1. Logistics Systems Engineering
SMU
SYS 7340
NTU
SY-521-N
Logistics Systems Engineering
Supportability
Dr. Jerrell T. Stracener, SAE Fellow

2. Supportability Definition Comments Supportability Requirements
Supportability Elements
Benefits
Cost Consideration
System Design
Barriers
Post Delivery
Software and CALS

3. Definition
Supportability (Military) is the degree to which system design characteristics and planned logistics resources including manpower meet system (operational and wartime utilization) requirements.
Supportability (general) develops in the design and maintains in the field equipment Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability characteristics by providing personnel, supply and support equipment at the right place at the right time.

4. Definition
Supportability (Commercial/Industrial) is commercial equivalents to “Resources, Operational”, etc.
Key Words…
Design Characteristics
Planned Logistics Resources
Operational / Utilization Requirements
Key Goal…
Meet all requirements in a safe,
cost effective, and timely manner.

5. Definition
Supportability Assessment is an evaluation of how well the composite of support considerations necessary to achieve the economical and effective support of a system for its life cycle meets stated quantitative and qualitative requirements. This includes integrated logistics support and logistic support related O & S cost considerations.

6. Definition
Supportability Analysis (SA) is an iterative analytical process by which the logistic support necessary for a new (or modified) system is identified and evaluated. The SA constitutes the application of selected quantitative methods to:
1. Aid in the initial determination of supportability design.
2. Aid in various design alternatives.
3. Aid in the various elements of maintenance.
4. Aid in the final assessment of the system support.

7. Definition
Supportability Related Design Factors are factors which include only the effects of an item’s design. Examples include inherent reliability and maintainability values, testability values, transportability characteristics etc.
Supportability Factors are qualitative and quantitative indicators of supportability.

8. Definition
Integrated Logistic Support is a composite of all support considerations necessary to assure the effective and economical support of a system for its life cycle. It is an integral part of all other aspects of system acquisition and operation. Integrated logistics support is characterized by harmony and coherence among all logistics elements.

9. Definition Design (Dictionary) To draw, lay out, or prepare a design
To make a drawing, pattern or sketch of
To create, fashion, execute or construct according to plan
Design (Supportability): The practical application of the laws of nature to define an item that will perform an identified function
Item must be producible
Item must be supportable

10. Definition The highest degree of supportability is achieved by
1. Including supportability as a consideration of the design process
2. “Designing” and optimum set of support resources
3. Timely delivery of the set of support resources

11. Definition
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about and express it in numbers, you know something about it. But when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts advanced to the state of science, whatever the matter may be.”
Lord Kelvin

12. Comments Traditional design is based on well defined laws
Supportability is adequately defined
There are no “well defined laws” for supportability
The elements of supportability are adequately defined and quantified
Supportability needs a Lord Kelvin to develop supportability dimensions
These dimensions must be accepted by the entire community, producers and users
These dimensions will most likely be functions of cost and readiness

13. Supportability Requirements
Military Equipment
Minimum Downtime
Minimum LCC
Industrial Equipment
Consumer Equipment

14. Supportability Elements
Supportability has three elements
1. Support to design activity
Requirements Development
Design Input
Evaluation and Trade Analysis
Resource Identification
Test and Evaluation

15. Supportability Elements
Supportability has three elements
2. Development of Support Resources (Products)
Trained Personnel
Support Equipment
Supply Support
3. Fielding and Product Support

16. Benefits of Design For Supportability
System Characteristics
Inherent Reliability
Easily Operable and Maintainable
Support System Characteristics
Adequate Supply of Trained Personnel
Minimal / Low Cost Support Equipment
Capitalize Existing Facilities
Transportable Design
Achieves Goals in:
Availability
Cost Effectiveness (LC and O & S)

17. Cost Considerations
Insert A

18. How to Consider in System Design
Methods of Incorporation
Contract Scope of Work
Management Commitment
Designer Commitment
Tester Commitment

19. Supportability During Design
Conceptual
Initial
Final
Objective:
Minimum Downtime
Minimum LCC

20. Supportability During Conceptual Design
A system’s design establishes the basic requirement for support resources
Support is a design parameter
Support features must be included in the conceptual design

21. Insert T

22. Insert T

23. Supportability During Conceptual Design
Specialties and their qualifications
All supportability specialties
Reliability
Maintainability
Testability
ILS Management
LCC/Downtime/Availability
LSA/LSAR
All support disciplines (Tech writing supply support etc.)

24. Supportability During Conceptual Design
All specialties must be experienced in operations and support and also experienced in design
Baseline information and data requirements
Operation Scenario
Number of operational sites
Number of operational systems
Location of operational sites
Operating hours per system per month
Planned Operational Life

25. Supportability During Conceptual Design
Baseline information and data requirements (continue)
Maintenance and Support Scenario
Planned levels of maintenance
Pipeline times
Contractor or customer organic maintenance
Skills available
Warranty Requirements
O & S data from previous similar systems

26. Supportability During Conceptual Design
Process
Identify design for support requirements
Configuration
Reliability
Maintainability and Testability
Design/Support Trades
Life Cycle Cost
Availability/Downtime
Baseline for estimates extrapolated from existing similar systems

27. Supportability During Conceptual Design
Outputs
Supportable design that fulfills mission requirements
Documented and justified VIA LCC and Downtime
Integrated Support Plan
All preliminary supportability planning
Keyed to design and fabrication schedules
Keyed to support resources need dates
Estimate of cost to conduct supportability program

28. Supportability During Initial Design
Monitor decision to proceed/contract award for:
Design changes that impact supportability
Omissions/deletions of supportability elements/funding
Update ISP accordingly
Phase in specialties
1. Reliability, Maintainability, LSA and LCC first
To defend conceptual design supportability features
To pick up additional supportability features
To monitor design

29. Supportability During Initial Design
Phase in specialties (continue)
2. LSAR
Develop documented maintenance and support analysis of each repairable item
Identification of all support resource requirements
3. Support Specialties
Development and delivery of support resources

30. Insert T

31. Supportability During Initial Design
Integrated Logistics Support management team meetings
Continually review schedule and interface
Identify and resolve open issues and identified problems
Update ISP
LSAR Review
Manufacture internal: all specialties review and accept each complete LSAR
User: accept each LSAR and or LSA reports

32. Supportability During Initial Design
Schedule
Completed LSAR requires released drawing and LSAR approval
Provisioning requires approved LSAR
Technical manual preparation requires approved LSAR and completed provisioning
Training requires the technical manual

33. Supportability During Initial Design
Support resources are not always available to support testing
Contractor pre operational support is required, this includes:
Contractor spare parts support
Contractor personnel to support maintenance and support
Contractor Depot

34. Supportability During Initial Design
Supportability Test
Monitor all testing to observe performance of support resources
Update LSAR/Support resource as required
Develop workarounds for support resources not available

35. Supportability During Final Design
Develop supportability design improvements
Monitor all design updates
Emphasize supportability for design updates
Continue ILSMTS
Update:
ISP
LSAR
All support resources

36. Insert T

37. Other Processes
MIL STD A - Equipment
Insert B

38. Program Planning and Control
MIL STD 1388
101 Early Logistics Support Strategy
Concept Phase Activity
Required for Dem/Val Phase
102 Logistics Support Analysis Plan
Germain to LSA Effort
Living/Dynamic Document
Program Credibility
Risk Management Tool
103 Program and Design Reviews
Synchronized with Design Review-Integral

39. Determination of Support Resources Req.
401 Task Analysis: Allows for detailed analysis of proposed designs, including:
Operational and Maintenance Tasks
Logistics Support Resources
Training Requirements & Recommendations
Supportability goal verification/justification for design change
Risk Management (Logistic Resources)
Transportability Analysis
Provisioning
Validation of Data and LSAR

40. Determination of Support Resources Req.
402 Early Fielding Analysis
Determines effects on other systems, manpower, readiness, survivability
403 Post Production Support Analysis
Post production support planning

41. Barriers to Supportability by Design
Knowledge of Program
Funding Available
Lack of Design Definition (“Catch 22”)
Personality Attributes
Management Commitment
Engineering Commitment
Funding

42. Barriers to Supportability by Design
Speed of Program
Type and Scope of Technical Data (TM/TNG)
Data Management (Volume of Data)
Time for Resource Acquisition “Flash to Bang”

43. Post Delivery Supportability
The real test of supportability
Support resources
The validity of the maintenance/support concept
Updates are usually required
Continue ILSMTS
Monitor support resources performance
Out of production support
Phase Out
Develop lessons learned

44. Operational Software Supportability
Digital Electronics has invaded all equipment
Automobiles
Television Receivers
Military and commercial equipment
Digital electronics requires instructions (prog.)
Programs reside as software on the host equipment on
DISC
Tape
Proms
EProms

45. Operational Software Supportability
Software updates are required to:
Correct errors
Accommodate for mission changes
Accommodate for design changes
Without software update capability, equipment could die
Software supportability, like hardware supportability must be planned from the outset otherwise updates can require complete redevelopment

46. Operational Software Supportability
Fleet users require organic capability to update their software
There are three key elements to software supportability
Documentation
Configuration control
Common software tools
Higher order language
Compiler
Host Computer

47. Operational Software Supportability
DOD instruction 2167 requires
All of the key elements
A “computer resources integrates support document”

48. Computer-aided Acquisition & Logistics Support
Application of digital capabilities to design and data development for DoD equipment
CALS includes
Engineering Drawings
All reports and contract data
Equipment specifications
All logistics data

49. Computer-aided Acquisition & Logistics Support
Data is interchanged and stored digitally assuring:
Easy transmittal
Simplified storage
Rapid update
Immediate access
Possibly the greatest advance since the printing press

50. Conclusions and Recommendations
This section has provided an overview of the activities related to supportability
Supportability suffers from a dearth of the rigorous logic that has made the technical specialties so effective
Supportability requires basic research to develop credible techniques based on its fundamental equation: R=e-lt

51. Conclusions and Recommendations
Supportability is a design parameter, each engineering student needs a basic course in logistics as a part of the undergraduate engineering curriculum
Each logistician needs some basic understanding of the design process

52. The System View Operational Concept Product Maintenance Support
Availability
Sortie Generation Rates
Basing
Product
Reliability
Maintainability
Supportability
Testability
Maintenance
Concept
Support
Concept
Organization
Requirements
Schedule Maintenance
Unscheduled Maintenance
Spares
Technical Publications
Training
Support Equipment

53. Concept of a System
A system is defined as an aggregation or assemblage of objects joined in some regular interaction or interdependence, principally dynamic with changes over time. Systems are generally characterized by Entities, Attributes, and Activities.
Examples
System Entities Attributes Activities
Traf. Flow Cars Speed, Dist. Driving, Delays
Bank Op. Customers Balance, Depositing Credit Status Withdrawing
Comm. Message Length, Transmitting
Priority Receiving

54. Types of Availability Measures
Inherent Availability,
Achieved Availaiblity,
Operational Availability,

55. Types of Availability Measures
Where:
MTBF is the Mean Time Between Failures
MTTRc is the Mean Time To Repair: corrective
MTTRcp is the Mean Time To Repair: corrective/preventative
MLDT is the Mean Logistics Down Time

56. System Time Relationships
Insert graph: MIL-STD-721C

57. System Supportability Analysis Supply Support Analysis

58. Properties of the Poisson Distribution
1. The number of outcomes occurring in one time
interval or specified region is independent of the
number that occurs in any other disjoint time
interval or region of space. In this way we say that
the Poisson process has no memory.
2. The probability that a single outcome will occur
during a very short time interval or in a small region
is proportional to the length of the time interval or
the size of the region and does not depend on the
number of outcomes occurring outside this time
interval or region.

59. Properties of the Poisson Distribution
3. The probability that more than one outcome will
occur in such a short time interval or fall in such a
small region is negligible.

60. Poisson Distribution
Definition - If X is the number of outcomes occurring
during a Poisson experiment, then X has a Poisson
distribution with probability mass function
where  is the average number of outcomes per
unit time, t is the time interval and e =

61. Poisson Distribution
Mean or Expected Value
Variance and Standard Deviation of X

62. Poisson Distribution - Example
When a company tests new tires by driving them
over difficult terrain, they find that flat tires
externally caused occur on the average of once
every 2000 miles. It is found also that the Poisson
process yields a useful model. What is the probability
that in a given 500 mile test no more than one flat
will occur?

63. Poisson Distribution - Example Solution
Here the variable t is distance, and the random
variable of interest is
X = number of flats in 500 miles
Since E(X) is proportional to the time interval involved
in the definition of X, and since the average is given
as one flat is 2000 miles, we have

64. Poisson Distribution - Example Solution
The values assigned to  and t depend on the unit
of distance adopted. If we take one mile as the unit,
then t = 500,  = , and t = 1/4. If we take
1000 miles as the unit, then t = 1/2,  = 1/2, and
again t = 1/4, and so on. The important thing is
that t = 1/4, no matter what unit is chosen.

65. Poisson Distribution - Example Solution

66. Number of Failures Model:
Definition
If T ~ E() and if X is the number of failures occurring
in an interval of time, t, then X ~ P(t/ ), the Poisson
Distribution with Probability Mass Function given by:
for x = 0, 1, ... , n
Where  = 1/ is the Failure Rate
The expected number of failures in time t is
 = t = t/ 

67. The Poisson Model:

68. The Poisson Model: Probability Distribution Function
1.0
0.5
0.0
.135
.405
.675
.855

69. The Poisson Model:

70. The Poisson Model:

71. The Poisson Model - Example Application:
Problem -
An item has a failure rate of  = failures per
hour if the item is being put into service for a period
of 1000 hours. What is the probability that 4 spares
in stock will be sufficient?
Solution -
Expected number of failures (spares required) = t = 2
P(enough spares) = P(x  4)
= p(0) + p(1) + p(2) + p(3) + p(4) = 0.945
or about a 5% chance of not having enough spares!