Cumulative degradation methodology to predict reliability of electronic systems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel methodology for predicting reliability for consumer electronics or any other hardware systems that experience a complex lifecycle environmental profile. Design/methodology/approach This Physics-of-Failure–based three-step methodology can be used to predict the degradation rate of a population using a Monte Carlo approach. The three steps include: using an empirical equation describing the degradation of a performance metric, a degradation consistency condition and a technique to account for cumulative degradation across multiple life-cycle stress conditions (e.g. temperature, voltage, mechanical load, etc.). Findings Two case studies are provided to illustrate the methodology including one related to repeated touch-load induced artifacts for displays. Originality/value This novel methodology can be applied to a wide range of applications from mechanical systems to electrical circuits. The results can be fed into the several stages of engineering validation to speed up product qualification.