Relating Field Data to Accelerated Life Testing

该项目将两个NSF I/UCRC结合在一起，以改进车辆电子产品的加速寿命测试(ALT)。奥本大学先进车辆电子中心(CAVE)与罗格斯大学和亚利桑那州立大学的质量和可靠性工程(QRE)中心合作，调查现场经历的车辆控制器磨损、退化和故障之间的关系，与实验室进行的ALT结果预期的关系。阿拉巴马州亨茨维尔的戴姆勒-克莱斯勒电子公司提供了试验台。车载电子产品由于温度、湿度、骑行和其他环境危害而受到压力。构成控制器的材料容易受到腐蚀和氧化的影响。在高温和热循环压力下，连接控制器组件的焊料可能会因疲劳和蠕变而破裂。这些故障对车辆的性能影响从轻微到严重。该项目的研究将制定一种具体说明加速寿命试验的一般方法，以便准确描述现场将经历的退化和故障。在制定加速寿命试验时，将对现场单元中装配材料的失效机理进行研究。新产品在上市前必须通过的ALT标准将是足够的，但又不会过于保守，这可能会允许新设计和新材料用于汽车电子产品。

This project brings together two NSF I/UCRC's to improve accelerated life testing (ALT) of vehicle electronics. The Center for Advanced Vehicle Electronics (CAVE) of Auburn University with partner with the Quality and Reliability Engineering (QRE) Center of Rutgers University and Arizona State University to investigate the relationship between wear, degradation and failure of vehicle controllers as experienced in the field with that expected by the results of ALT conducted in the laboratory. DaimlerChrysler Electronics of Huntsville, Alabama supplies the test bed. Vehicle electronics are subject to stress due to temperature, humidity, cycling and other environmental hazards. The materials that comprise the controllers are susceptible to the effects of corrosion and oxidation. The solder that connects the controller components can crack due to fatigue and creep under high temperature and thermal cycling stresses. These failures affect the performance of the vehicle from slightly to severely. The research of this project will develop a general methodology for specifying accelerated life tests so that they result in an accurate characterization of the degradation and failures that will be experienced in the filed. The failure mechanisms for the assembly materials in field units will be investigated in the development of the accelerated life tests. ALT standards, which new units must pass prior to marketing, will be adequate without being overly conservative, potentially allowing new designs and new materials to be used in vehicle electronics.