Seeded Fault Testing and In-situ Analysis of Critical Electronic Components in EMA Power Circuitry

An investigation into the development of feasible detection strategies capturing and trending incipient signs of failure in electronic power and control circuitry of electromechanical actuator (EMA) systems was jointly funded and conducted by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Parker Aerospace, and Impact Technologies, LLC. The objective of this study was to experimentally evaluate feature-based and efficiency-based prognostic approaches for power drive and control electronics through application of component-level Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) and circuit board-level seeded fault testing. The authors of this paper discuss collaborative work identifying system-critical components through an enhanced failure mode effect and criticality assessment (FMECA++) followed by accelerated aging of these components leading to insertion into the EMA system and analysis of test results. Component accelerated aging and EMA system testing was performed at Impact's facility with test system- specific knowledge provided by Lockheed and Parker.