Software for Reliability Assessment of Electronic Components, Circuit Cards and Equipment

摘要

Addressing reliability issues in the design phase and eliminating costly prototype testing are critical to the timely and cost-effective development of electronic components, circuit cards, and equipment. This paper will describe the structure and operation of integrated software tools being developed at the CALCE EPRC which facilitate design-for-reliability and virtual qualification of electronic systems at the component and circuit card level. These software tools assess candidate and existing package designs for reliability in many different environments using a database of fully validated mathematical models based on the fundamental physical mechanisms underlying the failure of electronic systems. In doing so, these tools address a substantial void in the current suite of electrical engineering design automation systems.