Robust:

A robust design is one that handles unusual conditions well. For example, plastic fuel lines are NOT robust, because they readily fail when hit with heavy object. They are sensitive to time, heat, injury, pressure. While steel fuel lines are very robust. They age well, can handle injury, high pressures, temperatures, etc.

This concept sounds simple. It’s extremely significant. One of the keys to quality improvement. Way more important than traditional “controlling variation”. Robust designs and materials are far less likely to fail. I did many Taguchi Designed Experiments to prove just how robust processes were.