What Is MTBF? How to Use Mean Time Between Failures to Compare Industrial PC Reliability

What Is MTBF?

MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) is a statistical measure of how long a device is expected to operate before experiencing a failure. It is typically expressed in hours. An MTBF of 50,000 hours means the device is statistically expected to operate for 50,000 hours before a failure — approximately 5.7 years of continuous 24/7 operation.

MTBF Is Probabilistic, Not Guaranteed

MTBF does not mean every unit will run for 50,000 hours without fail. It is an average derived from Arrhenius testing (accelerated life testing) and component reliability data. Individual units may fail earlier or later — but a higher MTBF means a lower probability of failure at any given point in time.

Typical MTBF Values for Industrial Equipment

Equipment Type	Typical MTBF
Consumer laptop	10,000–15,000 hours
Fan-cooled industrial PC	20,000–30,000 hours
Fanless industrial PC	50,000–100,000 hours
Cermate HMI panel	50,000+ hours (backlight)

Why Fanless Design Dramatically Improves MTBF

Fans are the most common failure point in industrial PCs — bearing wear, dust clogging, and motor failure. Eliminating fans removes the highest-failure-rate component, which is why fanless industrial PCs show significantly higher MTBF than fan-cooled equivalents.

All Avalue fanless industrial PCs and Cermate HMI panels are rated for 50,000+ hours MTBF. Contact TSL Automation Solutions for product reliability data.