In the affordability analysis, what was the percentage life cycle cost savings achieved by trading 5% of the KPP for greater component reliability?

In the affordability analysis, what was the percentage life cycle cost savings achieved by trading 5% of the KPP for greater component reliability?

• A. 5%
• B. 10%
• C. 15%
• D. 20%

Answer: (B)

In affordability analysis, improving reliability through a design trade-off affects the total ownership cost over the system’s life. When you trade a portion of the KPP to gain greater component reliability, the upfront concession in performance is offset by substantial reductions in operating and support costs—fewer failures, lower maintenance, less downtime, and fewer logistics burdens. Those long-term savings accumulate, and in this case they total about a 10% reduction in life cycle cost compared with the baseline. The key idea is that reliability improvements can yield greater savings over time than the short-term performance trade-off, leading to a net life cycle cost decrease of 10%.

In affordability analysis, improving reliability through a design trade-off affects the total ownership cost over the system’s life. When you trade a portion of the KPP to gain greater component reliability, the upfront concession in performance is offset by substantial reductions in operating and support costs—fewer failures, lower maintenance, less downtime, and fewer logistics burdens. Those long-term savings accumulate, and in this case they total about a 10% reduction in life cycle cost compared with the baseline. The key idea is that reliability improvements can yield greater savings over time than the short-term performance trade-off, leading to a net life cycle cost decrease of 10%.