Design for Excellence in Electronics Manufacturing

2Establishing a Reliability Program

2.1 Introduction

A comprehensive, well‐thought‐out reliability program ensures that companies can achieve their quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction targets on time, on schedule, and within budget. Reliability is the measure of a product's ability to perform a required function under stated conditions for an expected duration. By definition, reliability is specific to each application – there is no one‐size‐fits‐all definition. So, it can be useful to start with what reliability is not along with some common myths about reliability.

Myths of Reliability

• Myth 1: Don't worry about design, because most problems are caused by defects from suppliers. While many product failures can be traced back to supplier or manufacturing issues, the most severe warranty issues tend to be design related. Design flaws can affect every product at every customer. As a result, design issues are more likely to result in a recall and have a much more significant impact on a company's bottom line.
• Myth 2: The design is intended for more rugged environments; therefore, nothing can be learned from consumer electronics. The stresses experienced during the operation of a computer or mobile phone can far exceed any loads applied to military, avionics, and industrial designs. For example, laptop computers left in the back of a car can experience temperatures as high as 80 C on a hot summer day. Combine that with component temperatures that can exceed 100 C ...