Description / Abstract:
This document addresses robustness of electrical/electronic
modules for use in automotive applications. Where practical,
methods of extrinsic reliability detection and prevention will also
be addressed. This document primarily deals with
electrical/electronic modules (EEMs), but can easily be adapted for
use on mechatronics, sensors, actuators and switches. EEM
qualification is the main scope of this document. Other procedures
addressing random failures are specifically addressed in the CPI
(Component Process Interaction) section 10. This document is to be
used within the context of the Zero Defect concept for component
manufacturing and product use.
It is recommended that the robustness of semiconductor devices
and other components used in the EEM be assured using SAE J1879
OCT2007, Handbook for Robustness Validation of Semiconductor
Devices in Automotive Applications.
The emphasis of this document is on hardware and manufacturing
failure mechanisms, however, other contemporary issues as shown in
Figure 1 need to be addressed for a thorough Robustness Validation.
A Pareto of contemporary issues is shown in Figure 1. Although this
document addresses many of the issues shown, however some are
outside the scope of this document and will need to be addressed
for a thorough RV process application. Examples of issues outside
the scope of this document are system interactions, interfaces,
functionality, HMI (Human-Machine Interface) and software. At the
time of publication of this handbook, a system level Robustness
Validation handbook, which addresses these issues, had been
initiated.
Purpose
This Robustness Validation Handbook provides the automotive
electrical/electronics community with a common qualification
methodology to demonstrate robustness levels necessary to achieve a
desired reliability.
The Robustness Validation approach emphasizes knowledge based
engineering analysis and testing a product to failure, or a
predefined degradation level, without introducing invalid failure
mechanisms. The approach focuses on the evaluation of the
Robustness Margin between the outer limits of the customer
specification and the actual performance of the component These
practices integrate robustness design methods (e.g.,,
test-to-failure in lieu of test-to-pass) into the automotive
electronics design and development process. With successful
implementation of robustness validation practices, the producer and
consumer can realize the objectives of improved quality, cost, and
time-to-market.
The purpose of this Robustness Validation Handbook is to
establish globally accepted concepts, processes, methods,
techniques and tools for implementing the Robustness Validation
qualification methodology for automotive electrical/electronic
modules (EEM) and systems.