Assessment of machine tool reliability using a proportional hazards model

In this article the authors present a proportional hazard model for describing machine tool failures. The model enables them to describe the effect of aging as well as the effect of the machining environment on tool life. The authors discuss inference for the model and show that computable results can be obtained in a fully Bayesian analysis by using approximation techniques. They illustrate the usefulness of the present model by applying it to some actual data on machine tool failures.