting system for development testing and early operational use, with resultant failure analysis and corrective action.
   
   Benefits: Problems associated with initial operational use will be corrected prior to full production.
   
   "Manufacturing Plan"Best Practices: How to Avoid Surprises in the World's Most Complicated Technical Process. Department of the Navy; Reliability, Maintainability, and Quality Assurance Directorate (NAVSO P-6071), March 1986, pp. 5-37 to 5-43.