Example 1 - Importing External Data from a Bill of Materials
Background
There are times when you have external data that you need to analyze in Lambda Predict. This example will guide you through the basic techniques for importing data from a Bill of Materials (BOM) into Lambda Predict. In this case, the data set is in an Excel® file.
For this example, assume that you have created a thermostat unit using the Telcordia SR-332 Issue 2 standard and that you have entered the data in an Excel file. You will import that data set into Lambda Predict.
[Download BOM File (*.xls)] (Note where you save the file, as you will need this in Step 5 [e.g. C:\Lambda Predict 3 files].)
Analysis
Step 1: Create a new database file by choosing File > New Database.
Step 2: Browse to the desired location for the database, name the database Import BOM and then click Save.
Step 3: In the Edit Prediction Properties window that appears, type Demand Response Thermostat in the Name field, then select the Import BOM option and choose Telcordia SR-332 Issue 2 in the drop-down list that becomes available, as shown next.
Step 4: Click OK to create the prediction.
Because you specified that the prediction would contain data imported from a BOM, the Import Wizard will appear automatically once the prediction and top-level Telcordia SR-332 Issue 2 system have been created.
Step 5: In the Import Wizard, do the following:
- Choose Excel in the Format field.
- Click the Browse button to browse for the DR Thermostat BOM.xls file that you downloaded in the Background section of this example, and click Open to select the file for use in the import.
- Choose Sheet1 in the Worksheet field.
- In the Import Mapping field, click the Add Import Mapping
icon,
.
Import mapping templates are used in importing component data from a Microsoft Excel file or a delimited text file. An import mapping template specifies the item property (e.g. name, quantity, ambient temperature, etc.) represented by each column position (i.e. first, second, etc.) in a source file. Each import mapping template is associated with a particular standard. When you add a new template, the Import Mapping Templates window is automatically set up to work on a new template for the selected standard (which you have already specified in the Edit Prediction Properties window).
For your reference, the first few rows of the DR Thermostat BOM.xls file are shown next.
The DR Thermostat BOM.xls file showing the first few rows.
Step 6: In the Available Fields area of the Import Mapping Templates window, click the + beside General to show all of the general fields that are available in Lambda Predict.
Step 7: The first column in the Excel spreadsheet is titled "Level." Click the Level field and then click the Include icon (>) or simply double-click the Level field to move it from the Available Fields area to the Selected Fields area, as shown next.
Note: You will notice that the Category field is already included in the Selected Fields area in the first position, as if it were the first field in the Excel spreadsheet. You will change the field order to reflect its actual position in the Excel spreadsheet once all relevant fields have been added.
Step 8: Click the Name field in the Available Fields area and then click the Include icon (>) or simply double-click the Name field to move it from the Available Fields area to the Selected Fields area.
Step 9: Continue to add fields to the Selected Fields area in this manner, in the order shown in the Excel spreadsheet. You will find the Type, Technology, Number of Pins and Number of Contact Pairs fields under the Physical heading. All other fields are located under the General heading.
Step 10: Once you have added all of the fields, click the Category field in the Selected Fields area and use the Down Arrow to move the field below the Part Number field, or simply drag the Category field to the desired position, as shown next.
Step 11: Click the Save icon and save the import mapping template that you have created as DR Thermostat Mapping.lp3im. Save it in the default location, then close the Import Mapping Template window.
Step 12: Notice that the DR Thermostat Mapping template is already selected in the Import Mapping field. Enter 2 in the Starting Row field, as shown next, and click Next.
In the Preview that is displayed, make sure that the column headings and data displayed are correct (i.e. that they match the Excel file), as shown next.
Step 13: If you find errors, click Back to return to the Import Parameters
page of the Import Wizard and edit your choices and/or import mapping template as necessary. To
edit the template, choose it in the Import Mapping field and click the Edit Import
Mapping icon, 
.
Step 14: If everything is correct, click Finish. The Bill of Materials data will be imported to the Telcordia SR-332 Issue 2 system.
You will notice that the BOM did not contain failure rate information for the external component (called Passive Infrared Sensor and circled in the System Hierarchy panel shown next).
For this example, assume that the base failure rate for a passive infrared sensor of this sort is known to be 127 FITS.
Step 15: Click the external component in the System Hierarchy panel, then in the Physical properties, enter 127 in the External Base Failure Rate (FIT) field and press ENTER or click outside the field to accept the input. You will see that the system failure rate changes to reflect the new information.
Step 16: Lambda Predict offers upper confidence bounds on failure rates in Telcordia SR-332 Issue 2 systems. To display this information, do the following:
- Choose File > User Setup.
- In the navigation panel on the left of the User Setup window, click System Hierarchy.
- On the System Hierarchy page, select the Failure Rate Upper Bound(t=INF) option, then click OK.
- In the System Hierarchy panel, scroll to the right until the Failure Rate Upper Bound column is visible.
You can see that the system has an expected failure rate of 6194.7844 FITS, with a 90% upper bound of 7359.4555 FITS. This bound is calculated based on the expected failure rate (rolled up from the components’ failure rates), the standard deviation (rolled up from the standard deviations of the components) and the Confidence Level for Upper Bound (%) field in the Application properties at the system level. The bound calculation will take into consideration the base failure rate for any external components but assumes that external components’ failure rates have no associated variability.
