Distribution Analysis (Right Censored Data)
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If your data include exact failures or if test units do not fail before your study is over, your data are right-censored. For general information on life data and censoring, see Distribution Analysis Data.

You can enter up to 50 samples per analysis. Minitab estimates the functions independently for each sample, unless you assume a common shape (Weibull) or scale (other distributions). All of the samples display on a single plot, with different colors and symbols, so you can compare the various functions between samples.

Minitab can analyze systems with one cause of failure or multiple causes of failure. For systems that have more than one cause of failure, see Multiple Failure Modes (Right Censored Data).

Right censored data can be:

·    Singly censored - All of the test units run for the same amount of time. Units surviving at the end of the study are considered censored data. Failed units are considered exact failures. Singly censored data are more common in controlled studies.

·    Multiply censored - Test units are censored at different times. Failure times are intermixed with censoring times. Multiply censored data are more common in the field, where units go into service at different times.

When your data are multiply censored, you must have a column of censoring indicators. See Worksheet Structure for more information.