On the change point of the mean residual life of series and parallel systems

Abstract

This paper considers the mean residual life in series and parallel systems with independent and identically distributed components and obtains relationships between the change points of the mean residual life of systems and that of their components. Compared with the change point for single components, should it exists, the change point for a series system occurs later. For a parallel system, however, the change point is located before that for the components, if it exists at all. Moreover, for both types of systems, the distance between the change points of the mean residual life for systems and for components increases with the number of components. These results are helpful in the determination of optimal burn-in time and related decision making in reliability analysis. © 2010 Australian Statistical Publishing Association Inc.