Reliability Testing and Qualification
Reliability testing and qualification processes verify that electronic products meet their intended reliability requirements before reaching customers. These testing methodologies subject products to controlled stresses that accelerate failure mechanisms, allowing engineers to validate designs, identify weaknesses, and predict field performance within practical development timeframes.
Qualification testing establishes that a product design is capable of meeting its reliability targets, while ongoing reliability testing monitors production quality and identifies potential degradation. Together, these testing disciplines provide the empirical evidence needed to release products with confidence and maintain reliability throughout the product lifecycle.
Articles
Burn-in and Screening Procedures
Eliminate early failures. This section addresses burn-in theory and objectives, temperature selection criteria, duration optimization, dynamic versus static burn-in, system-level burn-in, component-level screening, in-circuit testing, functional testing, infant mortality elimination, burn-in equipment design, monitoring and control systems, failure tracking systems, yield analysis, cost-effectiveness evaluation, and alternative screening methods.
Environmental Testing Standards
Verify product robustness through standardized environmental testing. Topics include temperature testing methods, humidity and moisture testing, thermal shock procedures, salt spray testing, vibration and shock standards, altitude and pressure testing, sand and dust exposure, solar radiation testing, rain and water immersion, ice and frost testing, mold growth testing, explosive atmosphere testing, combined environment testing, test sequence planning, and international standard compliance.
Product Qualification Testing
Validate design reliability through comprehensive qualification test programs. Topics encompass qualification test planning, environmental test sequences, mechanical test requirements, electrical stress testing, life testing procedures, sample size requirements, acceptance criteria definition, margin demonstration, requalification triggers, similarity analysis, family qualification strategies, test report documentation, certification requirements, customer witnessing, and regulatory compliance.
Reliability Demonstration Testing
Prove reliability requirements. Coverage includes test planning and design, success run testing, sequential probability ratio test, Bayesian demonstration methods, zero failure testing, confidence level selection, consumer and producer risks, test time determination, failure definition criteria, test monitoring procedures, data collection protocols, results analysis methods, qualification report generation, and customer acceptance criteria.
About This Category
Reliability Testing and Qualification represents the practical verification of reliability engineering efforts. While analysis and prediction methods estimate reliability, testing provides the empirical data needed to validate those estimates and uncover issues that analysis alone cannot detect. The testing approaches in this category apply controlled stresses to accelerate failures, screen for latent defects, and demonstrate compliance with reliability requirements.
Effective reliability testing programs balance thoroughness with efficiency. Engineers must design tests that meaningfully stress products without introducing unrealistic failure modes, while completing testing within schedule and budget constraints. The standards and methodologies covered here provide proven frameworks for achieving this balance across diverse product types and application environments.