Certified Reliability Engineer Practice Test 2026 – All-in-One Guide to Master Your Certification!

Failures in a system are typically a result of system faults. A system fault refers to a defect in a component or in the system architecture that can lead to failure. Such faults can arise from various sources, including design flaws, manufacturing defects, and other anomalies within the system itself.

Understanding that system faults directly contribute to failures is essential in reliability engineering. It allows professionals to focus on identifying and rectifying these faults to enhance overall system performance. By analyzing and addressing these underlying faults, engineers can significantly improve system reliability and reduce the likelihood of failures occurring.

While human interaction and system errors can certainly contribute to failures, they often stem from underlying system faults. These other elements tend to be triggered by the faults present in the system, rather than being root causes in themselves. Therefore, recognizing system faults as a primary cause of failures is crucial for effective reliability management.