HALT/Reliability Testing

Evaluating The Uncertainty Gap

By Joel MandelJan 2007

Uncertainty Gap Problem

How far is our theoretical design from real capabilities?

HALT Margin Discovery

Stress

UpperDestruct

Limit

LowerDestruct

Limit

UpperOperating

Limit

LowerOperating

LimitProductSpecs

Margin Margin

OperatingOperating

Destruct Margin Destruct Margin

The Million Dollar question

is a science-based approach to reliability that uses modeling and Simulation to design-in reliability. This approach models the root causes of failure such as fatigue, fracture, wear, and corrosion ..

Physics Of Failures

Physics Of Failures

Thermodynamics

Design Objective

• Any system will fail so the objective is delay the failures or to weed out the first failures./or the weak parts of the

system

Correct Answer

We must test to cause failures not to test to

demonstrate successful achievement

Physics of Failures Models

• Exponential Model Ae-Bx film resistors ceramic capacitors life temperature dependence

• Power model AV-b Voltage

• Arrhenius (A)1/T e-c/T

temperture dependent processes including diffusion and corrosion

Every stress source and failure mechanism has a different characteristic

exponential relationship

High Accelerated Life Testing

Halt

Temp-High Low

Temp Rapid Cycling

Vibration

Combines testing

Power

Vibration Testing Logic

Four Corner VoltageTemperature Halt Test