Stress profile derivation-an empirical approach

The author describes how a thermal stress test profile was derived by experiment for more effective screening of IBM Personal System 2 planar cards. Profile components are optimized from Model 50 experimental data and reassembled into an empirically engineered power-temperature profile used in stress testing electronic cards. The resultant profile is shown to be more effective in accelerating early life failures and has become the standard framework for all PS/2 stress profiles used in IBM Greenock´s SMT (surface mount technology) card stress screening. Thermal shock and voltage biasing have been introduced into Greenock´s stress test for the first time