Automating reliability prediction and derating analysis: An example of simultaneous engineering

An automated method of evaluating electronic equipment for overstress effects and derating compliance simultaneously with reliability predictions was successfully developed for personal computer implementation. The tasks involved in defining, developing, and using a reliability prediction and derating analysis software tool that automates the process are described. It operates on design, manufacturers, and thermal data via electronic data transfer. It concurrently accomplishes the computing of derated and stressed part failure rate/unit mean time before failure (MTBF) predictions and identifies overstressed part problems while operating with shared databases