Warranty servicing cost analysis using phase-type lifetime distributions

We consider the question of servicing warranties for repairable items. During the warranty period, each time an item fails the manufacturer has the obligation to restore the item to operational condition either by repairing the item or by replacing it by a new item. In this paper, we consider a warranty policy for making this decision based on the condition of the failed item. For products with phase-type lifetime distributions where the phases represent the condition of the item, we develop algorithms to determine the expected cost of servicing a warranty and use it in making the repair/replacement decision. Illustrative numerical examples are presented.