Certified Reliability Engineer 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The three main types of failure are categorized as catastrophic, intermittent, and degradation.

Catastrophic failure refers to sudden and complete system breakdowns, which can result in significant damage or loss. This type of failure often leads to immediate and critical concerns, requiring urgent attention to prevent further consequences.

Intermittent failure occurs inconsistently or sporadically within a system. This type of failure can lead to unpredictable performance and can often be challenging to diagnose since the failure does not happen consistently.

Degradation failure refers to a gradual decline in performance or quality over time. This type of failure is important in reliability engineering because it emphasizes the need for maintenance and monitoring to detect early signs of wear and tear before a complete failure occurs.

Together, these classifications provide a comprehensive understanding of the failure modes that can affect systems, emphasizing the necessity for varied strategies in reliability and maintenance practices to address each type effectively.